The Swiss Olympiad in Informatics is a programming contest for young people under 20 years of age. We organize an annual competition with several rounds.
Our goal is to encourage computer science and algorithmic thinking among talented young people. Our main focus is the design of algorithms that then also need to be implemented. In our experience, however, even a modest amount of programming knowledge is enough for that.
Participate as a class
Every year, the first round of the Swiss Olympiad in Informatics takes place from 1 September until 22 September. This test lasts 35 minutes and consists mainly of multiple-choice questions that challenge algorithmic and logical thinking. Basic programming knowledge can help, but is not strictly required.
The first round is ideal as a classroom activity. By taking part as a group, students who might otherwise never have considered joining also get the chance to get to know the competition.
The best students from the first round qualify for the second round from 1 October onwards and for the workshops offered alongside it. From there, students can qualify for our camp and a range of international competitions.
SOI in the classroom
Even outside the first round, you can use a few lessons to introduce the Swiss Olympiad in Informatics and enrich your teaching with our materials.
A very easy entry point is our year-round available Introduction or the pre-round.
You are also welcome to use our wiki as a basis for introducing theoretical computer science and the field of algorithms and data structures.
The theory learned in that way can be applied in our second round: when selecting tasks, we make sure that the first problems can be solved with as little prior knowledge as possible.
We also have a large selection of old tasks in our problem archive, which students can use to deepen what they have learned. For many of these tasks, solutions can be submitted and checked automatically.
Contact
If you would like more information or support, you can reach us at info@soi.ch at any time. We are happy to help if you would like to include content from the Swiss Olympiad in Informatics in your lessons or in an elective course.
About us
What is the SOI?
The Swiss Olympiad in Informatics is the national selection competition for participation in the IOI (the International Olympiad in Informatics). The SOI trains and selects four participants who will represent Switzerland at the International Olympiad in Informatics.
The SOI is organized by volunteers, most of whom are former participants. They work closely with the Chair of Algorithms and Didactics at ETH Zurich and the ABZ - Informatikunterricht of ETH Zurich. Of course, the success of our events also depends on the generous support of our partners. Nationally, we work closely with all the scientific Olympiads of Switzerland to satisfy the curiosity of young scientists.
What is the IOI?
The International Olympiad in Informatics is one of the five scientific Olympiads supported by UNESCO. Each year, almost 300 participants from more than 80 different countries compete for gold, silver, or bronze. In addition to the competition, there are excursions and other special events every year.