WHAT IS EGOI?

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What is the European Girls’ Olympiad in Informatics?

The European Girls' Olympiad in Informatics (EGOI) is a new programming competition just for girls. Inspired by the success of the European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad, we have created a similar competition in Informatics. The format of the competition is similar to established competitions such as the International Olympiad in Informatics or the Central European Olympiad in Informatics. The main part of the event has two contests. During the contest, the contestants solve challenging problems by designing and implementing efficient algorithms. The competition is accompanied by social events such as excursions to give the participants time to get to know each other. The second edition of EGOI was held on October 16-23, 2022 in Antalya, Turkey. It is organized by the Ministry of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Turkey and TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey). In the following years, the competition will be hosted by a different participating country each year.

As a national olympiad in informatics

Currently, there is no fixed process to become a member of EGOI. You will probably receive an invitation from this year’s host with more details on how to register. If you do not receive an invitation, feel free to reach out to the host.

Why is an EGOI necessary?

Far less women than men decide to study or work in the field of Computer Sciences. This gender gap is even more pronounced in the Mathematical Olympiad and in the Olympiad in Informatics. The percentage of women at the Swiss Olympiad in Informatics is below 10% (2018/2019). In other countries, we can see similar numbers. At the International Olympiad in Informatics 2018, the representatives of 88 countries discussed how the gender gap could be tackled. Different participating countries reported about their experiences in their respective countries. The situation is comparable in most of them.

In 2012, the Mathematical Olympiad initiated EGMO (European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad). Starting with 19 participating countries, this number rose to more than 50 in 2019, indicating the success of EGMO.

Our goal is to initiate a similar competition in Informatics - the European Girls’ Olympiad in Informatics. The first edition was held in June 2021 in Switzerland. The second edition was held on October 16-23, 2022 in Turkey. EGOI will be hosted by a different member country each year. This ensures a sustainable and long-term impact of the project.