ThinkQuest

educational web contests

ThinkQuest is an international web contest for students ages 12 through 19. Teams of 2 to 3 students supported by 1 to 3 coaches are creating educational websites. They are competing with their entry for one of many prizes (over 1 million USD in scholarships and awards).

ThinkQuest was created by the US organisation Advanced Network & Services Inc. In 1996, ThinkQuest was organized for the first time as a national American contest. In 1997, ThinkQuest was launched as an international contest. To simplify the organisation of ThinkQuest world wide, Advanced has created so-called National Partners. National Partners (NP) are organizations cooperating with Advanced, which introduce, stimulate and support ThinkQuest in their own country.

In 1997, SURFnet took upon itself the National Partnership for ThinkQuest in the Netherlands. In the first years, SURFnet has established ThinkQuest in the Netherlands and gained valuable experiences with the organization, supported by a few distinguished sponsors (KPN Telecom, the Ministry of Education, Kennisnet and Educatiefnet).

To establish a somewhat more permanent platform for the expansion of ThinkQuest, SURFnet and Stichting NLnet have set up a new foundation, Stichting ThinkQuest Nederland. Together with the Dutch Ministry of Education, the three partners have provided the new foundation with NLG 1,500,000 for the next four years.

In the year 2000, ThinkQuest Nederland will expand the contest program with two new contests in addition to the existing ThinkQuest Internet Challenge contest:

• ThinkQuest-Junior,for pupils in group 6, 7 and 8 of the primary school;
• ThinkQuest-BVE, for students in BVE (professional and adult education).

In subsequent years, additional programs will be launched, as allowed by additional funding from external sponsors.