THE Northern Caribbean University (NCU) team, comprising four students from its Information Science Department, on Tuesday advanced to the finals of the prestigious Microsoft Image Cup Software Design Competition, having outclassed three other teams from the region.

Team members George Long, Cleon Green, Keron Tooma and Romaine Carter, copped the regional title at the semi-finals held in the Dominican Republic.

The NCU's image cup team members, from left: George Long, Cleon Green, Keron Tooma and Romaine Carter.

Their design, said a NCU release, was seen as the best depiction of the competition's theme, 'Imagine a world where technology dissolves the boundaries between us'.

It is Jamaica's first time in the competition.
"We would like our department, our students, our university and our country to be recognised as a source of top programmers and software designers," said project advisor Kenrie Hylton.

The team is keeping the details of its design secret until after the finals, but Hylton said the project "by its very nature, seeks to break down cultural barriers and move people closer across borders".
The team will next travel to Yokohama, Japan later this year for a shot at the 'Image Cup' and a first prize of US$25,000.

The Image Cup is a worldwide technology competition created to reward students for their inspirational and technological innovations.
There were 22 teams from the region that participated in the competition, only three of which made it to the semis.

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