#hack4edu, the largest educational hackathon in Latin America, is the result of a triple social, academic and business alliance. ProFuturo, the digital education program promoted by the Telefónica Foundation and the “la Caixa” Foundation to narrow the education gap in the world, the Pontifical University of Salamanca (UPSA) through the Faculty of Computer Science, which is also the venue for the meeting, and the Telefónica Chairs Network.
The international hackathon has become a beacon of innovation focused on addressing technological challenges related to digital education in vulnerable environments.
The teams are starting their second day working to provide solutions to more than fifty technological challenges posed in this 4th edition of #hack4edu, the first hybrid, international hackathon with a social purpose dedicated to digital education, which is taking place this week and until Friday 27 October in 9 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Spain, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Portugal, and Uruguay.
You can follow it day by day on our social networks!
This year #hack4edu is breaking its own records! While the first three editions together attracted 415 hackers, 16 universities from 8 countries and 115 challenges, this year alone we have managed to attract 534 hackers, 29 universities, 9 countries and the submission of 58 challenges. It is a milestone that consolidates the interest of #hack4edu in the Ibero-American area. This meeting was created in 2020, just a few months after the pandemic confirmed the importance of technology applied to education. This year’s 4th edition focuses more than ever on AI-based solutions to solve the challenges of digital education in the world’s most vulnerable environments. Precisely in this context, the organisers call for a reflection on an AI that aspires to pool knowledge, to be shared and to allow equal opportunities in access to such innovative tools in any country.
At the opening ceremony the vice-rector of Research and Transfer of the UPSA, Ana María Fermoso, referred to the priority achievement of this international meeting: “The aim is to ensure that all children have access to quality education, in line with the social purpose of our university”. She also highlighted the record number of participants and universities involved as an example of technology transfer of prototypes proposed by young university talents.
Magdalena Brier, CEO of ProFuturo, highlighted the importance of #hack4edu for the applications it can bring: “A company like Telefónica through its Chairs, whose motto is to make the world more human by connecting people’s lives, a foundation with a social vocation like ProFuturo and the academic world are joining hands today with no other aim than to fight against social, educational and digital divides”.
Manuel Ruiz, Data Analytics Manager at ProFuturo a pioneer of this hackathon since its inception: “This event is about connecting people: international multidisciplinary teams that will transform the quality of education for students and teachers around the world”.
Prizes and winning projects
The participants in #hack4edu can win 7 prizes divided into two categories: Innovative and Senior. The Telefónica ProFuturo-UPSA Chair will award three prizes worth €1,000, €700 and €500 to the three best projects in the Innovative category and two prizes worth €1,000 to the two best projects in the Senior category. The Pontifical University of Salamanca will also award two free enrolments on the UPSA’s Big Data Expert degree course (one in each category).
- Innovative Category: The Telefónica University Chair (UPSA) will award three prizes: 1,000 euros for the best project, 700 euros for the runner-up and 500 euros for the third best project in the category.
- Senior Category: The Telefónica University Chair (UPSA) will award two prizes, each worth 1,000 euros, to the two outstanding projects in the category.
- Scholarship: The Pontifical University of Salamanca will present a prize consisting of two free enrolments on its Big Data course for experts.
- Publication: A new prize will be introduced this year: two research articles by each participating university will be published in the Springer journal. The theme will focus on the projects addressed at each venue and these articles will be presented in a journal format, with all the research by each university and an international scope. The presentation of these papers is scheduled for May 2024, at an event in hybrid format to be held at the Pontifical University of Salamanca.
Event agenda
Tuesday 24 October
- 17:00h-17:30h*(CET): Opening event with the participation of institutional representatives.
- 17:30h-18:00h: Motivational conference by Mr. Javier Carro, Product Manager at Telefónica Open Gateway. Title: “Two stories to understand Hack4Edu”.
- 18:15h-20:00h: Networking session with the presentation of the selected challenges and required profiles, the set-up and registration of the teams.
If you missed the opening day you can watch it on the YouTube channel.
Wednesday 25 October
- 09:00h-20:00h*(CET): Working session of the team challenges in which volunteers carry out coaching.
Thursday 26 October
- 09:00h-20:00h*(CET): Working session of the team challenges in which volunteers carry out coaching. On this day, 2 of the best projects per local branch will be selected.
The working days are held in person at the UPSA headquarters and online via Slack.
Friday 27 October
- 12:00h-15:00h*(CET): Presentation of the projects to the international jury.
- 16:00h-20:00h*(CET): Presentation of the projects to the international jury.
- 20:00h-20:30h: Deliberation of the international jury and secret vote.
- 20-30h-21:00h: Awarding of prizes and closing of the hackathon.
The entire opening day will be held face-to-face in the Magna Classroom of UPSA and will be broadcast live on the YouTube channel.
*View the time zone of each country
Download the agenda here!
The final moment is coming!
Other hack4edu news:
- Discover the winning projects of the 4th edition of #hack4edu
- The 4th #hack4edu is coming:The international hackathon on digital education and Artificial Intelligence promoted by ProFuturo
- Presentation of the 4th edition of hack4edu: the international hackathon on digital education and Artificial Intelligence
- ProFuturo invites you to improve education by proposing challenges with AI at #hack4edu
Further information available at: https://profuturo.education/hack4edu/
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