The 8th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) kicks off in Spain on Monday with about 200 students from 20 countries taking part.
The eight-day event will be held at the spectacular Palace of La Magdalena on the Peninsula of La Magdalena, at the eastern end of Santander city.
The agenda includes cultural visits to unique sites in the area known for their biodiversity.
Kuwait is the only Arab country taking part in the IESO.
In 2010, the Kuwaiti girl student, Dalal Fahad, won the competition bronze medal, and in 2012, Zahraa Al-Herz won the 3rd place, competing 20 teams, while Abdulwahad Al-Hajji claimed the bronze medal for the country in IESO 2012 in Argentina.
This year's IESO is organized by the Complutense University of Madrid in cooperation with the International University of Menendez Pelayo and the Spanish Association for Earth Science Teaching. Participant countries include US, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Ukraine, France, India, Thailand, Germany, Austria, Norway, Italy and Brazil.
All the main areas of earth sciences, including geology, geophysics, meteorology, oceanography, astronomy, and environmental sciences, are considered as selecting topics for the competition.