Russian team comes on top in world student competition

Three other student teams were also gold medallists – Shanghai Jiao Tong University from China; Harvard University from US; and Moscow Institute of Physics & and Technology.
The winning team received a trophy and cash prize of US$16,500 (Bt570,000). The CUPC Meow Meow student team from Chulalongkorn University was the quickest to solve the first problem at the event and won the UPE First Solution Award/Problem C.
Jeff Donahoo, ICPC executive director for World Competitions, said 128 university teams, each comprising three students, from 40 countries took part in event, to solve a series of complex real-world problems in just five hours.
The event was organised by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), IBM, Prince of Songkla University, Software Industry and Promotion Agency (Sipa), CAT Telecom and the Thai government.
Some 40,266 contestants from 2,736 universities in 102 countries competed at more than 480 sites, all with the goal of earning the coveted invitation to the final round in Phuket.
Bill Poucher, ICPC executive director and a Baylor University professor, said the ACM-ICPC’s impact on these students’ productivity and opportunity would last a lifetime. The contest also tested the students’ abilities to solve hard problems.
“We’re thrilled to open doors of opportunity for these talented young students as they put their creativity and technical expertise to the test to tackle real world challenges in a competitive environment. I am excited to see what these students do with the dauntless problem-solving abilities they showcased at the World Finals, as well as the knowledge they gained, as they continue their academic and professional pursuits.”
Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong said the ACM-ICPC could inspire leading innovators and scholars, as well as encourage the development of the science of programming for the benefit and well-being of all global citizens. It also is an opportunity to encourage and inspire the young generation of programmers in Thailand.
Perapong Tekasakul, vice president for Research System at Prince of Songkla University, said the world contest provided an opportunity for Thai students to learn more about science and technology. The contest also provided new experience to help and develop Thai talent.
This would help drive the digital economy scheme and boost the country’s software industry. The contest would also help attract both domestic and international talent to Thailand’s digital workforce.
Andrew Hately, CTO, Cloud Performance, IBM Cloud said competing in the World Finals exposed the students to the latest technologies.