Charles Barclay leads UK team to best result yet at 13th annual IOAA in Hungary
Green Templeton Associate Fellow Charles Barclay has led another UK team to success at the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA).
Competing at the 13th annual IOAA in Hungary, the team of five students, aged 17 and 18 years old, won one gold medal, three silver medals, and one bronze medal.
The UK finished in fifth place out of 47 countries, coming behind Russia, China, United States, and Romania.
It marked the UK team’s best result yet across all five competitions entered so far.
Charles, who organizes the annual Astronomy For All Lectures at Green Templeton, also led teams to Indonesia in 2015, India in 2016, and China in 2018.
Started in 2006, the IOAA is an annual competition at the highest level for secondary school students around the world, who have to be under 20 years at the start of the competition.
Countries enter teams of five students and two team leaders. Selection for the UK team – the British Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad (BAAO) team – takes place via competition papers, sat in schools, in the preceding year, until the final team of five students (and one reserve) are chosen at a training camp in Oxford.
The questions are aimed at years 12 and 13, but the timing of each Olympiad tends to affect which year group can actually compete.
Over the past week, we have celebrated the extraordinary Green Templeton community through events, volunteering, competitions, challenges and fundraising for student support. It has been wonderful to see alumni, fellows, supporters, friends, staff and students coming together to show our support for students.
From the Garden Party and the Photography Competition, to the Memory Wall and Biscuit Decorating Competition, the week has been filled with moments that reflect the warmth, inclusivity and spirit of our college.
Thank you to everyone who made a gift, attended an event, volunteered their time or followed along throughout the week. Together, we have raised over £65,000 for student support. These gifts will help students pursue opportunities, navigate financial pressures, participate fully in college life and thrive during their time at Oxford.
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📸 Congratulations to Sophia Hall (MSc Medical Anthropology, 2025), winner of the Green Templeton College 2026 Photography Competition!
Sophia`s reflection on Vincent captured perfectly the sense of belonging that so many people find at Green Templeton.
A huge thank you to everyone who entered the competition and to everyone who voted. Your support also helped unlock £1,000 of funding as part of our Community & Giving Week challenge!
What a way to start Community & Giving Week 🤩
Saturday`s Garden Party brought together alumni, fellows, friends from across the UK and beyond to celebrate one another and support current and future students.
On the day, many shared their college memories on our `memory wall` - from today on display in the Stables Bar.
We are now asking our global community to share their memories of Green, Templeton and Green Templeton, and help us unlock an additional £1,000 for student support once we reach 50 memories.
You can email development@gtc.ox.ac.uk with a picture or share a video or audio via the link in the comments.
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Community & Giving Week is here!
Over the next seven days, we’re celebrating the friendships, opportunities and support that define life at Green Templeton.
Join us through community challenges, volunteering, student stories and favourite college memories.
Let us celebrate the people who make GTC so special and follow our progress via the link in bio.
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🏅Beyond Gold four years running!
Green Templeton is delighted to have received yet another Beyond Gold in the Green Impact Awards. A true testament to the dedication and action of the college’s Sustainability Working Group 🌱
