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IOI Regulations - Statutes

• Return to IOI 1996 Regulations

Sections

1. Preamble
2. Definitions
3. Objectives and Means
4. Office Bearers and Tasks
5. Host Nomination and Selection
6. Responsibilities of Present Host
7. Competition, Judging and Awarding
8. Revisions of the Regulations

Section 1: Preamble

S1.1

The Statutes, the Explication and the Appendices together form the Regulations of the International Olympiad in Informatics.

S1.2

Details of procedures and responsibilities are described in the Appendices.

S1.3

The official working language for the IOI is the English language.

S1.4

In the scope of the IOI the concept informatics means the domain which is also indicated by computer science, computing science and information technology, but not the domain computer engineering.

S1.5

In the Statutes the following abbreviations are used:

• BP - Board of Patrons
• EC - Evaluation Committee
• GA - General Assembly
• IC - International Committee
• IOI - International Olympiad in Informatics
• IOI'n-1 - Past IOI, preceding IOI'n by one year
• IOI'n - Present IOI in the year n
• IOI'n+1 - Future IOI, following IOI'n by one year
• IS - International Secretariat
• SC - Scientific Committee

[ EXPLICATIONS ]

Section 2: Definitions

S2.1

The International Olympiad in Informatics (as a continuing sequence) is a yearly international informatics competition for individual Contestants from various invited Countries, accompanied by social and cultural programmes.

S2.2

The organization of the International Olympiad in Informatics in year n (IOI'n) is the responsibility of a certain Host Country.

S2.3

A Host consists of Responsible Ministry(ies), Institution(s), and/or Corporation(s) in a Country. A Host Country can have the status of Past Host, Present Host, Future Host or Host Candidate.

S2.4

For the IOI, a Country is a nation or state which has an officially recognized relation with United Nations or UNESCO, or which took part already in one or more past IOIs.

S2.5

A National Delegation of a country is headed by a Delegation Leader. If the status of the National Delegation is:

• participating, the Delegation includes in general a team of one to four Contestants and a Deputy Leader;
• observing, the Delegation may include only a Deputy Leader but no contestants.

All members of a National Delegation are from one Country.

S2.6

A Contestant is a student in a school for secondary education in the period September to December in the year before IOI'n, and is under the age of twenty at the day of the Opening Ceremony of IOI'n.

S2.7

An Observer is a representative of:

• a new Country for the IOI;
• UNESCO, IFIP, or Board of Patrons;
• Future Host, or Present Host;
• the International Secretariat.

[ EXPLICATIONS ]

Section 3: Objectives and Means

The main objectives to be accomplished by the IOI are:

S3.1

To discover, encourage, bring together, challenge, and recognize young people, who are exceptionally talented in the field of informatics.

S3.2

To foster friendly international relationships among computer scientists and informatics educators.

S3.3

To bring the discipline of informatics under the attention of young people.

S3.4

To stimulate the organization of informatics competitions for students in schools for secondary education.

S3.5

To stimulate Countries to organize a future IOI in their Country.

[ EXPLICATIONS ]

Section 4:Office Bearers and Tasks

• International Committee
• Secretary-General of the IOI, Chair of the IC
• International Secretariat
• Board of Patrons
• Host Team, Manager of IOI'n
• Scientific Committee, Chair of the SC
• General Assembly
• President of the GA

S4.1

The International Committee (IC) is a long-term, standing committee, which consists of eleven members:

• three immediate Past Host representatives of IOI'n-3, IOI'n-2, and IOI'n-1,
• one Present Host representative of IOI'n,
• three immediate Future or Candidate Host representatives of IOI'n+1, IOI'n+2, and IOI'n+3,
• representatives of three Countries delegated by the General Assembly (GA) for two years,
• and the Secretary-General of the IOI (see S4.2).

The IC acts in the general spirit of the Regulations. The IC has the tasks:

• to make proposals to the GA about changes in the Regulations;
• to elaborate the recommendations of the GA;
• to make proposals to the GA about Future Host Nomination and Selection;
• to function as an addressee for the IOI;
• to act on behalf of the GA between IOI'n-1 and IOI'n, and to inform the GA about the activities of the IC in this period;
• to have a meeting with the Host of IOI'n in the Host Country, at least six months before IOI'n, in order to
  • evaluate IOI'n-1,
  • examine the organization of IOI'n, and
  • adopt the Competition Procedures and the Judging Procedures of IOI'n,
• to support the IS.

In meetings, the IC has the voting procedure of "one person, one vote". The members of the IC have the commitment to share information about their tasks.

The IC may invite a representative of the IS for the IC meetings.

S4.2

The Secretary-General of the IOI (as a continuing position) is the Chair of the IC. Until the Closing Ceremony of IOI'n the Secretary-General proceeds from the Host Team of IOI'n-1. After the Closing Ceremony of IOI'n the Secretary-General proceeds from the Host Team of IOI'n. The Secretary-General is not a member of a National Delegation.

S4.3

In default of the Secretary-General of the IOI the role of the Secretary-General is taken up by one of the IC members present.

S4.4

The International Secretariat (IS) is a secretariat of the IOI which is established by volunteer Ministry(ies), Institution(s), and/or Corporation(s) in a Country for at least three years. The IS is nominated by the GA.

The IS has the tasks to:

• keep an up to date list of names and addresses of Delegation Leaders and Ministries of Education in Participating and Observing Countries;
• collect, maintain, and disseminate all IOI-related materials;
• support continuity in the development of the IOI;
• support a Present Host, a Candidate Host or a Future Host with information which is needed by that Host;
• support the IC and the GA;
• delegate a representative member of the IS to the IC meetings on invitation by the IC.

S4.5

The Board of Patrons (BP) is a permanent body, constituted by the IC from respected members of the world of information technology and business. The BP has the necessary profile and influence to:

• promote the IOI;
• provide advice to the IC, upon request or at its own initiative;
• act as an intermediary between the IC and others;
• help provide a fund to support the IOI.

S4.6

The Host Team of IOI'n is the organizing committee which is nominated by the Present Host (i.e. the Host of IOI'n), and which acts on its behalf. The Manager of IOI'n is the Chair of the Host Team. The Manager of IOI'n is not a member of a National Delegation.

The Host Team includes as members:

• the person who holds the position of the Secretary-General of the IOI after the Opening Ceremony of IOI'n;
• the person who holds the position of the President of the GA;
• the person who holds the Chair of the SC during IOI'n.

The tasks of the Present Host and Host Team are drawn up in section

S4.7

The Scientific Committee of IOI'n (SC) is a temporary committee, which is nominated by the Present Host, and is composed of experts in informatics and/or informatics education from the Host Country. The Chair of the SC is a member of the Host Team. Members of the SC are not members of a National Delegation.

The SC has the tasks to:

• prepare sufficient Competition Tasks;
• present these tasks and the associated Judging Procedures to the GA for approval;
• execute the Judging Procedures; the SC may establish an Evaluation Committee for this task;
• support the GA with information which is needed for the awarding of the Contestants;
• report to the Host Team about their proceedings on a regular base.

The Chair of the SC, or an SC member, has the task to attend IOI'n-1 as an observer.

S4.8

The General Assembly (GA) is a temporary, short-term committee during IOI'n, which is composed of

• the Delegation Leaders and the Deputy Leaders of all Participating Countries,
• the President of the GA,
• the Chair of the SC,
• the Secretary-General of the IOI,
• the Manager of IOI'n and
• a representative of the IS.

The GA:

• is the owner of the IOI;
• acts in the general spirit of the Regulations;
• has the voting procedure of "one vote per Participating Delegation".

The GA has the tasks to:

• take decisions if the Regulations do not anticipate a situation;
• make recommendations to the IC;
• decide about the proposals made by the IC;
• supervise and decide in the Host Nomination and Selection;
• supervise, participate and decide in the Competition and Awarding;
• delegate three members of the GA to the IC.

S4.9

The GA has at least six private meetings:

• 1st meeting: before the First Competition Day;
• 2nd meeting: at the beginning of the first competition Day;
• 3rd meeting: on the day after the First Competition Day;
• 4th meeting: at the beginning of the Second Competition Day;
• 5th meeting: on the day after the Second Competition Day;
• 6th meeting: before the Awarding and Closing Ceremony.

The GA meetings are obligatory for

• at least one Leader per Participating Country,
• the President of the GA.
• the Chair of the SC,
• the Secretary-General of the IOI,
• the Manager of IOI'n, and
• a representative of the IS,

The GA meetings are accessible for the members of the SC, the members of the Host Team, and the Observers.

Guests may also have access to the meetings of the GA with permission of the President of the GA.

The GA meetings are not accessible for Contestants.

S4.10

The President of the GA of IOI'n is the Chair of the GA. In voting procedures the President does not vote, but the President may cast the deciding vote. The President is a member of the Host Team. The President is not a member of a National Delegation.

S4.11

The role of the Vice-President of the General Assembly is taken up by the Manager of IOI'n+1. In default of this future Manager the Teamleader of the Host Country for IOI'n+1 will be Vice-President. The Vice-President takes over by default of the President.

[ EXPLICATIONS ]

Section 5: Host Nomination and Selection

S5.1

An official representative of a Country that is capable and willing to organize an IOI in a certain year, has to write a Letter of Intent to the Secretary-General of the IOI.

S5.2

The IC performs a selection prodedure, and prepares a List of candidates who are willing to organize future IOIs. A Country has the status of Host Candidate after the List has been approved by the GA.

S5.3

The Secretary-General of the IOI writes an Official Invitation to the Host Candidate, more than two years before that particular IOI.

S5.4

A Host Candidate receives the status of Future Host when the Invitation is accepted by the Host Candidate, and confirmed by writing to the Secretary-General of the IOI, at least two years before that particular IOI. The IC informs the GA on the first General Assembly after this confirmation.

S5.5

The Present Host is the Host which prepares and implements IOI'n.

[ EXPLICATIONS ]

Section 6:Responsibilities of Present Host

S6.1

The Present Host of IOI'n is obliged to organize and realize IOI'n in accordance with the Regulations.

S6.2

The Present Host is obliged to establish a Host Team which acts on its behalf.

S6.3

The Present Host is obliged to establish a SC.

S6.4

The Present Host is obliged to prepare

• Guidelines for the organization of IOI'n, which may be written in the language of the Present Host Country. A summary must be presented to the IC;
• Competition Procedures and Judging Procedures.

S6.5

The Present Host is obliged to organise a meeting of the IC in the Host Country, at least six months before IOI'n. This IC meeting has the tasks to:

• evaluate IOI'n-1 on the basis of the report given by the Host of IOI'n-1;
• examine the organization of IOI'n;
• discuss a presentation of the Guidelines;
• adopt the Competition Procedures and the Judging Procedures.

S6.6

The Present Host is obliged to invite

• National Delegations,
• Observers from new Countries that applied for invitation,
• an Observer from UNESCO,
• an Observer from IFIP,
• an Observer from the BP,
• and Observers from the Future Hosts of IOI'n+1 and IOI'n+2,
• an Observer from the IS,

and to send information to all invitees, at least four months before IOI'n, about the

• schedule and programme,
• Competition Procedures,
• Judging Procedures,
• location,
• registration,
• Present Host,
• country, etc.

S6.7

The travel costs to and from the town where the IC has its meeting, or where IOI'n is located, are at the expense of all IC members and all Participants, Observers and Guests. Costs for board & lodging during the IC meeting, or during IOI'n, are at the expense of the Present Host for all IC members, all Participants and Observers of new Countries, UNESCO, IFIP and BP. Other Observers and Guests have to pay a reasonable fee which is fixed by the Present Host.

S6.8

The Host of IOI'n is obliged to produce a report of IOI'n, and send it to the Delegation Leaders of Observing and Participating Countries, members of the IC, IS, and BP, no later than six months after IOI'n. A draft report should be sent to the members of the IC no later than three months after IOI'n.

[ EXPLICATIONS ]

Section 7: Competition, Judging and Awarding

S7.1

The informatics Competition will take place during two Competition Days, which both are directly preceded and followed by a non-Competition Day.

S7.2

The Host gives the Contestants the opportunity to practice with the competition equipment, or comparable equipment, on the non-Competition Days.

S7.3

On both Competition Days the Host prevents that GA members meet and/or come across Contestants before and during the Competition.

No communication devices may be brought/used by the delegates or students from the time the problems are made known to the delegates until the embargo is lifted by the President of the GA.

S7.4

On both Competition Days the IOI Competition and Judging follows the general scheme described in statements S7.5 to S7.13. This scheme is elaborated in the Competition Procedures and Judging Procedures.

S7.5

The SC presents printed Competition Tasks and Judging Procedures to the meeting of the GA for approval. The Delegation and Deputy Leaders translate the approved Competition Tasks to their national languages, without any additional information. The translated tasks will be posted in public during IOI'n.

S7.6

The Contestants are asked to solve the Competition Tasks which are given to them, together with the translations, but without any oral information.

S7.7

During the Competition each Contestant works independently on a private desk with an appropriate computer, printed Competition Procedures, and writing-paper.

S7.8

During the Competition Contestants obey the Competition Procedures.

S7.9

At the beginning of the Competition the GA is present for one hour to answer questions of the Contestants about the Competition Tasks. The questions are to be answered by the GA with yes, no or no comment.

S7.10

After the one-hour question-time the GA is free until the Judging procedure begins.

S7.11

The Judging Procedures are carried out directly after the Competition.

• The Contestant, his/her Delegation Leader or Deputy Leader, and an Evaluator of the Host Country meet at the desk and computer of the Contestant.
• The evaluation of the Competition Tasks is executed according to the Judging Procedures.
• For each item, which is evaluated, the Evaluator proposes a number of points.
• The outcome of the evaluation of each item is registered on Evaluating Forms.
• When the Leader does not agree with an evaluated item, this is registered on the Evaluation Form.

S7.12

• If a Leader does not agree on one or more items, the Leader should be available for a consultation between a member of the SC and the Evaluator the day after the Competition Day.
• The consultation can lead to a new proposal of points. If the Leader does not agree this will be registered on the Evaluation Form with his arguments.
• The arguments will then be discussed in the SC, and the SC makes a final proposal of points.
• If this final proposal is not accepted by the Leader, the Leader can bring the controversy to the GA.
• The GA decides after being informed by the Chair of the SC and the Leader.

S7.13

The number of points of the Contestants will not be made public before the Awarding and Closing Ceremony.

S7.14

After the second Competition Day and before the IOI Awarding Ceremony the SC makes a proposal to the GA about the Awarding of the contestants, i.e. the distribution of the medals over the Contestants on the basis of their number of points. Not more than half of the Contestants will receive a medal:

• about one twelwth of all Contestants receive a gold medal;
• about one sixth of all Contestants receive a silver medal;
• about one quarter of all Contestants receive a bronze medal.

Thereafter the meeting of the GA determines the scores and the awards of the Contestants.

Section 8: Revisions of the Regulations

S8.1

Revisions of the Statutes are prepared and proposed by the IC, and are adopted by the GA by majority of votes.

S8.2

Revisions of the Explications and the Appendices can be proposed by the GA or the IC, and are to be adopted by the GA by majority of votes.

---

Created on MAY-12-95, updated on JUN-02-95 by daniel.weiler@ci.educ.lu from CIL
Updated on JUN-23-95 by Richard Verhoeven
Updated on FEB-05-96 by Péter Hanák