The 49th International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) World Finals, one of the world’s most prestigious programming competitions, was held in Baku from August 31 to September 5, 2025. The event was organized by the ICPC Foundation, hosted by ADA University, and supported by the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Innovation and Digital Development Agency, and the ICPC Azerbaijan Community. This year’s World Finals brought together 139 teams from over 70 countries.
At the opening ceremony on September 1, Etibar Seyidzadə, Director of the Institute of Information Technology and Methodological Support in Education at Azerbaijan Technical University (AzTU), received two of the ICPC Foundation’s highest honors: the “Outstanding Public Service Award” and the “Joseph S. DeBlasi Distinguished Collaboration Award.”
- The Outstanding Public Service Award recognizes individuals or groups who have played a key role in promoting ICPC worldwide.
- The Joseph S. DeBlasi Distinguished Collaboration Award is presented annually to individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to ICPC’s success for five or more years.
Since 1977, the ICPC has been held annually, attracting over 50,000 students from more than 3,000 universities in 110 countries. Azerbaijani universities have been participating since 2000, and the ICPC regional contests in Azerbaijan have been held since 2005.
Etibar Seyidzadə has played a central role in ICPC’s development in Azerbaijan, serving as:
- Chair of the Jury (2005–2022),
- Regional Contest Director (2023–present),
- Team Coach (2005–present),
- and as the Founder of the ICPC Azerbaijan Community.
