Tell a friend

OSI in 80 seconds!

An 80-second video and 10 Q&As to understand everything about Science Camps! Further Details

OSI in 80 seconds!

An 80-second video and 10 Q&As to understand everything about Science Camps! Further Details

Home > Introduction > OSI in 80 seconds!

Science camps Science Camps Our science camps are vacation camps where your children will discover a scientific domain which speaks to them: astronomy, archaeology, marine ecology... At the same time the will be able to do various outdoor activities: archery, swimming, hiking.... for:

  • Children’s holidays
  • Families and adults
  • Schools
  • Groups

The film

Watch an 80-second video clip to find out everything we have to offer.

Below the video, you will find 10 Q&As that give you more detailed information.




OSI in 10 questions and answers

What is OSI?
Objectif Sciences International is a non-profit organization founded in 1992. It is a recognized public advocacy association that is authorized to receive tax-deductible donations, and holds the highly valued Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). With the aim of achieving science Science La science est désormais l’affaire de tous. Découvrez la science d’une manière ludique et active. Nous vous proposons d’en découvrir plus sur nos expéditions à la voile, découverte du plancton. education and sustainable development through the practice of real research, in 2004 the organization established the first inclusive and participatory research trips for children, adolescents, students and adults. All the trips are approved by the ministries and departments of youth and sports in the countries where they operate. You can access the Objectif Sciences International website (in French).
Who is OSI?
The OSI organization has a strong presence in many countries, including France, Canada and Japan, and is headquartered in Geneva to be closest to the UN. The local groups that organize trips and training have their own headquarters in their respective countries. Through research, education and development programs, every year the NGO’s local groups create the best, most action-packed science Science La science est désormais l’affaire de tous. Découvrez la science d’une manière ludique et active. Nous vous proposons d’en découvrir plus sur nos expéditions à la voile, découverte du plancton. holiday camps that are as detailed as multiple-part musical scores. We have around 300 highly motivated Scientific Educators who come from all walks of life. Here you can find the description of the team of science leaders for our trips.
How much do OSI trips cost?
Contrary to trips that are expensive because of advertised quality, OSI trips are the same price if not cheaper than trips offered by other agencies organizing scientific holiday camps, trips and discovery classes. For over 10 years, our OSI trips have been getting cheaper annually and this is thanks to your increased participation in our trips. Dates and prices depend on the subjects, number of available places, and age groups. Please contact us early to get the best rates.
What is a “Sciences Educator”?
Our tutors are skilled in the sciences as well as in sociocultural and scientific tutoring Tutoring All the Power of our Educaton Methods by using the Project in Tutoring!

For the dates offered in

Tutoring


for our camps, the participants will be able to practice, during the camp’s project, an academic discipline that their parents want them to improve.

The situation is very simple: when you register for a camp, you can specify to us which disciplines are required for remedial support and the trip leaders will include your child into the sub-group which will, for activities during the project, focus on questioning the discipline in question. If your child needs to practice their math, they will be placed in the group which will be carrying out analysis of the data produced form the experiment... if your child needs to improve their French writing, they will be part of the group who will write up the results and write the documents necessary for the final presentation of their project.

There are many advantages to this system, and all of this comes with fun and so it is even more effective! . Their highly diversified profiles, and the high-level training that OSI provides them at the start of their careers and through ongoing training, means they do a thorough job as sciences educators. You can find out more about what it means to be a Sciences Educator at OSI. What is more, the leader-to-participant ratio is very high, which means excellent quality. The team members also get to know each other well, working together long before the participants arrive on the trips. To make up your own mind, you can find further Opinions on Science Camps.
What do children do on the trips?
Are we talking about science holiday camps or scientific holidays? Obviously, the children do not only do science-related things on our trips; they play and use their imaginations a lor. In fact, they play all the time. The Real Research Project that they participate in is really fun — to the point where they don’t even realize they are learning. Thus, these learning programs can be surprising and sometimes even daunting — but playing, having fun, enjoying the holidays and respecting one another are always on the agenda!
What is meant by a “Real Research Project”?
The activities are planned to adapt perfectly to:

  • the age of the participants (children, teens, adults)
  • and the setting in which the trip takes place (holiday camp, science trip, discovery class).



The activities allow long-term projects to progress, building on a network of academic and technical partners who provide materials, incredible sites and the latest techniques. OSI teams are at the forefront of many fields because they are passionate, and we have often been the first in the world to perform certain practices (including capturing a snowflake, producing power with solar cogeneration, and using a camera trap for scientific purposes). Projects progress from one trip to the next, and there are no repeated activities no matter how long you stay (whether for one, two or three weeks) or how many times you come back (60% of our participants come back the following year, and 30% of our participants have been back for 10 years or more). The project-based approach gives the activities a highly practical element. The pedagogical progression invented by OSI over 20 years ago — and improved on every year — is still leading the way in science education and science-trip tutoring Tutoring All the Power of our Educaton Methods by using the Project in Tutoring!

For the dates offered in

Tutoring


for our camps, the participants will be able to practice, during the camp’s project, an academic discipline that their parents want them to improve.

The situation is very simple: when you register for a camp, you can specify to us which disciplines are required for remedial support and the trip leaders will include your child into the sub-group which will, for activities during the project, focus on questioning the discipline in question. If your child needs to practice their math, they will be placed in the group which will be carrying out analysis of the data produced form the experiment... if your child needs to improve their French writing, they will be part of the group who will write up the results and write the documents necessary for the final presentation of their project.

There are many advantages to this system, and all of this comes with fun and so it is even more effective! methods today. Because you don’t have to be a scientist to participate, all participants can take part and have fun by getting involved. Those who don’t enjoy writing or doing math might be surprised by how much they understand without even realizing it!
How do you register?
To register yourself or a child, please give us a call or fill out the pre-registration form online. After you have enrolled, we will create your online application so you can log in and fill in your information. Click here to read the Terms and Conditions of Participation.
Why is the cost of the trip tax-deductible?
If you do not pay income tax, contact us to find out what measures you may be eligible for.
By registering for OSI, you are not purchasing a product. OSI is a non-profit organization that is recognized as a public interest entity and a charity, and it has Special Consultative Status with the UN (see above). The NGO organizes inclusive science activities in which you, whether an adult, adolescent or a child, can get involved through learning-by-doing and by advancing a Real Research Project to help solve a sustainable development issue. The financial contribution required when you register is considered a donation. Thanks to your donations, the NGO is then able to organize these activities that allow you to come and participate in the field. It is therefore deemed a donation without consideration. The arrangement has been termed a solidarity Solidarity Go on a solidarity vacation? Help to broaden our current understanding of the oceans?
It’s all possible with our nature courses whales and dolphins. visit or a solidarity Solidarity Go on a solidarity vacation? Help to broaden our current understanding of the oceans?
It’s all possible with our nature courses whales and dolphins. -based vacation by the legislator. This status is not applicable to classic holiday camps that simply have fun activities to pass the time — only to smart or solidarity visits. OSI is one of the traditional operators of solidarity visits. For example, in France and French-speaking countries, OSI is a member of the Francophone Collective of Eco-Volunteers and participated in its establishment. OSI also organizes the Annual International Conference on Travel, which is valuable for peace and supporting the Sustainable Development Goals.
I love the concept and I want to talk about it with those around me. How do I go about doing that and what should I tell people?
Thank you very much for your support and interest in our pedagogy and scientific projects!

In fact, it is in your interest to spread the word about OSI because we reward those who sponsor others. As a sponsor, when you register someone else, you will receive a significant discount on your own trip. You can also sponsor as many people as you like.

To share information with people around you, you can:



Hope to hear from you soon!
What is Participatory Research and Citizen Science?
Our team was created in 1992. At that time, we were already hosting fantastic scientific holidays.

However, in 2004, when we came up with the first-ever concept of a Participatory Research Trip, it was not called that. It took time for the concept to gain momentum. Now, every year in December, we organize the Annual International Conference on Participatory Research at the United Nations!

Citizen Science consists of allowing members of the general public to undertake scientific work, regardless of the person’s age.

Participatory Research is the most advanced form of Citizen Science, giving you access to fabulous adventures during which you will create wonderful and lasting memories!

Facts and Figures



Every year an average 2,000 volunteer participants take part in our full range of trips and activities, including holiday camps, discovery classes, solidarity missions and other educational groups, which are always in groups of a manageable size.


Girls make up 40% of our participants. Science is for everyone — girls and boys alike. Our aim is to get equal attendance from boys and girls. Help us reach our goal of 50%!


Our core age groups are 7–12 years, 13–18 years, and adults. We also have family trips that allow children of 4–6 years to participate in specially designed pedagogical projects, while every year a growing number of retirees and students attend our solidarity missions for adults.


We say that we work with 1 supervisor for every 5 participants.

In fact, if the Center for Scientific Living has 50 participants (3 trips of 15 to 18 participants), we compose teams with 1 scientific educator for every 6 participants, and include 3 educational leaders and 3 scientific leaders. This results in a very favorable ratio of 1 supervisor to 3.48 participants!


In each project registration, we allocate:

29% for accommodations

17% for science tutoring and everyday activities

29% for OSI materials, developing benefits and tutoring actor-contributors

15% for scientific management, scientific materials and the advancement of research

10% for pedagogical management

Our Partners

See also