Development of Soft and Hard Skills of High-School Students via Young Physicists’ Tournament

The Young Physicists’ Tournament (YPT) inspires high-school students to immerse themselves into an inquiry process closely resembling real physics research. Using questionnaires’ replies from the students and their teachers engaged in the YPT, we investigated the perception of teachers and students on how the preparation for the YPT contributes to the development of hard skills (physics content knowledge, mathematics, modelling…) and soft skills (communication, team work, organization…) of the students, and how it compares to regular classes and other activities. This comparison shows a positive role of the YPT among students, and even a more positive perception among teachers. The significant development of a wide range of advanced skills justifies the substantial effort, resources and dedication of both teachers and students required for the participation in the YPT.