#Baku #Azerbaijan #Huawei #St. Petersburg #ICPC

Huawei Highlights Industrial Challenges at 2025 ICPC World Finals

On September 11, 2025, the St. Petersburg State University team emerged victorious at the 49th International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) World Finals, held at the Baku Congress Centre in Azerbaijan. This prestigious event attracted over 140 elite problem-solving teams from more than 50 countries across six continents. After a rigorous series of coding challenges, the team representing North Eurasia topped the charts after excelling in 12 tough coding contests.

One of the notable contributions to the competition came from Huawei, a key supporter of ICPC. The tech giant presented participants with real-world challenges related to optimizing photos in a mobile device gallery. Known as the Huawei-backed ICPC Challenge, this initiative aims to bridge the gap between theoretical algorithmic knowledge and its industrial applications. The competition culminated with the University of Tokyo team securing the Challenge award, finishing second overall in the main championship.

Dr. Bill Poucher, the Executive Director of ICPC, expressed his admiration for the talent displayed at the competition, stating, "What extraordinary talent! Congratulations to the St. Petersburg State University team and the University of Tokyo team. A special thanks to our sponsors, especially Huawei for their support of the ICPC World Finals."

Xiao Chunpeng, Director of Competition Management at Huawei, emphasized the significance of bringing artificial intelligence from the lab to the real world, creating unprecedented opportunities for today’s youth. "Huawei has always recognized the value of fundamental research, and we are honored to have had the chance to work closely with organizations like ICPC at such international competitions. By sharing the industry's greatest challenges, we can help the brightest minds in the world explore new ways to overcome these challenges. Such initiatives will drive the industry forward in the age of artificial intelligence."

Looking ahead, Huawei plans to organize more online competitions for software enthusiasts alongside ICPC, addressing challenges in areas like AI and algorithms. The partnership will also deepen through various initiatives, including educational boot camps, championship contests, and tech talks, aimed at fostering new talent and exploring solutions to real-world issues faced by industries in AI, computing, and more.

Xiao articulated that global talent competitions serve not only to test competitors’ skills but also to bridge talent ecosystems across different sectors. "Huawei proudly supports these platforms that help uncover more exceptional talents worldwide, hoping that future contests will convert young people's innovative ideas and technical skills into social progress and industry development."

These competitions exemplify the ongoing collaboration between tech giants and academic institutions, marking a significant step toward blending theoretical knowledge with practical applications, ensuring the next generation is well-equipped to tackle the challenges they will face in an increasingly complex technological landscape.