Are Asians really better at math?

At the 2025 Beijing Forum, President of the National University of Singapore, Tan Eng Chye, addressed the question of why many International Olympiad participants are from Asia or of Asian origin. He refuted the idea of "racial gifts", arguing that success stems from how mathematics is taught and learned from an early age within a region's educational system, not nationality.

As a mathematician, he emphasized that a child's educational journey from primary to high school is crucial for developing mathematical thinking. He also highlighted the paramount importance of intrinsic motivation. Finally, he also assigned a critical role to parents, noting that the pre-school years are a golden period for fostering this drive, a responsibility that should not be left solely to schools.