The European Mathematical Contest in Modelling (EuroMCM)®
March 26-30, 2026
Register for the 2026 EuroMCMThe Challenge
The European Mathematical Contest in Modelling (EuroMCM) is an international competition for high school students, college undergraduates and postgraduates. In this contest, teams of up to three students are tasked with analysing, modelling, solving, and presenting solutions to an open-ended application problem. The EuroMCM committee emphasizes the importance of research, analytics, and applied intelligence, alongside time management and problem selection. Do you and your team have what it takes to rise to the challenge?
Contest teams of up to three students will select one of the following six problem choices to work on throughout the contest weekend:
- Problem α (Alpha) – Continuous
- Problem δ (Delta) – Discrete
- Problem Ω (Omega) – Big Data
- Problem π (Pi) – Operations Research/Network Science
- Problem θ (Theta) – Policy
- Problem ξ (Xi) – Computer Vision
What's in it for you?
This contest offers an exciting challenge to solve a real-world application problem, with the chance to gain international recognition for your work. It's an exceptional opportunity to enhance interpersonal skills through teamwork, improve technical writing and communication skills through your written report, and experience the sense of accomplishment that comes with solving complex problems. Participation also provides an impressive credential for your resume. Success in the EuroMCM boosts students' chances when applying for internships, jobs or the subsequent level of education.
What's in it for your school?
Schools benefit from the recognition and prestige of being part of the European Mathematical Contest in Modelling's annual international event. The EuroMCM committee publishes a press release listing advisors, schools, school locations, and awards, showcasing their support for students' meaningful application of classroom topics to real-world problems. Participation in the contest can also inspire the development of more applied courses and the integration of modelling into existing curricula, providing valuable justification for expanding educational offerings.
What's Unique About EuroMCM?
EuroMCM stands out as the first mathematics modelling and applied mathematics competition in the European region, presenting unique problems that reflect the current challenges and priorities of the European mathematical community. Unlike many other mathematical modelling contests, EuroMCM allows cross-institute team formation, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange among students from different institutions. This feature sets EuroMCM apart as not only a competition but also a platform for building a stronger, more interconnected mathematical community in Europe. Additionally, EuroMCM has experimentally introduced computer vision problems, providing participants with an innovative challenge that integrates modern deep learning technologies.
Prizes/Certificates
After the contest results are announced, all participants, including advisors and students, will receive a Certificate of Participation. Advisors can log in to the contest website via the Advisor Login link to view and print certificates for their teams. The results for the High School, Undergraduate, and Graduate categories will be judged separately, with certificates of different result levels awarded accordingly. Certificates can be downloaded directly from the EuroMCM website. Each Special Award is granted to only one team within the Gold - Exceptional Medal level across all categories each year. The Special Awards include two General Problem Awards and six Specialized Problem Awards. Additionally, the top three teams will each be granted an EuroMCM scholarship of €1000, with the distribution between students and advisors following a 9:1 ratio. See Awards and Designations for details.
General Problem Awards
Adolphe Quetelet Award:
This award recognises the most innovative and creative solutions. It is named after Adolphe Quetelet, a Belgian mathematician, astronomer, statistician, and sociologist, in honour of his pioneering role in introducing statistical methods to the social sciences. Quetelet's work in anthropometry and his development of the body mass index (BMI) laid the foundation for the study of human characteristics.
William Playfair Award:
This award celebrates excellence in data visualization and overall presentation. William Playfair, a Scottish political economist and engineer, is considered the father of statistical graphics. In 1786, he introduced graphical data representations in his book Commercial and Political Atlas, which included bar charts, line graphs, and pie charts.
Specialized Problem Awards
Gaspard Monge Award:
This award is given for outstanding solutions to Continuous Problems (EuroMCM Problem α). Gaspard Monge, regarded as the father of differential geometry, made significant contributions to understanding the curvature of surfaces. His work, building on Leonhard Euler's studies, developed the general theory of curvature and its applications, including notable insights into the geometry of ellipsoids.
Johannes Kepler Award:
This award honours exceptional work on Discrete Problems (EuroMCM Problem δ). Johannes Kepler is famous for his work on the packing of congruent spheres, which was a precursor to modern discrete geometry. His discovery of the most efficient way to pack spheres in three-dimensional space (the Kepler conjecture, later proven by Thomas Hales).
Émile Borel Award:
This award is presented for excellent solutions in solving Operations Research/Network Science Problems (EuroMCM Problem π). Émile Borel's work on Borel sets and the Borel measure significantly impacted modern probability theory, and he also introduced the concept of mixed strategies in game theory. One of his books on probability introduced the amusing thought experiment that entered popular culture under the name infinite monkey theorem or the like.
Karl Pearson Award:
This award is awarded for outstanding solutions to Big Data Problems (EuroMCM Problem Ω). Karl Pearson, celebrated for his work on hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, and the development of the Neyman-Pearson lemma, made pivotal contributions to statistical theory. His achievements in data analysis provide a strong foundation for handling large-scale data tasks.
Eratosthenes Award:
This award honours outstanding solutions to Policy Problems (EuroMCM Problem θ). Eratosthenes of Cyrene is renowned for his accurate measurement of the Earth's circumference using geometric and astronomical methods. Additionally, Eratosthenes was involved in administrative and policy-related work, as he advised kings and governors on various matters.
Brook Taylor Award:
This award is for exceptional solutions to Computer Vision Problems (EuroMCM Problem ξ). Brook Taylor, recognised for his contributions to perspective theory and the mathematics of vision, is considered a pioneering figure in the study of vision-related problems. His book Principles of Linear Perspective laid foundational principles for understanding and representing 3D structures in 2D, aligning with the challenges of computer vision today.
Please note that Specialized Problem Awards may not be presented every year, as their issuance depends on the quality of papers submitted in the respective tracks.
Mathematical Organisations
European Mathematical Society (EMS)
The EMS is a pan-European Organisation dedicated to promoting mathematical research, education, and the broader relations of mathematics to society, while fostering interaction among European mathematicians and representing the mathematical community in supra-national institutions.
Visit EMS WebsiteEuropean Research Centres on Mathematics (ERCOM)
ERCOM is a network of European research centres in mathematics that aims to enhance cooperation and collaboration among these centres to advance mathematical research and education.
View Research CentresEuropean Society for Mathematical and Theoretical Biology (ESMTB)
The ESMTB promotes theoretical approaches and mathematical tools in biology and medicine, organizing conferences, summer schools, and other activities to foster interdisciplinary collaborations between mathematicians, biologists, and other researchers.
Visit ESMTB WebsiteEuropean Consortium for Mathematics in Industry (ECMI)
ECMI is a consortium that promotes the use of mathematical modelling, simulation, and optimization in industry, educates industrial mathematicians, and operates on a European scale to facilitate collaboration between universities and industrial research groups.
Visit ECMI Website