Local education is a key driver of development

The Upper Secondary School Programming Contest (is. Forritunarkeppni framhaldsskólanna) was held last March under the auspices of Reykjavík University (RU) and the University of Akureyri (UNAK). The competition has established itself as an important forum for young people interested in computer science and has been held in Akureyri for over a decade, ever since the collaboration between UNAK and RU on computer science education began.

Participation was higher than ever this year, with numerous teams competing from all parts of the country. Particularly strong participation was seen outside the Capital Region. The competition was also held in East Iceland for the second year in a row, where participation continues to grow.

Record participation in North and East Iceland

A total of 12 teams, or around 30 students, took part in the region, marking record participation. Three teams from North and East Iceland achieved podium finishes. In the Alpha Division, the strongest division of the competition, the team “Forrhitað eða ristað?” from Menntaskólinn á Akureyri placed third. The team members were Elvar Björn Ólafsson, Orri Páll Pálsson, and Viktor Franz Bjarkason.

In the Delta Division, the region claimed both first and third place. First place went to the team “Timaur” from Menntaskólinn á Egilsstöðum, consisting of Sigbjörn Viktor Jóhannsson, Arnar Freyr Guðmundsson, and Brynjar Pálmi Ásgeirsson. Third place was secured by the team “SyntaxErrorTeymið” from Menntaskólinn á Akureyri, whose members were Ármann Snær Heimisson, Ármann Gunnar Benediktsson, and Denys Ivanko.

Growing interest in computer science

The role of the University of Akureyri in the competition is of great importance, as the collaboration between the two universities enables students outside the Capital Region to participate in the contest within their local communities. The partnership also allows students to pursue a three-year BSc degree in Computer Science from Reykjavík University in Akureyri, in collaboration with the University of Akureyri.

The success of teams from outside the Capital Region in this year’s competition is a clear indication of the growing interest in computer science and the strong foundation that the collaboration between UNAK and RU has built throughout the country.