Glasgow University Students Tackle Halloween 'Hackathon'

Over 300 students from Glasgow University’s Tech Society (GUTS) took part in a Halloween ‘Hackathon’ with some of Scotland’s biggest and most influential tech companies.

The 48-hour coding marathon saw students complete a series of challenges and the event included Nerf battles, slideshow karaoke and Werewolf games at midnight.

The teams showcased the software they developed to representatives from major companies including Amazon, Morgan Stanley and the Student Loans Company, who were on hand to help students throughout the process.

Bernice McNaught, Director of Change and Programmes at the Student Loans Company, said: “As a major employer in Glasgow and supporter of students across the UK investing in their futures, we were pleased to be involved in this event to show these innovative students how their skills could be used right here in Glasgow if they join SLC.

“We challenged participants to explore student services through mobile technology and are looking forward to the five concepts that were devised being showcased to the SLC digital team."

The event is part of a worldwide network of 'hackathons' and took place over the Halloween weekend (27-29 October), giving students a chance to ‘do intense coding while rubbing shoulders with both industry and academia’.

Andrew McNab, third year student and president of Glasgow University Tech Society, said: "Do You Have The GUTS this year was a great opportunity for students to get an insight into the work companies do. “

The Glasgow University Tech Society presented a Live Stream (http://productfor.ge/GUTSHACK17) of the hackathon and kept participants updated via social media channels.