Calling young scientists and aspiring leaders

If you're a student aged between 15 and 21, are full of ideas and enjoy debating topics of a European and scientific nature, and would like to travel, the National Student Travel Foundation (NSTF) has the right opportunity for you.

Through three of its educational programmes you can improve your analytical and debating skills and put forward your ideas through an enjoyable learning process.

On a science level there are two programmes on offer: the NSTF Malta Student Science Forum and the NSTF Contest for Young Scientists. The other programme, the NSTF Mini European Assembly, focuses on European Affairs.

The science forum runs between November and April and is open to students aged between 16 and 22. Topics of scientific importance are assigned to the participants who team up in twos or threes and research the subject.

The team presents its research during one of the five sessions followed by a debate. A scientist is invited to each session. Winners and runners-up are eligible for participation in the London International Youth Science Forum and the International Wildlife Research Week held in Switzerland.

The contest for young scientists on the other hand is more of a research project initiative.

Students aged between 15 and 21 can participate as individuals or in a team of two to three and have to come up with an original research project - with a model for display purposes.

Participants exhibit their projects at the NSTF Science Week held in March/April. The winners and runners-up will be eligible to participate in the EU Contest for Young Scientists, the 2006 edition being held in Stockholm, and in the Expo Science Contests.

The Mini European Assembly is a debating forum, held between November and April.

The assembly is a simulation of the European Parliament where students from post-secondary and first-year tertiary educational institutions, in teams of four to five individuals, represent a European country and meet at six committee meetings and plenary sessions to discuss topics of European relevance.

Each plenary session is chaired and addressed by a European personality. Participants are evaluated throughout the year and the winners participate in a prize tour of the major European institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg.

To apply visit www.nsts.org/ nstf, fill out an application form and return it to NSTF, 220, Triq San Pawl, Valletta by not later than Wednesday.

For further information contact Ilaria Flores Martin at iflor@nsts.org or call 2558 8241.