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Malta’s Linguistic Knights are off to International Linguistics Olympiad!

Malta’s Linguistic Knights are preparing to represent Malta at the (IOL) which will be held in Bucharest, Romania, from 26 July to 2 August 2026.

The Maltese team is made up of four students: Samuel Abela Medici and Raphael Borg from St Aloysius College, David Cuschieri from , and Marcelina Szczech from Sir M. A. Refalo Sixth Form. The team will be led by Dr Jessica Nieder and Prof. Sandra Vella from the Institute of Linguistics and Language Technology.

The students were selected through the national Linguistics Olympiad Malta (LOM) competition, organised by the Institute of Linguistics and Language Technology at the University of Malta. This year marks the fourth edition of the national competition and the third time that a Maltese team will participate in the international event. Malta was previously represented at the IOL in Brasília, Brazil, in 2024 and in Taipei, Taiwan, in 2025.

The International Linguistics Olympiad is an annual competition that brings together pre-University aged students from around the world. Participants are challenged to solve complex puzzles involving the grammar, structure, writing systems, culture and history of a wide variety of languages.

No previous knowledge of linguistics or specific languages is required. Instead, competitors must use logic, careful observation, patience and creativity, to identify patterns and reach solutions to the puzzles set. Through these challenges, the Olympiad encourages participants to strengthen their analytical and problem-solving skills while gaining a greater appreciation of linguistic and cultural diversity.

As they prepare for the competition, the Linguistic Knights are developing their teamwork and practising the methods needed to approach unfamiliar linguistic data. Their participation will also offer them the opportunity to meet fellow students and linguistics experts from different countries.

The team’s participation in IOL 2026 is supported through funding from the University of Malta.

As we look ahead to the competition in Bucharest, we wish the Linguistic Knights every success as they prepare to represent Malta. We are proud to support them through the dedication and expertise of members of staff of the Institute together with the many helpers, including previous competitors, who have accompanied the students on this journey yet again this year.