"We do not only need to be able to use the internet and be present online but also to generate creative content." MEP Therese Comodini Cachia made these remarks when speaking during a press conference organised with NSTF Malta to launch the EU hackathon 2016.
Comodini Cachia encouraged Maltese youths to participate in this year's event. "Maltese youths have the ability and skills to participate. They are able to use a computer and also to create their own software, their own algorithms. The EU hackathon is an opportunity to meet other hackers as well as representatives of sponsors such as Google, and to influence policy makers."
Stefan Cutajar said that NSTF Malta through its science programmes has been active in promoting non-formal education in the fields of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in Malta for over 32 years.
"For our country to remain relevant in the global market we must work hard to maximise the potential of our up-and-coming generations in the sectors of ICT and the Digital Sciences" stated Cutajar.
Competitions such as the EU hackathon are amazing opportunities for young students to bolster their skills, widen their horizons and become an integral part of a cross-cultural platform that enhances communication and cooperation between practitioners from all over the continent. NSTF wholeheartedly believes that Maltese coders have what it takes to be protagonists in this year's edition of the EU hackathon.
ICTSA represented by Public Relations Officer Kenneth Zerafa commented that the EU hackathon is the ultimate event for creative and driven individuals to work on a game-changing project.
Zerafa said that "the hackathon fosters a spirit of team work and innovation and as ICTSA, we recommend interested people of all ICT backgrounds to take advantage of this opportunity."
This year's event will take place between the 15th and 16th November 2016 at the Google offices in Brussels. The award ceremony that will take place at the European Parliament, same as last year, will be hosted by Maltese MEP Therese Comodini Cachia.
Applications are open till 1st September at www.euhackathon.eu [1]. Participation costs will be covered by the organisers and prizes of up to €5,000 will be awarded to those placing in the top three places.
The promotion of the EU Hackathon is being done with the support of NSTF Malta, MITA and ICTSA.
The EU hackathon is a two-day event that takes place in Brussels and brings together teams of coders from across Europe. The theme for this year will be Visualising Copyright Evidence, to inform the policy debate and support the decision making process.
The goal is to combine data and academic research from various sources to help create a clearer picture of the issues at stake in copyright, as sometimes the full story is difficult to grasp.
Over the past two years, MEP Therese Comodini Cachia has followed developments on the Copyright Directive within the Legal Affairs Committee (JURI). In the coming weeks, the European Commission will be announcing a new draft Directive on Copyright.