Industrial development includes the creation of software and technologies that are worked on by large teams of experts in leading IT companies around the world.
As part of PROD, high school students will face real business challenges proposed by major technology companies. Participants will study software systems, business process automation, and develop their own applications to help organizations improve their efficiency and reduce costs. This event will help students better understand how industry leaders operate and how to tackle future business challenges.
By participating in the international PROD competition, high school students will immerse themselves in the rapidly evolving IT field and determine their future profession. They will have the opportunity to develop practical skills, learn from experts, and interact with like-minded individuals from other countries.
All preliminary stages of the competition will take place online, ensuring accessibility for students from around the world. Finalists will receive an invitation to Moscow to participate in the final team round, where the organizers will cover accommodation and meal expenses.
The competition is organized by leading Russian universities and organizations:
● The Central University, which is among the best universities in Russia and a leader in practice-oriented education;
● The "T-Technologies" group, a founder of global fintech and one of the largest financial online ecosystems;
● The Faculty of Computer Science at HSE University (National Research University "Higher School of Economics"), one of the largest universities in Russia.
Participants will work under the guidance of experienced IT specialists who have built the fintech industry in Russia and abroad. The "T-Technologies" group, relying on the digital ecosystem of the country's largest online bank, develops advanced mobile and digital services that set standards in both the Russian and international markets. Teams will work on projects under the mentorship of professionals who create high-tech and efficient solutions daily.
Registration for the competition is open until December 2 at https://prodcontest.com/eng/worldwide. No deep programming knowledge is required to participate—logical thinking and basic knowledge in computer science are sufficient.
This year, the PROD competition will take place for the third time, but for the first time, it will be international and available to high school students in English and Russian.
In 2024, over 10,000 applications were submitted for the competition, of which more than 4,000 were from Russian-speaking students from Russia and 23 countries, including the UK, Germany, France, Canada, China, and Peru. In the finals in Moscow, 235 high school students from 49 regions of Russia and Belarus participated, with 57 becoming winners and prizewinners.
The competition consists of several stages, each supported by leading teachers and experts from the Central University, the "T-Technologies" group, and HSE University:
● December 5-8: first qualifying stage - testing on the basics of mathematics and programming;
● January 15-25: second qualifying stage - solving cases in various areas: frontend, backend, mobile development, and a new direction - MLOps engineering. Participants will include winners and prizewinners of the first stage of the current year and the second stage of the previous year, as well as winners of past PROD hackathons;
● February 12-24: individual round of the final stage - developing a small project based on the competition's assignment;
● March 13-17: team round of the final stage - presenting the developed project to the jury as a team;
● March 18: award ceremony for winners in Moscow.
Winners and prizewinners of the competition can expect:
● Free Russian language courses for participants from abroad, available after completing school upon turning 18;
● Free admission to one of the best universities in Russia - the Central University, or a discount on tuition for the "Design and Development of Information Products" program and other paid programs at the Faculty of Computer Science at HSE University;
● An expedited selection process for internships at the "T-Technologies" group;
● Branded merchandise from the PROD competition.
The Central University is an innovative institution that implements the STEM approach (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in higher education and actively collaborates with over 60 major organizations in the country. It is among the best universities in Russia and ranks in the top 10 most challenging to enter. The university has led school teams to victory in international competitions three times: in 2024 and 2025 at the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) and at the International Olympiad in Cybersecurity (ICO) in 2025, demonstrating a high level of preparation.
The "T-Technologies" group is a technology company creating an ecosystem of financial and lifestyle services for individuals and businesses through mobile applications and digital services, based on the world's largest online bank with 53 million clients.
