Tournament of Minds is a problem solving programme for teams of students. The aim is to develop diverse skills, enterprise, time management, and the discipline to work collaboratively within a challenging and competitive environment.

Each team is required to solve demanding, open-ended challenges from one of the following disciplines:

• The Arts
• Language Literature
• Social Sciences
• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)

Tournament of Minds is an opportunity for students with a passion for learning and problem solving to demonstrate their skills and talents in an exciting, vibrant and public way.

Teams are required to work together on a Long Term Challenge for six weeks without assistance from teachers, parents or peers. They are encouraged to explore possibilities and experiment with ideas as they endeavour to produce their best possible solution. They develop a creative and original way to communicate this solution to others, working within predefined parameters such as limited materials, complex challenge criteria and the deadline of Tournament Day.

Students present the product of their ideas – their challenge solution – to a panel of judges and an audience on Tournament Day. They have ten minutes in which to present and must do so within a 3 metre by 3 metre performance area.

The teams must also participate in an unseen Spontaneous Challenge on Tournament Day. This challenge requires rapid interchange of ideas, the ability to think creatively and well developed group cooperation skills.