Zoohackathon – a global programming and creativity contest, with the participation of many countries worldwide, including Vietnam with the name Zoohackathon Vietnam 2021 – has officially opened the application! With the theme “Coding to End Wildlife Trafficking”, this is a great opportunity for all talented and enthusiastic students from universities in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, jointly creating breakthrough technology solutions to help solve problems related to the illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam.
Wildlife trafficking is one of the world’s most nefarious challenges. It threatens national security, economic prosperity, and the rule of law, pushes species to the brink of extinction, and spreads disease. In Vietnam, one of the regional and global hotspots for illegal wildlife trade, wildlife cyber crimes are increasing at an alarming rate on social media platforms.
Zoohackathon is a global competition announced by the United States Department of State that brings together university students and coders to develop innovative technology solutions to combat wildlife trafficking and associated challenges. Through Zoohackathon, U.S. Embassies work with leading wildlife conservation and technology organizations worldwide to organize 48-hour events to develop usable solutions to on-the-ground wildlife trafficking challenges. At the end of the hackathons, teams pitch their ideas to an expert panel of judges. Local winners will receive prizes, and winners from the regional hackathon are also eligible to compete for the global hackathon.
In Vietnam, with the approval and sponsorship from the United States Department of State, CHANGE and WildAid have cooperated with FPT University and VietSeeds Foundations to organize the programming competition Zoohackathon Vietnam 2021. The contest is expected to take place from November 13, 2021, to November 15, 2021. It will be conducted simultaneously at two locations in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
ELIGIBILITY
▪️ Students from Colleges and Universities located in Hanoi and HCMC
▪️ Majoring in Information Technology (preferred) and other related fields (Forestry, veterinary medicine, environment, business administration, laws, etc.)
▪️ Interested in environmental issues
▪️ Have a team of 3 – 6 members. If you have not had a team, we would like to invite you to an online meeting to find your perfect teammates. Detailed information will be announced on CHANGE and WildAid’s Facebook Fanpage
▪️ Agree with and Sign to commit to the Rules and Regulations of Zoohackathon 2021 (detailed information and document to be signed will be included in the forms during the application process)
PRIZES AND BENEFITS
📌 PRIZES FOR TOP 3
▪️ Cash prize with a total value of 1500 USD
▪️ Scholarship for any online personal development or cultural exchange program organized by the IC-PDP department, FPT University. (In addition, FPT University will also give each member of the highest-score team a 50% discount voucher on a Thailand trip organized by FPT).
▪️ Participant code for one year online English course issued by ELSA (English Language Speech Assistant) for all members.
▪️ Separate certificates for the best 03 teams.
▪️ Opportunity to attend and win the global Zoohackathon competition.
📌 CONSOLATION PRIZES FOR OTHER TEAMS
▪️ Scholarship for any online personal development or cultural exchange program organized by the IC-PDP department, FPT University.
▪️ Certificate of participation in Zoohackathon Vietnam 2021 for individuals.
▪️ Opportunity to meet, receive training and get instructions from experts.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION
The application period of Zoohackathon Vietnam 2021 is from October 15, 2021, to October 31, 2021
SHORTLISTED ANNOUNCEMENT
The shortlisted result will be officially announced on November 9, 2021, on CHANGE and WildAid’s Facebook Fanpage.
TIMELINE OF ZOOHACKATHON VIETNAM 2021
After receiving the notification from the organizer of the program, the selected teams will participate in the programming session of Zoohackathon Vietnam 2021 according to the following timetable:
▪️ November 11 – 12, 2021: Training for groups through online platforms
▪️On the afternoon of November 13, 2021: Officially opening the contest, announcing the problem statement
▪️ November 14, 2021, and the morning of November 15, 2021: Teams develop ideas, program products under advisors’ guidance – Submit products.
▪️ On the afternoon of November 15, 2021: The judges selected 05 finalists – 05 groups presented their products – The judges selected the 03 best groups – Announced the contest results – Closing.
▪️ After November 15, 2021, 03 winning teams will be sent to participate in the global Zoohackathon 2021.
HOW TO REGISTER
To register for the Zoohackathon Vietnam 2021 contest, please fill in your details in the application form here: https://zoohackathonvietnam.org/dang-ky/.
FOR ANY INQUIRIES AND DETAILS, PLEASE VISIT:
▪️ Website: https://zoohackathonvietnam.org/
▪️ Email: info@changevn.org
▪️ CHANGE Facebook Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/CHANGEvn
▪️ WildAid Vietnam Facebook Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/WildAidVietnam
Please save the date and join us to end the wildlife trafficking with Zoohackathon Vietnam 2021 today!
