On 21 and 22 February, OS-SCi is organizing an international Hackathon, together with partner Universities and Open Source partners.
On one or both days, international teams from around the world are going to compete to build the best possible solution for several FOSS projects. On both days the winning team will get a prize of 2000 euro. In this Blog, we will explain why the Hackathon has something to offer for you.
As a University
Our open source Hackathon can be important for your university in several ways. Firstly, it provides students with the opportunity to work on real-world projects and contribute to existing open source software. This hands-on experience helps them develop practical skills that are highly valued by employers in today's job market. Secondly, participating in an open source Hackathon can help foster a sense of community among students, as they collaborate with their peers on shared goals. This teamwork and collaboration can enhance problem-solving abilities and communication skills, which are essential for success in any field. Thirdly, organizing or attending our open source Hackathon allows your university to showcase your commitment to innovation and technology. It also provides a platform for your students to network with professionals from the tech industry, potentially leading to internships, job opportunities, or research collaborations.
As a Student
Participating in an open source hackathon can be highly beneficial for you as a student, as it offers numerous opportunities to learn and grow both personally and professionally. Basically, you will gain practical hands-on experience working on our real-world projects from our FOSS partners. While developing you will enhance your problem-solving skills, next you will develop your teamwork and collaboration skills. Maybe most important, our Hackathon provides a platform for you as a student to connect with professionals from the tech industry, potential mentors, or future colleagues. These connections can lead to internships, job opportunities, research collaborations, or even just valuable advice and guidance.
As an Open Source project/ community/ company
Participating in our Hackathon gives you the opportunity to showcase your commitment to the community because you will demonstrate your dedication to supporting and contributing to the open-source ecosystem. This will help build a positive reputation within the tech community and attract more contributors to your project(s). This will also result in a strengthening of the relationship with the community and promote collaboration. But most important, you get the opportunity to recruit top talent and will have access to new ideas and possible innovations for your project.
As the society in general
For the society an open source hackathon is important, because it encourages innovation, promotes collaboration, shares knowledge, builds strong communities, addresses real-world problems, empowers individuals, and inspires future generations. These benefits contribute to a better, more connected, and technologically advanced world for all. Also, the international Masterclasses by FOSS specialist have knowledge which can be benificial for everyone. Currently, four Masterclasses are already confirmed.
When, Where and How
The International Hackathon is held on friday 21 and saturday 22 februari 2025. Each team can participate on one or both days. An international renowned jury will every day choose a winning team, which will receive 2000 euro price, which they can spend as they want.
Whether you are a Professor, Dean, Chancellor, Student, Parent, Community member and/or company owner, you can participate in our Hackathon. Just email. As a student, you can click register, which takes you to the registration page.
The Hackathon is a hybrid event, where the student teams operate from their own campus. We would like it if the team is able to set up a video connection through our Jitsi meet server. OS-SCi will broadcast live the event on YouTube (alas, Peertube doesn't work good enough in Asia and Africa).
Why you shouldn't participate?
I suppose when you reached the end of this blog, there are no reasons left, why you shouldn't contribute, other than a time constraint. Even lacking programming skills shouldn't be a burden. FOSS projects also need people to do graphics, test and write documentation. You still could gather a team around you.
Start writing here...