COMPSAC 2027 is pleased to launch the first edition of the Student Thesis-in-4-Minutes Competition (STC) Track, a new student-oriented initiative providing graduate students with a dedicated opportunity to present their Master’s or Ph.D. thesis work to the international COMPSAC community.

===================
FORMAT
===================
The STC Track comprises two separate categories: Best Master’s Thesis-in-4-Minutes and Best Ph.D. Thesis-in-4- Minutes. Shortlisting, judging, and final rankings are conducted separately for each category. Within each category, the STC Track follows a two-round format.

====================
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
====================
To be eligible for the STC Track, applicants must satisfy the following criteria:
• Be affiliated with a Master’s or Ph.D. program in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Information Systems, or a closely related field, meeting one of the following two conditions:
- The applicant has completed the program and graduated no earlier than January 2026 and by the Round 1 submission deadline, with the thesis successfully defended as part of that graduation;
- The applicant is still enrolled in the program and has formally submitted the thesis, no earlier than January 2026 and by the Round 1 submission deadline, to their institution or examination committee for evaluation/defense. The thesis defense itself may still be pending, provided its date has already been scheduled.
• Be able to attend and present in person at IEEE COMPSAC 2027 in Tokyo, Japan if selected as a finalist

The nature of the thesis contribution may vary according to the academic level and field of study. Ph.D. theses are generally expected to make an original contribution to knowledge or research. Master’s theses, while not necessarily expected to make a novel contribution to knowledge, may instead focus on the design, development, implementation, evaluation, or application of a significant technical or scientific contribution.
In both cases, the thesis should address a meaningful problem and demonstrate clear significance and value within its field.

==================================
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS – ROUND 1
==================================
To access the submission system (https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=compsac2027), an EasyChair account is required. If no account is already available, one must be created before proceeding. Once logged in, applicants must select the “Student Thesis-in-4-Minutes Competition” track and submit a single PDF file containing the following elements:
• A 2-page extended abstract (inclusive of figures, tables, references, and appendices), formatted according to the IEEE double-column format, presenting a concise and self-contained summary of the thesis work (the student must be the sole author, thesis advisors and other collaborators may be acknowledged but not be listed as co-authors)
• A clickable link to a recorded video presentation, with a maximum duration of 4 minutes
• An endorsement letter from the thesis advisor or academic institution confirming the applicant’s academic status and eligibility for the STC Track

==================================
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS – ROUND 2
==================================
Finalists selected to advance to Round 2 must attend the STC in person at IEEE COMPSAC 2027 in July 2027 in Tokyo, Japan, and deliver the presentation themselves as the sole presenter. Failure to attend and present in person will result in disqualification from the competition.
Oral presentation must be completed in 4 minutes. Students may either use the same slides presented in Round 1 or prepare a new set of slides for the live presentation.

=======================
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
=======================
The STC Track will provide the following recognition:
• For each category (Master’s and Ph.D.), first-place (STC Winner) and second-place (STC Runner-up) awards, with formal recognition on stage during the COMPSAC 2027 conference banquet
• Certificates of recognition for all students selected for Round 2
• Finalist abstracts and videos showcased on the COMPSAC 2027 conference website

Subject to available funding, finalists may be eligible for partial support for conference registration and participation expenses. Details regarding any available support will be communicated with the finalist notification.

====================
ORGANIZERS
====================
• Stelvio Cimato (University of Milan, Italy)
• Massimiliano Garda (University of Brescia, Italy)
• Tiziana Margaria (University of Limerick, Ireland)
• Cristina Seceleanu (Mälardalen University, Sweden)

====================
ADVISORY BOARD
====================
• Sheikh Ahamed (Marquette University, USA)
• Hiroyuki Ohsaki (Kwansei Gakuin University, Japan)
• Hossain Shahriar (University of West Florida, USA)

For inquiries, contact compsac2027-stc@easychair.org, using the subject "COMPSAC 2027 STC Track – Your Name".