Vietnamese team places third at NAPROCK Procon 2026 programming contest

The closing ceremony of the 17th NAPROCK Procon International Programming Contest was held on Monday at Vietnam National University-Hanoi, marking the first time the event has been hosted in Vietnam.

The competition was organized by the University of Engineering and Technology in collaboration with the KOSEN Programming Contest Support Association (NAPROCK) and the Vietnam Informatics Association.

The competition attracted 36 teams with 114 students from Vietnam, Japan, Thailand, and Mongolia.

Competition format

The contest featured two categories: a programming competition focused on developing algorithms to solve specific problems, and a theme-based creative software category that required teams to apply information-processing technologies to practical tasks.

Japanese teams won first prize in both categories. 

A three-member team from the University of Engineering and Technology placed third in the theme-based creative software category.

Prof. Dr. Chu Duc Trinh, rector of the University of Engineering and Technology, said the NAPROCK Procon contest focuses on solving practical problems.

He said participants must not only have programming and computer science knowledge but also be able to apply that knowledge to real-world situations and demonstrate problem-solving skills.

Skills gap highlighted

Prof. Dr. Trinh said the competition showed that Vietnamese students still face a gap compared with countries such as Japan in applying theoretical knowledge to practical problems.

He said narrowing the gap would require broader changes beyond revising a single program or reforming one institution. 

Universities will need to strengthen training and practical experience so students can better apply theoretical knowledge in real-world situations.

He added that Vietnamese students should have more opportunities to participate in international competitions and that hosting such events in Vietnam can help expand those opportunities.

"Academic knowledge and skills are important, but they must also be applicable in society and connected to real-world needs," he said.

"Students' abilities may be reflected in their scores, but those abilities must ultimately relate to their future careers."