A Russian team has come out on top in the final of the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest for the 6th time in the past 10 years.
St Petersburg State University’s (SPBSU) team won the title after successfully solving 7 out of 10 problems in five hours. This was the university’s first ever triumph in the prestigious competition, which attracts teams from all over the world and is sponsored by IBM.
122 teams took part in the finals, which were held at Urals Federal University in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg. The was the 38th time that the contest has been held, making it the world’s oldest international programming competition.
While this was St Petersburg State University’s first title, it is the fifth time that the trophy has headed to the capital of the Russian North. On four previous occasions it was won by the St Petersburg Institute of Fine Mechanics and Optics, which finished in 9th place this time round.
Russia’s reputation as a programming powerhouse was further enhanced by Moscow State University’s team, which also solved 7 problems but in a slightly slower time. That put them in second place ahead of Peking University and the National Taiwan University.
In addition to the title of “World Champions” and the “World’s Smartest Trophy”, the SPBSU team also won $12,000 and offers of employment or internships with IBM and other industry leaders.
“As a leading technology company, IBM recognizes the importance of providing opportunities for students from around the world to discover and embrace the latest technological innovations,” commented Alain Azagury, Director of IBM Software Group’s Technical Strategy.
“The ACM-ICPC assembles the world’s best computing students and challenges them with scenarios of real world issues. We believe these students are the future leaders of our field and are committed to nurturing their development as they conclude their studies and prepare to enter the global workforce. We hope some of these remarkable problem solvers will contribute to helping us build a smarter, more efficient planet,” Azagury concluded.
