NORTHERN Caribbean University’s Imagine Cup Software Design team are third place winners in the Microsoft Imagine Cup world finals!

The achievement came as the team successfully completed their journey in Seoul, South Korea on Friday, August 10, 2007.

After a week of gruelling competition against the world’s best, the team placed third in the Microsoft-sponsored competition, which is geared at advancing technological development and awareness of technology among students.

The competition was won by Thailand, with South Korea in second place.

The NCU graduands earned the chance to represent NCU, Jamaica and the Caribbean and Central American region, when they won the regional leg of the competition in May.

Their entry, CADI (Computer Aided Distance Instruction) creates “a centralised learning environment that connects teachers, students, and resources”.

The impressive software also transcends language barriers, supporting nine major languages, and uses its translation capabilities to provide lessons and messages in each user’s native language.

The team, comprising Imran Allie, Ayson Baxter, Damion Mitchell and Conroy Smith, under the guidance of team advisor, Kenrie Hylton, developed the software based on the theme ‘Imagine a world where technology enables a better education for all’.

The team, meanwhile, was able to ward off the competition of 54 other teams. Jamaica was the only English-speaking country, and only country from the Western Hemisphere to have advanced to the final round of the world finals.

In congratulating the team, Dr Herbert Thompson, president of NCU, shared his thoughts on this landmark achievement.

“For us at the University, it is a great moment, especially with this year being the celebration of our 100th anniversary,” he said.

“The Imagine Cup team has shown that Jamaicans can do more than play sports, because we have extraordinarily brilliant people who can design software to meet the needs of the world. We are, indeed, very proud!”

NCU has entered the Imagine Cup competition on two other occasions. In 2005, the team won the regional leg and went on to the world finals in Japan, while in 2006, the team placed second in the regional finals.

The team returned to Jamaica on August 12.