REGULATIONS

on the procedure for holding the "International IT Olympiad"

Nizhny Novgorod
2025
 I. General regulations
1.1. The current regulation is designed in accordance with pt. 2 art. 77
FZ “About education in the Russian Federation” № 273-FZ dated 29.12.2012 and
defines the aims, objectives, the procedure for organization and holding "International
IT Olympiad", its organizational and methodological support, rules of participation and
for selecting winners and prize-winners (hereinafter collectively referred to as the
diploma holders) of the Olympiad.
1.2. The organizers of the Olympiad are the Government of the Nizhny
Novgorod Region, the Autonomous Non–profit Organization "NEIMARK IT Campus
Project Office of the Nizhny Novgorod Region", the Autonomous non-profit
Organization "Gorky Tech Regional Center for Support and Coordination of Domestic
Digital Technologies and Developers".
1.3. State corporations, state-owned companies, commercial and non-profit
legal entities engaged in educational and scientific activities may be involved in the
organization and holding of the Olympiad, as well as public organizations, socially
useful foundations (public and charitable foundations) operating in the field of
education, mass media, educational and methodological associations. (hereinafter
referred to as the Olympiad partners).
1.4. Partners of the Olympiad:
⎯ The Union of Informatics of the Republic of Cuba (international partner of
the Olympiad);
⎯ Sberbank PJSC (General partner of the Olympiad);
⎯ Algoritmica LLC (technology partner of the Olympiad);
⎯ Gazinformservice LLC (partner of the Olympiad);
⎯ ANO «School 21 Nizhny Novgorod» (Infrastructural partner of the
Olympiad).

1.5. The participants are provided with Information support for the Olympiad
participants through the publication of information on the Internet information and
telecommunications network (hereinafter referred to as the official website):
⎯ on official website of Olympiad: goIT.space;
 ⎯ on official websites of the organizers and partners: https://nobl.ru,
sberbank.com, https://neimark-it.ru, https://gorky.tech, https://algoritmika.org/,
https://21-school.ru, https://uic.cu.
⎯ in the official accounts of the Olympiad partners, in messengers and social
medias.
1.6. Fees for participation in the Olympiad are not allowed, the organizers do
not aim to make a profit in the meaning in which it is provided for by the current
legislation of the Russian Federation. (article 2, “Civil code of the Russian Federation
(part one)” dated 30.11.1994 N 51-FZ).
1.7. Working languages of the Olympiad: Russian, English, Spanish.
1.8. The Olympiad program and the participants' memo are posted on the
official website of the Olympiad and the pages of the official websites of the Organizers.

II. Aims and objectives

2. Aims of the Olympiad are:
a) improving knowledge and practical skills of the Participants;
b) forming the interest in Information Technologies (hereinafter referred to as
- IT) and cybersecurity;
c) detecting the most talanted Participants;
d) forming a system-holistic vision of the problems of providing information
security among the Participants;
e) enabling the Participants to become aware of the sources of threats to
digital security as well as practical realization of events promoting;
f) orienting the Participants to obtain specialized education;
g) developing team spirit and motivation to learn.
2.1. Objectives:
a) introducing relevant tasks of digital security to the Participants;
b) participants acquire practical skills and consolidate theoretical knowledge
acquired in classes at educational institutions,
as well as from other sources.
c) assessing basic competencies of the Participants, their ability to navigate in
an unusual situation;
d) developing skills for working in time-limited environment;
e) preparing pupils for participation in Olympiads and competitions in IT
areas.
 III. Dates, format and structure of the Olympiad
3.1. Format of the Olympiad.
3.2. The Olympiad is held in a hybrid format - the first two stages in online
format, the third final stage in Nizhny Novgorod on the site provided by the partner of
the Olympiad.
3.3. The Olympiad is held in the following areas:
⎯ Cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
3.4. Dates and stages of the Olympiad. The structure of the Olympiad includes
the following stages:
⎯ April 2-18, 2025 – The first stage is individual (held in the participating
countries);
⎯ April 23-25, 2025 - The second stage is team competition (held in the
participating countries);
⎯ May 30 - June 3, 2025 – The third stage is the In-person final (held as part
of the CIPR-2025 International Conference in Nizhny Novgorod);
⎯ June 3, 2025 – The closing ceremony and awarding of the winners of the
Olympiad.
3.5. First stage:
3.5.1. The holding platform: Algoritmika platform.
3.5.2. Duration: from 12:00 on April 2, 2025 to 21:00 on April 18, 2025.
(Moscow time is GMT+3).
3.5.3. Participants solve 15 tasks in a format related to the topic of information
security (web, cryptography, reverse engineering, forensics, OSIN, administration and
other areas).
3.5.4. Participants solve tasks in an individual format at a pace convenient for
them.
3.5.5. Rating of the participants is based on the results of the first stage and the
Organizer sets the passing score for entering the second.
3.6. Second stage:
3.6.1. The platform holding the event is provided by "Gazinformservice" LLC
3.6.2. The access to the tasks of the second stage: From 12:00 on April 23, 2025,
to 21:00 on April 25, 2025 (Moscow time, GMT+3).
3.6.3. Participants form teams of 5 people. Only registered teams are allowed to
participate.
3.6.4. The stage is conducted in jeopardy (task-based) format with a duration of
48 hours from the beginning of tasks-solving. The possibility of extending the stage is
provided at the discretion of the expert commission (hereinafter referred to as the Expert
Commission).
3.6.5. To complete the tasks, teams use the Verification System, where they
submit Flags – special phrases in the format goit{flag} or another format specified in
the task.
3.6.6. Points are awarded depending on the number of teams that solve the task:
the more teams solve the task, the fewer points it yields.
3.6.7. Upon completion of the stage, a total team ranking is formed, and the top
teams from each country enter the third stage.
3.7. Third Stage:
3.7.1. Location: Nizhny Novgorod, School 21 campus.
3.7.2. Duration: From May 30, 2025, to June 3, 2025 (Moscow time, GMT+3).
3.7.3. The stage consists of two rounds, each lasting 6 hours and conducted in the
Capture the Flag (CTF) format.
3.7.4. Teams selected based on the results of the second stage will participate in
the final, with a limit on the number of teams from each country.
3.7.5. The final ranking is determined by the total points earned in both rounds,
based on which the winner and prize-winners are determined.
3.7.6. The organizer reserves the right to change the number of prize places.
3.8. Assessment Criteria:
3.8.1. In the first stage, the participants' ranking is based on the number of points
earned for correctly solved tasks.
3.8.2. In the second stage, teams are assessed based on the points awarded for
Flags. In case of a tie, additional indicators determined by the expert commission may
be considered.
3.8.3. In the third stage, points are awarded for each competition day, and the
winner is determined by the total number of points earned.
3.8.4. All results are recorded in the Verification System, and the outcomes are
published on the official website of the Olympiad.

IV. Terms of participation

4.1. Students of all types of general educational organizations can participate
in the Olympiad.
4.2. Age of the Olympiad participants: 14-18 years old inclusive (at the time
of the event). The participation of 18-year-old participants is allowed on condition that
they study in a general education organization.
4.3. By participating in the Olympiad, the participant claims his right to
develop creative abilities and interests in accordance with paragraph 22, Article 34 of
the Federal Law of the Russian Federation. “About education in the Russian
Federation” №273-FZ dated 29.12.2012.
4.4. The organizer has the right to request from the participant a certificate
confirming his education in a general education organization in order to verify
compliance with the requirements established by these Provisions.

V. Registration procedure
5.1. To participate in the Olympiad, an adult participant independently or a
legal representative (parent, guardian, trustee) of a minor participant together with a
minor participant whose interests he represents must register by clicking the
"Register"/"Registration" button on the official website of the Olympiad. After that,
he will be redirected to the website of the technological partner of the Olympiad,
where he will need to fill in all the required fields in the registration form and provide
the Organizers with the information necessary for participation. The application form,
the deadline for its submission and the list of documents required for registration are
determined by the Organizers and posted on the Olympiad website and the website of
the Olympiad's technology partner.
5.2. To participate in the first stage of the Olympiad, an adult participant
independently or a legal representative (parent, guardian, trustee) of a minor
participant together with a minor participant whose interests he represents, registers
on the website of the Organizers of the Olympiad and provides the following
information and documents:
⎯ the participant's country, region and/or city of residence;
⎯ full name, date of birth, gender, contact phone number and email address of
the participant;
⎯ full name of the participant's legal representative (parent, guardian, trustee),
his contact phone number and email address;
⎯ consent to the Rules of the Olympiad, the User Agreement, and the Personal
Data Protection and Processing Policy posted on the official website of the
Olympiad;
⎯ consent to the processing of personal data of a minor participant;
⎯ consent to the processing of personal data of the participant's legal
representative (parent, guardian, trustee).
5.3. After completing registration by participant, in accordance with the
procedure provided for in clauses 5.1. – 5.2. of the Regulations, the technological
partner of the Olympiad sends the participant to the e-mail address specified by him
during registration, a username and password to log into his personal account on the
 platform specified in clause 3.5.1. of the Regulations and participate in the first stage
of the Olympiad
5.4. On the first day of the third stage of the Olympiad, participants and a
mentor (in the absence of a mentor, an accompanying mentor) must provide an order
to accompany participants to the venue of the Olympiad, as well as the originals of
their identity documents at the request of the Organizers in person during the third
stage.
5.5. Mentors and escorts may be persons over the age of 18, including family
members of the participants.
5.6. Information about the results of the first stage of the Olympiad will be
available to participants in their personal accounts on the platform specified in clause
3.5.1. of the Regulations.
5.7. Information about the results of the second stage of the Olympiad will be
available to participants in their personal accounts on the platform specified in clause
3.6.1. of the Regulations.
5.8. Information about the results of the third stage of the Olympiad will be
published on the official website of the Olympiad.

VI. Organizational and expert support

6.1. The general management of the organization and holding of the Olympiad
is carried out by the organizing committee, formed by the Government of the Nizhny
Novgorod region with the involvement of experts with experience in organizing and
managing the project and scientific activities of pupils in the field of IT technologies,
cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (hereinafter referred to as the Organizing
Committee of the Olympiad).
6.2. The Organizing Committee:
6.2.1. Defines the deadlines for registration and the dates of the Olympiad stages,
ensures the holding of the Olympiad, approves the results of the Olympiad and
publishes them on the Olympiad website.
6.2.2. Carries out all the events of the Olympiad in compliance with sanitary and
epidemiological rules.
6.2.3. Reviews applications from participants of the Olympiad, provides
consulting, organizational and methodological support to mentors in preparation for the
Olympiad.
6.2.4. Maintains the Olympiad website and organizes the promotion of the
Olympiad among the target audience.
6.2.5. Accepts suggestions for the improvement and development of the
Olympiad.
6.2.6. Performs other functions in accordance with the Provisions.
 6.3. The general methodological and expert support of the Olympiad is
provided by expert commissions on the thematic areas of the Olympiad, formed from
among the mentors of Algoritmica LLC, the Autonomous non-profit Organization
Neymark IT Campus Project Office, Gazinformservice LLC, Union of Informatics of
the Republic of Cuba, the teaching staff of leading universities of the Nizhny Novgorod
region, involved experts experienced with project activities of pupils in the field of IT
technologies, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
6.4. Expert commission:
6.4.1. Develops and approves the criteria for assessing the tasks of the Olympiad.
6.4.2. Assesses the works of the Olympiad participants in accordance with the
approved criteria for assessing works.
6.4.3. Provides the results to the participants of the Olympiad.
6.4.4. Determines the winners and prize-winners of the Olympiad.
6.4.5. Provides the results (protocols) to the Organizing Committee of the
Olympiad for their approval.
6.4.6. Receives and reviews appeals from participants of the Olympiad.
6.4.7. Makes a decision based on the appeal review, either rejecting or
satisfying the appeal ("reject the appeal while maintaining the score," "satisfy the
appeal with a reduced score," "satisfy the appeal with an increased score").
6.4.8. Informs participants of the Olympiad about the decision made following
the appeal review.
6.4.9. Performs other functions in accordance with the Provisions.
6.5. The technical support of the Olympiad is provided by a Technical Group
formed from among specialists with experience in the administration of information
systems, development and operation of platforms for competitions in the field of
cybersecurity and information technology (hereinafter referred to as the technical group
of the Olympiad).
6.5.1. Technical group of the Olympiad:
6.5.2. Ensures uninterrupted operation of the technical infrastructure of the
Olympiad, including server equipment, network security and accessibility of the
platform for participants.
6.5.3. Develops, configures and maintains a platform for checking flags and
automated assessment of the tasks performed by the participants of the Olympiad.
6.5.4. Monitors the operability of all technical components of the Olympiad at
the stages of registration, competition and summing up.
6.5.5. Ensures the protection of the Olympiad information system from
unauthorized access and possible cyber attacks.
6.5.6. Provides technical support to the participants of the Olympiad and the
members of the Organizing Committee on the functioning of the platform and the
technical infrastructure.
6.5.7. Provides reports to the Organizing Committee of the Olympiad on the
functioning of technical systems and possible incidents.
6.5.8. Performs other functions in accordance with the Regulations.

VII. The procedure for determining the winners and prize-winners

of the Olympiad

7.1. The winners and prize-winners of the Olympiad are awarded diplomas for
I, II, III places, as well as memorable prizes. The decision on awarding participants by
additional nominations remains at the discretion of the Organizers.
7.2. The Organizer reserves the right to set a passing score depending on the
quality of the task solutions.
7.3. Participants of the final stage who have not received the status of a winner
or a prize-winner receive certificates for participation in the Olympiad.
7.4. The results of the Olympiad are published no later than two weeks after
the end of the event on the official website of the Olympiad.
7.5. The Organizing Committee may introduce additional nominations for the
participants of the Olympiad.

VIII. Rules of the competitions

8.1. Acceptable actions of the participants.

8.1.1. Solving tasks using any legal means (searching for information on the
Internet, using specialized tools, developing your own solutions).
8.1.2. Working only within your own team.
8.2. Prohibited actions.
8.2.1. Attacks on the organizers' infrastructure (DDoS attacks, unauthorized
access attempts, etc.).
8.2.2. Spreading assignment conditions, solutions, and flags outside the team.
8.2.3. The use of prohibited methods (for example, registration of fake accounts
or substitution of results).
8.3. Control and sanctions.
8.3.1. The technical team monitors the correct operation of the platform and
promptly notifies participants of any changes.
8.3.2. Violations of the rules may lead to the disqualification of the team or a
reduction in points awarded.

IX. Financial support of the Olympiad

9.1. The organizers and Partners of the Olympiad provide financial support and
organization of competitive procedures, events, educational programs, methodological
and expert support, including with the involvement of third parties.
9.2. The organizers of the Olympiad bear all expenses related to
accommodation and meals during the final stage of the Olympiad. The place of residence
is determined by the organizers of the Olympiad.
 9.3. The expenses for the transfer of participants and mentors to the venue of
the in-person final stage are borne by the sending party.

X. Contact information

10.1. Notifications about unforeseen changes and other situations will be sent
to the mentors' email addresses indicated in the application form.
10.2. For all questions regarding the organization and holding of the
Olympiad, please contact: [email protected].

XI. Final provisions

11.1. All issues not shown in these Regulations are resolved by the Organizers
based on their competence within the framework of the current situation in
accordance with these Regulations and the current legislation of the Russian
Federation.
11.2. The organizers of the Olympiad have the right to unilaterally change the
terms of these Regulations, and such changes take effect after 3 (three) calendar days
from the date of publication of the new version of the Regulations. At each
subsequent visit to the official website of the Olympiad and before using it and
passing through any of the stages of the Olympiad, the participant (his legal
representative) undertakes to read himself the new version of the Regulations.
Continued use of the official website of the Olympiad and/or continued participation
in the Olympiad will mean that the participant (his legal representative) agrees to the
terms of the new version of the Regulations in full. If the participant (his legal
representative) does not agree with the terms of the new version of the Regulations,
he stops using the official website of the Olympiad and participating in the Olympiad.
11.3. By agreeing to these Regulations, the Participant (his legal
representative) confirms that he has read all the terms of the Regulations, supplements
and appendices to it (if any) and agrees with them in full, accepting all rights and
obligations established by the Regulations.