From 31 July to 6 August, at the International Mathematics Competition for University Students (IMC) held in Bulgaria, two students from the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), Zifan Hua and Zekai Li received the individual First Prize and Second Prize respectively, setting a new record for UNNC in the IMC.

The IMC mainly tests students' mathematical thinking and abilities in algebra, real and complex analysis, number theory, geometry, and combinatorics. The 2023 IMC was organised by University College London. In total, 393 university students from 108 universities worldwide participated.

UNNC is dedicated to providing students with high-quality international education as well as abundant extracurricular opportunities and platforms such as research projects, and professional competitions, through which students can gain a deeper understanding of what they learn, cultivate scientific thinking and problem-solving abilities. UNNC is committed to guiding students to find their inner direction, unleash their potential, and ignite their enthusiasm for scientific research and exploration.

To help participating students with systematic learning and preparation work, UNNC provided them with comprehensive support. Three academic staff from Department of Mathematical Science, Dr Hamid Reza Daneshpajouh, Dr Elio Eduardo Espejo Arenas, and Dr Fan Jun provided training courses from the perspective of their different expertise.

It is the second time that Zifan, a student of Mathematics with Applied Mathematics, attended this competition. This year, he successfully surpassed himself and received the First Prize. He took this competition as a stimulus for him to keep learning in new areas.

"Every time I participated, I encountered entirely new mathematical questions, thus posing significant challenges to us." But Zifan never felt disheartened. Instead, he constantly explored the vast world of mathematics through unfamiliar questions and innovative problem-solving approaches.

Zekai, from the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence programme, emphasised that one of the biggest gains for him is the exchange and communication with participants from other countries and universities. He would like to enhance his mathematical capabilities through this competition and plans to apply for postgraduate study in theoretical computer science in the near future. Despite his commendable performance, he felt a hint of regret about his results and hopes to achieve better outcomes for next year.

Professor Behrouz Emamizadeh, Head of the Department of Mathematical Science, believes that the English teaching environment, professional supervision from tutors, and mutual support among teammates were crucial for the students to achieve outstanding results in this competition. This year marked UNNC’s second participation in the IMC and he wished UNNC students even more success in their next endeavours.