The British Informatics Olympiad is the computing competition for schools and colleges. BIO'99 is sponsored by Data Connection.

Press release
25 March 1999
For immediate publication
BIO'99 - the national computing competition for schools

Cream of British young programmers compete for Olympic opportunity

Summary

Fifteen of the UK's most outstanding young computer programmers are competing this weekend for a place on the British team at the prestigious International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI), this year to be held in Turkey. Their trip will be expenses paid, thanks to financial support from Data Connection, sponsor of the British Informatics Olympiad (BIO). Data Connection is one of the UK's most successful software development companies.

The Final of the BIO, to be held this weekend at Corpus Christi College in Cambridge, began with a competition open to all schools around Britain. About 1100 students took a 3 hour paper in which they had to solve challenging problems using a computer. The top 15 students will be given even tougher tests at the Final, and the 4 who perform best will make up the IOI team.

The British team, accompanied by two team leaders, will travel to Antalya on Turkey's southern coast in October to take part in the IOI. As well as programming contests they will have the chance to meet their peers from all over the world. In the last four years, successive British teams have won eight medals at the IOI, including two golds.

Further information

A press release with the results of this weekend's final will be sent on Sunday 28 March, 1999 and will be posted at 15.00 hours on the same day on the BIO website. Press representatives are welcome to attend the presentations at around 1.30pm on Sunday. If you wish to cover this weekend's final, or want more information on the BIO, please contact:

Internet resources

The BIO publishes a large amount of information on the Internet. For details of the BIO and related material, take a look at the BIO Index.

Background Information

The British Informatics Olympiad

The British Informatics Olympiad (BIO) is an annual competition in computer programming for students at secondary schools and sixth form colleges. Any student who is under 19, in full time pre-university education and resident in mainland Britain, is eligible to take part and has the chance to win the prize of an expenses-paid trip to the prestigious International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI).

The first stage of the BIO is a three-hour exam, taken at school, in which students solve problems with the aid of a computer. These are marked by a teacher and submitted for moderation. Based on the results of this exam, the top 15 competitors are invited to the BIO final in Cambridge over the Easter holiday. The best four make up the team to represent Britain at the IOI.

Organisation and aims

The BIO is a non-profit making organisation founded in 1995, aiming to encourage students to take an active interest in information technology, to allow them to meet and exchange ideas, and to give the best the chance to compete at the annual International Olympiad in Informatics.

In order to make the BIO as inclusive as possible, it is free to enter. This can only be achieved thanks to the aid of commercial sponsorship. BIO'99 is sponsored by Data Connection, one of the UK's most successful software development companies. Founded in 1981, Data Connection now has over 180 employees. The company's outstanding success has been driven by a total commitment to quality and a high level of business generated overseas. Data Connection recruit world-class graduates, and offer pre-university work and vacation work to exceptional students.