Moldova Wins Two Gold Medals at the 2024 FIRST Global Challenge Robotics Olympiad
The Republic of Moldova continues its outstanding success in robotics, securing two gold medals at the FIRST Global Challenge 2024, the world’s largest high school robotics competition. Held from September 26-29 in Athens, Greece, this event gathered teams from 193 countries, with participants aged 15 to 18 competing in a global effort to solve real-world challenges using robotics.
Moldova’s national robotics team emerged as double champions. The first gold medal was awarded for the FIRST Global Winning Alliance, where Moldova formed part of a winning coalition alongside teams from China, Madagascar, and the Cook Islands. The alliance triumphed in the final match of the competition, showcasing superior teamwork and strategy.
The second gold medal was for Innovation in Engineering, presented under the Ustad Ahmad Lahori Award. This accolade is given to teams that demonstrate exceptional creativity and innovative engineering solutions in building their robots. Moldova’s robot impressed the judges with its unique design and advanced features, which effectively addressed the challenges posed by this year’s theme, Feeding the Future, focused on creating sustainable food systems.
Dan Perciun, Moldova’s Minister of Education and Research, praised the team:
“We congratulate our national robotics team for this extraordinary achievement and thank them for once again giving us a sense of pride! At the Ministry of Education, we will continue to support the development of technological skills and creativity among Moldova's students, providing them with learning opportunities comparable to those in other countries. The exceptional results of our national robotics team demonstrate the importance of preparing a generation of young people ready to tackle the challenges and opportunities of a globalized, ever-changing world.”
Vladimir Corduneanu, one of the team members, shared his thoughts:
“In my final year at the FIRST Global Challenge, winning the gold for engineering innovation and being part of the winning alliance was truly a dream come true. The competition was full of emotions, and I had the chance to meet amazing people from around the world. I learned how important it is to never give up and to communicate openly, both with those on your side and with those in the opposing camp.”
Team member Marta Guțu added:
“I’m proud to be part of this extraordinary team and hope our success will inspire girls in Moldova to follow their passion for science and technology. We need more girls in engineering—nothing is impossible!”
The success of Moldova’s team is due to months of dedication by an extended team of 12 students and 3 mentors, representing multiple institutions. The core five members who competed were:
- Vladimir Corduneanu – IPLT "Mihai Viteazul", Chișinău
- Cristian Romanciuc – IPLT "George Meniuc", Chișinău
- Mihai Marandici – IPLT "Mihail Kogălniceanu", Chișinău
- Marta Guțu – LLMTI "Socrate", Chișinău
- Sabina Pavlov – LLMTI "Socrate", Chișinău
- Sanda Bostan – New School, International School of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia
- Alexandru Cernăuțeanu – LLMTI "Socrate", Chișinău
- Cristian Stăvilă – LLMTI "Socrate", Chișinău
- Cătălin Mărgineanu – LLMTI "Socrate", Chișinău
- Cristian Andrieș – IPLT "Ion Creangă", Chișinău
- Ion Pavelescu – LT "Orizont", Durlești, Chișinău
- David Bragarenco – IPLT "Mihail Kogălniceanu", Chișinău
The team was supported by mentors Florin Cazac from Tekwill Academy Kids, Veronica Eșanu from the Future Technologies Activity, and Liliana Beleac from the Center for Digital Innovations in Education "Future Classroom Lab".
Since Moldova’s debut at the FIRST Global Challenge in 2017, the national team has continually excelled. In 2018, they earned a bronze medal in Mexico. In 2019, the team achieved three gold medals in Dubai, UAE, followed by another gold in 2022 in Geneva, Switzerland, and a gold and silver in 2023 in Singapore.
This year’s participation was made possible with financial support from the Future Technologies Activity, funded by USAID, Sweden, and UKaid, key partners who have supported the initiative since 2017. Premier Energy Distribution and General Asigurări also played a crucial role, backing the team’s efforts in previous years. FabLab Chișinău and Technical University of Moldova provided essential space for preparation and construction, while the National Center for Digital Innovations in Education "Future Classroom Lab" coordinated the logistics and organization for the team’s participation.
Moldova’s educational robotics program, launched in 2014, has grown significantly, with more than 270 robotics clubs established in schools and libraries across the country, engaging over 50,000 students in robotics activities. Currently, Moldova runs three key robotics competitions: FIRST LEGO League Explore (ages 6-10), FIRST LEGO League Challenge (ages 10-16), and a pilot FIRST Tech Challenge (ages 14-18).
Liliana Beleac
Robotics Program manager
"Future Classroom Lab"
(+373) 796-33-752
beleac.liliana@clasaviitorului.md
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About FIRST Global:
FIRST Global is a leading international robotics competition that annually brings together young minds from around the world to collaborate, innovate, and engage in the realm of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). With a commitment to make science and technology as engaging as any sport, FIRST Global aims to inspire the world's youth to become the leaders and innovators of tomorrow, addressing our planet's most pressing challenges through technological solutions.
About Clasa Viitorului (Future Classroom):
Clasa Viitorului spearheads the digital evolution of Moldovan education, introducing a modern pedagogical approach. By harnessing digital technologies, it provides an open learning environment emphasizing student-centric education. Building on the success of the national Educational Robotics project, Clasa Viitorului promotes STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) education, paving the way for a transformative era in Moldova's educational landscape.
This initiative is the fruit of a robust public-private partnership between the Ministry of Education and Research, the Future Technologies Project (backed by USAID, Sweden, and UKaid), and the Orange Moldova Foundation. With development support from the Liechtenstein Development Services Foundation (LED), the project implementation is helmed by the Ion Creangă State Pedagogical University with Google as the prestigious technological partner.
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