Competitions get students excited about computer science
Society is going digital, but it’s hard to find people who can develop new technology. BWINF (Bundeswettbewerb Informatik / National Computer Science Competition, Germany) believes this can change if more young people are introduced to computer science earlier, and shown how to use computer technology actively and creatively. Through challenges and competitions such as Informatik-Biber (“IT beavers”), Bundeswettbewerb Informatik, and Informatik-Olympiade (Selection camps for the International Olympiad in Informatics), the goal is to raise young people's awareness of computer science. These competitions are aimed at children, teenagers and young adults, to show them how exciting computer science can be, to offer them new ways of communicating with each other, and to help develop their interest and skills.
While its main aim is to raise awareness among young people generally, BWINF is especially keen to get more girls interested in computer science. Together with Google, BWINF established a “Girls @ Google day” for the top-performing girls in the Bundeswettbewerb Informatik competition. And with Google’s support, BWINF also organized the “Girls in Computer Science” workshop to bring together people who champion girls’ engagement in computer science, providing a much-needed space where they could share their experiences.
Google also recently supported an alumni meeting for Bundeswettbewerb Informatik, BWINF’s talent competition. Some alumni may even meet at Google’s offices: several past winners now work for Google, in Munich and other sites.
We want to make kids discover that problem solving and creativity lie at the heart of computer science. Google’s support is helping us reach this goal, and increases the visibility and credibility of our offers.