Challenge 24

Challenge24 is a 24-hour international programming contest. Every year the contest gets organized by the Electrical Engineering Students’ Hungarian Association.

This contest offers young, talented people the opportunity to measure capabilities and to compare themselves to other programming teams from around the world. Teams consisting of three participants from any country have the possibility to hand in their applications. In the first round of the contest which is sort of an on-line qualifying round the teams are asked to solve problems announced on the Internet. Only the 30 best teams, also including the three best teams of the competition from the previous year, will get an invitation to Budapest, Hungary, where the ‘real’ BME International 24-hours Programming Contest takes place. The teams will have to complete a single but demanding and complex task in only 24 hours. In order to solve the interesting but very difficult tasks, the participants will need various IT skills like knowledge of networking, computer graphics, algorithm theory, printing and toner. Furthermore artificial intelligence is a great advantage. Fast and precise coding and effective teamwork are expected.

The participants are allowed to use their own computers. So the contestants are given the possibility to work in their usual environment that fits them best. Moreover there are no restrictions considering operating systems, development tools or programming platforms. Conclusion: The 30 teams can use any printed or written material, strictly speaking everything except any communication equipment like internet, mobile phones or any other things like that.

The total value of awards amounts to 6000 Euros. The winner will get the famous Challenge24 Cup. Traditionally the participants enter Challenge24 from more than 56 countries of 5 continents. Every year there are many returning contestants.

Challenge-seeking and highly talented programmers are invited to hand in an application for Europe’s most prestigious event. The final round of the contest will be held on the campus of the University of Technology and Economics in Budapest (BME).