In these last ten years, UNR positioned itself among the programming eliteIt all began with the dream of three students, who unknowingly paved the way for many more.
Over the past decade, the Universidad Nacional de Rosario She established herself as a beacon in the world of competitive programming. Her outstanding performances in the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) world championships not only positioned her nationally, but also brought Rosario's name to the most prestigious stages around the world.
The ICPC (International Collegiate Programming Contest) is the oldest collegiate programming competition involving universities from around the world, having been held since 1970. Last year, 50000 students from 3000 different universities, spread across more than 130 countries, participated.
The story began in 2015, when three students decided to turn a dream into a reality: representing UNR in a world championship. Pablo Zimmermann, Mariano Crosetti, and Martín Villagra, students in the Bachelor of Computer Science program at the Faculty of Exact Sciences, Engineering, and Surveying, formed the famous team "Caloventor en dos."
Until then, no group from the Province of Santa Fe had ever qualified for a World Cup. With discipline and unwavering conviction, they met week after week to train and hone their skills. That same year, they made history: they qualified for the World Cup in Morocco.
But arriving wasn't enough. It was just the beginning. With more study time, entire weekends dedicated to training, and total commitment, they earned first place in the regional competition, beating teams from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Their efforts led them to a new milestone: qualifying for the World Cup in Thailand, their second consecutive one. What seemed like an unrepeatable feat was immediately repeated.
There, they achieved a historic result by taking first place among 17 Latin American teams and 32nd place among the 128 best in the world, ahead of the delegations from Stanford and Berkeley, considered among the 10 best universities in the world.
“We were pretty much alone because it was a pioneering initiative at the local level. A team from Rosario had never qualified, and then we were able to become Latin American champions, something that, with the exception of the UBA, no other university in the country had achieved up to that point,” recalled Mariano Crosetti. He added: “There were times when we had to translate Russian texts to progress in training. We had the encouragement of the teachers, but since there was no previous experience, we didn't know if what we were doing was right or not.”
The secret to success lay in total dedication. As Pablo Zimmermann explained: “Instead of going to the park to drink mate, we spent eight hours on Saturdays doing simulations and practicing.”
The three members of this historic team share a common background: they are graduates of the Instituto Politécnico Superior. From a very young age, they felt a strong inclination toward computing and mathematics, passions that led them to excel in national and international competitions. During their pre-university years, they already represented the University in the Mathematical Olympiad, a journey that foreshadowed the path of excellence they would later forge in competitive programming.
That passion and determination not only led a group of young people to the World Cup, but also paved the way for UNR to be recognized today as a leading institution in the field of programming at the international level.
There is a rule on the circuit that limits student participation to two editions of the World Championships. Therefore, once their participation period was complete, the three members of "Caloventor en dos" retired from competition to become coaches and guides for the new generations.
And the baton was more than fulfilled. Other teams continued to set the bar high: Maximiliano Redigonda, Iván Díaz, and Brian Morris competed in the 2017 and 2019 World Championships; while Margarita Capretto, Fernando Fiori, and Emilio López did so in 2018. After a few years of absence, partly marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, UNR returned to the international scene with Federico Bersano, Franco De Rico, and Sebastián Mestre, present in 2023 and 2024. This year, it was Julián Cabrera, Matías Raimundez, and Francesco Mozzatti's turn to represent the institution in Baku, Azerbaijan, from August 31 to September 5.
Over the years, UNR has competed and surpassed other important teams in the region, playing a prominent role in the top competition. These include the National University of Córdoba and the National University of Buenos Aires, both of which have a long history in this sport and boast a significant training structure. However, UNR has managed to join the group of contenders thanks to excellent performances that have catapulted it into a difficult opponent.
In total, UNR has qualified for the World Cup eight times in the last decade: from 2015 to 2019 consecutively, and in the last three years with a presence in Egypt 2023, Kazakhstan 2024, and Azerbaijan 2025. “It's no coincidence that the University has reached this stage eight times in the last ten years; it speaks volumes about the work we've done. It used to be thought impossible to qualify, so much so that on one occasion during a training camp we were told it was impossible to beat the National University of Buenos Aires and the University of Córdoba. And today our teams are playing a leading role in the region, so our growth is more than noticeable,” Crosetti argued.
Thus, what began as the dream of three students transformed into a legacy that continues to inspire. UNR is no longer a surprise on the circuit: it's a force that's making a strong impact on the international stage, demonstrating that Rosario also has its place among the global programming elite.
Investing in the future
With an eye to the future, the Universidad Nacional de Rosario In 2022, the University of Valencia launched a training program designed to prepare its students for programming competitions. The objective is clear: to consolidate knowledge, foster teamwork, and promote the exchange of experiences in a strategic area for technological development.
The instructor leading the initiative is Mariano Crosetti, one of the key players in UNR's first World Cup qualification in 2015. Today, he dedicates his time to supporting those who want to grow in this sport. "The classes are open; anyone interested can attend. In 2015, we achieved the first qualification for UNR and the province of Santa Fe, and fortunately, several teams that followed us also achieved this feat. We haven't been able to repeat this feat in recent years, and that's why we're trying to return to the top spots," he noted.
The program not only improves the preparation of competitors but also aims to develop future coaches. This difference sets it apart from other universities that must rely on external professionals, while in Rosario, the continuity of the program generates a comprehensive strengthening that is noticeable over time. "The growth of our students in these types of competitions is a testament to the quality of public education and the sustained effort of those who prepare year after year," Crosetti emphasized.
This commitment deepened in 2024, when UNR organized the Argentine Training Camp at the Faculty of Exact Sciences, Engineering, and Surveying. The event brought together 300 students from different universities across the country and consolidated Rosario as a benchmark for competitive programming training.
The experience of participating in a World Cup leaves a lasting impression beyond the competition. The original members of "Caloventor en dos" are a clear example: Pablo Zimmermann works at Google's headquarters in Munich, Martín Villagra in Meta, and Mariano Crosetti works at a startup from the renowned incubator Y Combinator. "In all cases, participating in the World Cup was essential for our professional development," Crosetti remarked.
But this isn't an isolated case. More and more international companies are interested in Argentine talent based on what they've demonstrated at ICPC tournaments. This has opened new career paths not only for those who make it to the World Cup, but also for many other students who are part of the community. "It's something companies value and is often decisive. For example, Sebastián Mestre and Franco De Rico currently work at GTS, a High Frequency Trading firm that is the largest designated operator on the New York Stock Exchange. Before we had such a large ICPC talent community, these opportunities didn't exist. That shows we're on the right path," he emphasized.
Those who wish to learn more about the competitions can visit the official Instagram account @icpc.argentina or the website icpc.com.ar/rosario, where they can also find the link to the Rosario community's Telegram group, which already has more than 400 members.
Journalist: Gonzalo J. García / Photographer: Camila Casero.