The announcement was made by Nguyen Van Hien, director of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, during a press conference on September 21 ahead of the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics 2026 (IOAA 2026).
Nguyen Van Hien, director of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, speaks about preparations for the competition on September 21 (Photo: Minh Chien).
As host nation, Vietnam will be represented by two teams.
The first team consists of five students from Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted.
The second team includes five students from Vinh Phuc High School for the Gifted in Phu Tho Province, Lam Son High School for the Gifted in Thanh Hoa Province, the High School for the Gifted under Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, and the High School for Gifted Students under Vietnam National University Hanoi.
Officials said team members were selected through a nationwide process.
According to Hien, the competition will be held at Phenikaa University in Hanoi from September 25 to October 5.
The academic programme will feature four main components: a theoretical examination, a data analysis examination, an observational astronomy examination and a team competition.
Earlier, between June 29 and July 4, a delegation from the International IOAA Committee conducted an on-site inspection of facilities and infrastructure prepared for the event.
The 19th edition of the competition is expected to attract some of the world's top secondary-school students in astronomy and astrophysics, providing a platform for academic exchange and international cooperation in science education.
