The Bebras Challenge on Informatics and Computational Thinking family continues to grow and strengthen its international ties. Recently, Professor Dr. Valentina Dagienė and doctoral student Vaida Masiulionyte-Dagienė from Vilnius University, Lithuania, visited the island of Puerto Rico as part of an Erasmus+ academic exchange. Hosted by the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez (UPRM), the visit served as a bridge between Baltic and Caribbean expertise in Informatics and Computational Thinking (CT).

The visit kicked off at the Department of Mathematical Sciences at UPRM, where Dr. Dagienė shared her vast experience with local faculty and students. A highlight of the stay was the colloquium titled «Computer Science and Computational Thinking Education,» where the Bebras Challenge was showcased as a pivotal tool for gamifying complex concepts and where Vaida can showcase her doctoral thesis in research analyzing Bebras task data collected by user clicks and helping to improve the challenge’s rating systems to better quantify students’ knowledge. The delegation also engaged in strategic discussions with the Olimpiadas Informáticas de Puerto Rico (OiPR) team. These meetings focused on finding synergies to integrate Bebras tasks into the local «Programming and AI Competency Cycle,» ensuring that students across the island have a structured path from conceptual thinking to advanced programming.

A cornerstone of the visit was observing how Computational Thinking is being implemented across different educational environments. This included a meaningful visit to the José Gautier Benítez school, a public institution where the OiPR team conducted a hands-on workshop focused on Bebras tasks with Dr. Valentina and Vaida as observers. The primary goal was to engage the school and encourage their participation in the upcoming Bebras Challenge in November. This visit underscored a significant challenge: while the majority of public schools in Puerto Rico do not yet have formal Computer Science programs, initiatives like these are essential for sparking interest. This situation stands in stark contrast to the experience at TASIS Dorado, where the team met with Dr. Alberto Chiechio, a Bebras pioneer in Puerto Rico. For years, Dr. Chiechio has been instrumental in running the Bebras Challenge at his school, developing one of the most robust and excellent Computer Science programs in the region. Seeing his work firsthand underscored the impact that dedicated educators have when they embrace the Bebras mission.

Beyond the academic talks and school visits, the exchange allowed Dr. Dagienė to witness the vibrant culture and the unique educational challenges of the island. This Erasmus+ collaboration is a testament to the fact that the language of Computational Thinking is universal. As part of this ongoing partnership, the exchange will continue in August, when two members of the OiPR team and UPRM professors travel to Vilnius University to participate in the Bebras BeLLE workshop from August 20-29. This reciprocal visit will further solidify the cooperation between our institutions and our shared commitment to preparing students for the 21st-century landscape.