Call for Participation: ROAR-NET Problem Modelling Code Fest

2025-08-07

The ROAR-NET Problem Modelling Code Fest is a 48-hour online coding event running from 18:00 CEST (UTC+2, Brussels) on 9 September 2025 to 18:00 CEST on 11 September 2025. It will also be held locally at physical hubs organised by volunteers around the world, with the schedule taking the relevant time zones into account.

Why participate?

Participants in the Code Fest will learn how to use the ROAR-NET API to develop computational models of combinatorial optimisation problems in a solver-agnostic way. They will also have the opportunity to get involved in the ROAR-NET community and contribute to the ongoing development of the API, associated methodology, and supporting tools, by making open-source/open-access code and non-code contributions to the ROAR-NET repositories.

Programme highlights:

• Kick-start presentations on optimisation, problem modelling, the ROAR-NET API Specification and its implementation in Python
• Live-coding modelling tutorials
• Q&A sessions
• A Training Track, consisting of a sequence of modelling challenges to be completed using the ROAR-NET API by teams of 1-4 participants
• A Development Track, consisting of problem-statement development, model implementation, benchmark-instance construction, and software-tool development activities, to be proposed and carried out by teams of any size
• Badges awarded to teams for concrete achievements
• Achievement board updated throughout the event

Important notes:

• There are no registration costs.
• The language of the event is English.
• Coding will be done mainly in Python.
• Only team names and the corresponding hub, if specified, will be shown on the (public) achievement board and event website.
• All participants will receive a certificate of participation including their team name and the achievement badges they earned.

Eligibility

You may apply to participate in the Code Fest provided that:

• You have an active e-COST profile. If this is not yet the case, you will need to create a new profile.

• You are eligible to participate in COST activities, as determined by e-COST based on your profile.

In addition, you should:

• For the Training Track, have good Python programming skills, including knowledge of common data structures and algorithms.

• For the Development Track, have either good programming skills or good optimisation skills, including knowledge of modelling paradigms and optimisation methods.

Application process

Teams

Training Track teams are limited to 1-4 members. Development Track teams may be of any size. Each participant can only be a member of one team, and each team can only participate in one track.

Participating from a hub is encouraged but optional. Teams intending to join a physical hub must contact the hub organiser by email to secure a place before submitting their application.

Team applications must be submitted by completing the appropriate application form by 2 September 2025 (AOE):

• Team Application Form - Training Track - Aimed at onboarding participants with no previous knowledge or experience of the ROAR-NET API or even optimisation.
• Team Application Form - Development Track - Aimed at participants wishing to contribute to ROAR-NET by developing new problem statements, problem models, benchmark instances or support tools. Submissions to this Track must adhere to the ROAR-NET Copyright and Licensing Policy to earn achievement badges.

Hubs

Prospective participants are invited to organise physical hubs, for example at their institutions. A hub will typically be a room equipped with tables, power sockets and internet connectivity where local teams can gather to participate in the event. Video conferencing facilities are a plus, but are not strictly required. Hub organisers are solely responsible for deciding on the teams they are willing to host, the hub’s operating hours, and any other local organisation aspects.

Hubs can be set up almost anywhere in the world.

If you would like to organise a hub, please apply by sending an email to code-fest@roar-net.eu with the following information:

• Name and email address of the hub organiser
• Institution hosting the hub
• Hub capacity and/or expected number of participants

The information in the first two bullet points will be published on the Code Fest event page if the hub is accepted. The deadline for hub applications is 26 August 2025 (AOE).

Financial support

No financial support for participants or hub organisers is available from ROAR-NET.

Applicant notification and registration

Eligible applicants will receive an official email invitation via e-COST once their application is approved.

Contact

For further information, please contact:
ROAR-NET Action Chair
Carlos M. Fonseca <cmfonsec@dei.uc.pt>

Useful links

ROAR-NET Problem Modelling Code Fest event page
https://www.roar-net.eu/events/code-fest

Participant Application Form - Training Track
https://roar-cloud.dei.uc.pt/apps/forms/s/Rd6dT5qxy3B5xDMMnQTmFLm4

Participant Application Form - Development Track
https://roar-cloud.dei.uc.pt/apps/forms/s/iCkgL9XFLHZgEWeqBPLsr5LP

ROAR-NET API Specification
https://github.com/roar-net/roar-net-api-spec

ROAR-NET API Python implementation
https://github.com/roar-net/roar-net-api-py

First ROAR-NET Training School event page
https://www.roar-net.eu/events/first-training-school

ROAR-NET Copyright and Licensing Policy
https://www.roar-net.eu/copyright_policy

e-COST – The online platform of COST Association
https://e-services.cost.eu/

ROAR-NET Memorandum of Understanding
https://e-services.cost.eu/files/domain_files/CA/Action_CA22137/mou/CA22137-e.pdf