1st International Prosolve 2026

1ST INTERNATIONAL PROSOLVE 2026

Effective Date

These Rules and Regulations (“Rules”) are effective from the date registration opens for the 1st International ProSolve 2026 and shall remain binding throughout the Competition Period.

1. Definitions and Scope

1. “Organiser” refers to the 1st International ProSolve 2026 Organising Committee.

2. “Competition” refers to the 1st International ProSolve 2026, including all workshops, Preliminary Rounds, Finale Rounds, and award ceremonies.

3. “Participant” refers to any individual who has successfully registered and is eligible to compete in the Competition.

4. “Team” refers to a group of Participants registered together to compete.

5. “Team Leader” refers to the appointed representative of a Team responsible for official communication with the organiser.

6. “Competition Period” refers to the duration from the opening of registration until completion of prize distribution.

7. “Platform” refers to any official system designated by the organiser, including but not limited to DOMjudge, Google Meet, and Discord.

1. Eligibility and Participation

1. Participation Eligibility

1. This competition is open exclusively to students who are currently enrolled in Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree programmes at public higher education institutions (IPTA), private higher education institutions (IPTS), Polytechnics and recognized international institutions. 

2. Foundation students or students enrolled in similar pre-university programs are not eligible to participate.

3. All participants must be between seventeen (17) and twenty-five (25) years old at the time of registration.

4. Participants must be officially registered as active students in their respective institutions throughout the duration of the competition.

5. Each Participant may only register and compete under one (1) Team.

6. The organiser reserves the right to verify eligibility, age, and student status at any stage of the Competition. Failure to provide valid documentation upon request may result in immediate disqualification.

1. Team Formation

1. Participants must compete in teams consisting of three (3) to four (4) members. Teams with more or fewer members than the specified requirement will not be allowed to participate. 

2. For individuals or groups with fewer than three (3) members, a Discord channel “🔎┋find-teammates” has been provided to help find team members. Please refer to the Registration section in the Terms and Conditions for guidance.

3. Teams may comprise students from the same or different institutions.

4. Each Team must appoint one (1) Team Leader.

5. The Team Leader must be chosen by the group from among its members, and the selected leader will represent the group in all official matters, including institution representation for the winning team.

6. The team leader will be responsible for ensuring that all team members comply with the rules and regulations of the competition.

7. Team composition is Finale upon closure of registration and may not be altered under any circumstances.

8. Team names must not contain offensive, profane, discriminatory, or inappropriate language. Any team violating this rule will be required to change their name or will not be eligible to participate.

1. Registration and Fee

1. Registration Timeline 

• Registration Opening: 9th March 2026

• Registration Closing: 5th April 2026 (by 11:59 PM)

• These dates are subject to change at the discretion of the organisers. Any updates will be announced through official channels.

1. Registration Fee

1. A registration fee will be imposed for each participating team, and the amount is determined based on the category of participants and the registration period.

2. The registration periods are defined as follows:

1. The applicable registration fee category shall be determined solely based on the institutional affiliation of the Team Leader as declared during registration. The institution of other team members shall not affect the applicable fee category. The registration fee is structured as follows:

1. UiTM Students

1. Local Institution

1. International Institution

1. Registration shall be completed exclusively by the Team Leader via the official registration form provided on the Competition website.

2. The registration fee stated above is charged per team and is fixed regardless of whether the team consists of three (3) or four (4) members.

3. The Early Bird rate is only applicable within the specified promotional period as determined by the organiser, and any registrations made after this period will be subject to the normal registration fee.

4. For international participants, the registration fee stated in Malaysian Ringgit (RM) is fixed. However, any equivalent payment made in United States Dollar (USD) will be subject to the current exchange rate at the time of transaction.

5. If a team violates any of the competition’s terms and conditions, the fee will be forfeited. 

6. All payments must be completed within the deadline specified by the organiser. Late or incomplete payments may result in the cancellation of registration. If the payment amount is insufficient, the organiser will contact the team leader for clarification.

7. The registration fee is strictly non-refundable once payment has been successfully processed, regardless of any withdrawal, non-attendance, disqualification, or failure to participate for any reason.

8. In the event that a Team accidentally pays an amount exceeding the required registration fee, the excess amount may be refunded upon verification by the organiser. Participants must notify the organiser and provide valid proof of payment. Refunds will only apply to the excess amount paid and will not affect the non-refundable nature of the registration fee.

1. How to Register

1. To register, only the designated Team Leader from each team must complete the registration process through the official Google Form provided on the 1st International ProSolve 2026 website.

• Website Link: www.prosolve.com

1. Official Communication Channel

1. All official event updates, announcements, will be posted through Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Discord.

2. Each team will be assigned a Person-In-Charge (PIC) who will initiate the contact with the team leader via email for any team-specific questions. Please note that all communication must be conducted through the Team Leader.

3. Participants must join the official Discord server using this link:  https://discord.gg/WeMzbCvk 

• For inquiries, navigate to the “🤖need-help-ticket!” channel for direct assistance.

1. Agreement to Competition Rules

1. By registering for 1st International ProSolve 2026 , you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to comply with all competition rules and regulations.

2. If you disagree with any of the stated terms, we kindly ask that you do not proceed with registration.

3. The organisers reserve the right to modify the event schedule or competition details if necessary. Any changes will be communicated to registered participants in advance.

1. Event Structure

1. Schedule Changes

All dates, times, formats, and venues stated in this document are subject to change at the discretion of the organiser. Any updates or changes will be communicated through official communication channels.

1. Workshop

1. Two (2) workshops will be held as part of 1st International ProSolve 2026 to enhance their programming skills and prepare for the competition.

2. Workshops shall be conducted according to the official schedule announced by the organiser.

3. Invitations to attend the workshop will be sent to participants via Discord. 

4. Attending the workshops is mandatory and strictly for competition participants only. 

5. If the entire team is unable to attend the workshops, at least one representative must be present. However, the team must notify the person in charge in advance if they are unable to attend.

6. Important announcements about the workshop will be shared on Discord and other official social media platforms.

7. A briefing session will take place at the end of the workshop to provide guidance for the Preliminary Round. 

1. Preliminary Round

1. The Preliminary Round shall be conducted according to the official schedule announced by the organiser. 

2. A briefing session will be conducted before the Preliminary Round to help participants understand the competition format and guidelines.

3. The Preliminary Round will feature a 2-hours problem-solving session, where teams will attempt 10 problems of varying difficulty.

4. Teams that fail to participate in the online Preliminary Round shall be deemed withdrawn from the Competition.

5. Clarifications and important updates will be shared via Discord.

6. The announcement of the Top 10 finalists will be made on 15th April 2026. (Wednesday) 

1. Finale Round

1. The Final Round shall be conducted according to the official schedule announced by the organiser.

2. A briefing session will be conducted before the Finale Round to ensure all Finalists are well-informed about the competition. 

3. Participants are responsible for covering their own transportation and accommodation costs to UiTM Shah Alam Campus.

4. Breakfast and lunch will be provided by the organiser.

5. Participants do not need to bring their own laptops as PCs will be provided at the venue with all necessary compilers pre-installed by the organisers for the competition. 

6. Each team will be provided with A4 paper for scratch notes (for drafting and annotations) if needed. Teams are allowed to bring a two-page (front and back) cheat sheet, which may only be used for printing the program listing and algorithms.

7. The Final Round will feature a 3-hours problem-solving session, where teams will attempt 10 problems of varying difficulty.

8. Clarifications and important updates will be shared via Discord.

9. Teams must be fully present during their respective rounds, as no substitutions will be allowed once the competition begins. 

10. Finalist Teams that fail to present physically for the Final Round shall be deemed withdrawn from the Competition. In such cases, the next highest-ranked Team from the Preliminary Round may be invited at the organiser’s discretion.

11. A dedicated help counter will be available throughout the event for any inquiries or support.

12. The announcement of the Top 10 will be made on the same day during the award and closing ceremony. 

1. Award & Closing Ceremony 

1. The ceremony shall be conducted according to the official schedule announced by the organiser.

2. A hi-tea session will be held as part of the award and closing ceremony.

1. Venue Conduct and On-Site Rules

1. Only registered participants are allowed. Minors and members of the public are not permitted during the event. All participants must wear their issued nametags to enter. The organiser reserves the right to deny entry or remove anyone breaching these rules.

2. Participants are expected to be punctual for scheduled activities and maintain courteous, cooperative behavior at all times.

3. The venue must be kept clean. Littering is prohibited. Please use the designated trash containers.

4. Participants must remain within the designated event area unless prior approval is obtained or in emergencies only. The organiser is not liable for incidents or losses if participants leave the venue.

5. Smoking, vaping, alcohol consumption, and the use of illegal drugs are strictly prohibited.

6. The organiser reserves the right to photograph or record the event for promotional purposes. Participation implies consent to such media use.

7. In case of a medical emergency, contact the help counter or designated event staff immediately.

8. Participants are responsible for safeguarding their own personal belongings. The organiser is not liable for any losses for participant’s personal belongings.

9. Participants are expected to dress appropriately throughout the event. Smart casual attire is acceptable, provided that the clothing is modest and respectful. Attire that is considered revealing or inappropriate according to university standards is not permitted.

1. Competition Rules and Execution

1. Judging Criteria 

1. The Preliminary Round and the Finale Round will be conducted using DOMjudge, a competitive programming platform that evaluates submissions in real time based on the standards of the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) judging system.

2. Teams will be ranked based on the total number of problems successfully solved. A team that solves more problems will be ranked higher.

3. If two or more teams solve the same number of problems, the team with the lower total penalty will be ranked higher.

4. Penalty Calculation

• The time at which the correct solution is submitted, measured in minutes from the start of the contest, plus an additional 20-minute penalty for each incorrect submission.

• The additional 20-minutes penalty time for incorrect submissions will only be applied to problems that are eventually solved. Incorrect submissions for problems that remain unsolved will not contribute to the penalty.

• During the finale stage of the contest, the organisers may temporarily freeze the public scoreboard. Any submissions made after the freeze will not be shown until the scoreboard is revealed at the end of the contest. Final rankings will be announced once the scoreboard is fully updated.

• In the event of technical issues, system failures, or unexpected disruptions affecting the competition platform, the organiser reserves the right to pause, extend, or restart the contest as deemed necessary to ensure fairness.

1. Computing & Resources

1. The following programming languages are permitted in DOMJUDGE:

• C — ISO/IEC 9899:2018 (C17) 

• C++ — ISO/IEC 14882:2020 (C++20) 

• Java — Java SE 21

• Python — Python 3.11 

• The organiser reserves the right to update compiler, interpreter, or runtime versions where necessary to ensure system stability. Such updates shall not materially affect the Competition and will be announced prior to the Competition.

• All submissions must adhere to standard input (STDIN) and output (STDOUT) requirements.

• Participants in the Final Round are not required to bring their own laptops as PCs will be provided at the venue with all necessary compilers pre-installed by the organisers for the competition. All PCs will operate on the Windows operating system during the Finale Round.

• The programming environments available on the computers during the Finale Round include:

• Dev-C++ → C, C++

• PyCharm → Python

• Visual Studio 2022 → C, C++, Python, Java

• BlueJ → Java

Finalists are encouraged to be familiar with these pre-installed programming environments.

1. The use of any external extensions, plugins, or add-ons, whether active or running in the background, is strictly prohibited during the contest. This includes, but is not limited to:

• IDE Extensions: Any non-core plugins in development environments such as PyCharm or Visual Studio.

• Browser Extensions: Any add-ons that assist with code generation, searching for solutions, or script execution.

• The organiser reserves the right to update the contest environment, including compilers, interpreters, or system configurations, where necessary to ensure system stability, fairness, and operational integrity.

1. Communication & Assistance

1. Teams cannot communicate with other teams or receive outside help during the competition. Violations may lead to disqualification.

2. The use of unauthorized resources, including the internet, AI assistants, or external help, is strictly prohibited during the competition. If suspicious activity is detected, the organisers reserve the right to interview or question the team to verify the originality of their solution. If a violation is confirmed, the team may be disqualified from the competition.

3. If a team finds an issue in a problem statement, they may request clarification through the official communication channels.

• The Preliminary and Final Round support will only be available through DOMjudge for any competition-related queries or issues.

• If the organisers determine that an ambiguity or error exists, a clarification will be issued to all participants.

• Any form of cheating, plagiarism, or code-sharing may result in immediate disqualification.

• The organisers will conduct real-time monitoring of all workstations throughout the contest.

• Pre-Contest Check: Participants may verify their environment 15 minutes before the start of the round to ensure that no unauthorized tools or software are present.

• Technical Audits: Proctors reserve the right to inspect active processes, running applications, and IDE configurations at any point during the contest.

• The organiser's clarification regarding any problem statement, rule interpretation, or contest procedure shall be considered Finale and binding.

1. Submission Guidelines 

1. At least one (1) team member must handle submissions.

2. Teams may submit solutions multiple times for each problem. 

3. A problem is considered solved only when a correct submission is accepted by the judging system.

4. All submissions must follow the input and output format specified in the problem statements.

5. By submitting solutions, teams agree to grant the organisers the right to use submitted code for competition-related purposes.

1. Prizes and Awards

1. Prizes shall be distributed after verification and completion of the Competition.

2. Prizes will be awarded via online banking after the award ceremony, with the exact date to be confirmed later.

3. The selection of winners by the judges and organisers of 1st International ProSolve 2026 is Finale and not subject to appeal.

4. Only eligible and compliant Teams shall receive prizes.

5. Only the Team Leader's institution flag will be displayed during the competition, regardless of the number of institutions represented in the team.

6. Any team found violating competition rules, engaging in misconduct, or tampering with results will be disqualified and ineligible for prizes.

7. If a team is found to have provided false registration details, their eligibility for prizes will be revoked.

8. All Top 10 Finalists will receive a certificate of achievement during the awards and closing ceremony.

9. All participants will receive an e-certificate of participation regardless of their performance in the competition. These certificates will be sent via email after the event.

1. Disqualification

1. Registration Disqualification 

1. Registering multiple teams under the same participant(s).

2. Providing false information about yourself during registration.

3. Submitting incomplete or inaccurate registration details.

4. Registering after the official deadline.

5. Registering a team with more than four members or less than three members.

1. Code Submission Disqualification

1. The use of the internet and AI assistants during the competition is strictly prohibited. Any participant found violating this rule will face appropriate action.

2. Submitted code or content that is in any way offensive, discriminatory, explicit, or otherwise considered inappropriate or unsuitable for inclusion in the competition.

1. Other Disqualification

1. Engaging in any malicious activities at any stage of the competition such as hacking, disrupting other teams, exploiting system vulnerabilities, or gaining an unfair advantage, are strictly prohibited.

2. Seeking external assistance from individuals outside your team during the competition.

3. Sharing or using unauthorized information about any competition problems or their solutions with any individual/team before the round officially ends is strictly prohibited.

4. Any form of harassment toward other participants or community members, including threats, offensive remarks, or hateful comments targeting an individual or a specific group, is strictly prohibited.

5. Tampering or interfering with the administration of the contest or affecting other participants' ability to compete.

6. Failure to comply with any of the competition’s terms and conditions may result in disqualification.

1. Organiser’s Right to Disqualify

1. The organiser may disqualify any Participant or Team for breach of these Rules.

1. Timing of Disqualification

1. Disqualification may occur at any stage of the Competition.

1. Consequences of Disqualification

1. Disqualified Teams forfeit all rights to prizes or recognition.

1. Code of Conduct

1. All attendees, partner companies, and organisers must adhere to this Code of Conduct, which will be enforced throughout 1st International ProSolve 2026 to ensure a safe, inclusive, and harassment-free environment for all.

2. All attendees, partners, and organisers are expected to uphold a respectful and professional environment at all times. Harassment, discrimination, or inappropriate conduct, including the use of sexual language or imagery, is strictly prohibited in any form, whether in person, online, or in submissions. Any violation of this Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action, including removal from the event, disqualification from the competition, or referral to the appropriate authorities if necessary.

3. Any misconduct should be reported to the Organising Committee for prompt action. Violations may result in disqualification at the organisers’ discretion.

4. By participating in 1st International ProSolve 2026 , attendees agree to abide by this Code of Conduct.

1. Data Protection and Media Rights

1. Collection of Personal Data

1. To ensure the legitimacy of 1st International ProSolve 2026 and to verify participant eligibility, the organiser will collect the following personal information during the registration process:

• Full Name

• Age Range

• Contact Number

• Institution Type

• Faculty

• Year of Study

• Current Semester

• Student Email Address

• Programme Code

• Campus

• Student ID (uitm students)

• Level of Tertiary

• Country of Origin

• The collected personal data will be used solely for the purposes outlined in this document and will be handled in compliance with relevant data protection regulations.

1. Use and Disclosure of Personal Data

1. Certain participant details such as team name, and institution, may be publicly displayed on 1st International ProSolve 2026’s official website or social media platforms for promotional purposes.

2. Personal data may be disclosed to third parties engaged by the event organiser to facilitate competition-related activities, such as event management, verification, and promotional services.

3. Participants grant the organiser the right to use names, images, recordings, and submissions for promotional and reporting purposes.

1. Data Security and Retention

1. Personal data collected during registration will be stored securely and used only for purposes outlined in this policy

2. The organiser will implement necessary security measures to prevent unauthorized access, loss, damage, or misuse of participant data.

3. Personal data will be retained only for as long as necessary for the stated purposes. Upon conclusion of the event, the data may be archived or deleted in accordance with regulatory requirements.

1. Participant Consent

1. By registering for 1st International ProSolve 2026 , participants acknowledge and agree to the terms outlined in this Data Protection Policy.

2. Participants may withdraw consent for specific data uses by contacting the organiser. However, such withdrawal may impact their ability to participate in the event.

1. Contact Information

1. For any inquiries regarding data protection, participants may contact the 1st International ProSolve 2026 Organising Committee.

1. Liability

1. The organiser may modify, suspend, or cancel the Competition due to circumstances beyond reasonable control. Any changes will be communicated through official channels, and participants must stay updated.

2. Participants are responsible for staying informed and complying with the latest updates to avoid any misunderstandings or rule violations.

3. The committee holds full authority to disqualify any participant or team that violates the competition’s rules, engages in unethical behavior, or disrupts the integrity of the event, not limited to cheating, plagiarism, misconduct, or failure to adhere to event guidelines.

4. Participation in 1st International ProSolve 2026 is entirely at the participant’s own risk, and the organisers will not be held responsible for any consequences arising from participation.

5. The organiser will not be liable for any injuries, losses, damages, or expenses, whether direct or indirect, sustained during the competition, travel, or prize acceptance.

6. Governing Law

These Rules and Regulations shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Malaysia.

1. Final Authority

1. The organiser’s interpretation of these Rules is Finale and binding.

2. In the event of any inconsistency, the English version of these Rules shall prevail.

(End of Rules & Regulations)

Project and Submission Requirements

Prizes

Judging Criteria and Winner Selection