What is "The Odyssey of Mind" ?
The Odyssey of the Mind Programme (OMP) is an internationally renowned educational programme started by Dr. Samuel Micklus in the United States in 1978. It targets students from kindergarten to college, fostering their creativity and problem-solving skills through teamwork. By developing solutions to a series of challenging, open-ended problems, young people learn how to broaden their thinking patterns, expressing originality and novelty without fear of criticism. Today, millions of young people from different parts of the world have participated in this effective programme thereby benefiting from an outlet for their creative talent.

OMP in Hong Kong

OMP was introduced to Hong Kong in 1995 as a joint effort of The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and the Education Department (now Education Bureau). With the very enthusiastic support of schools and youth centres, what started out as a small-scale creativity event with just four secondary schools has grown into a territory-wide annual educational programme. Since 2008 there has been generous sponsorship from The Quality Education Fund to sustain its development.

Content of OMP

Working under the guidance of coaches, teams of up to seven students are presented with the "Long-term Problem" for which they need to develop an original solution before the tournament. Teams may choose to build a vehicular or mechanical device, work out individualised interpretations of literary classics or a work of art, make an object in balsa wood with integral structural strength, or present a humorous drama on a given theme.