The 2018 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship qualifying competition for the southern region began on 20 January in Ho Chi Minh City.

The 2018 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship qualifying competition for the southern region began in HCM City on 20 Jan  (Photo: tienphong.vn)

The annual competition for students aged 13 to 22 comprises three contests - Microsoft Office 2013, Microsoft Excel 2013 and Microsoft PowerPoint 2013.

It is organised by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union's Central Committee and IIG Vietnam, an organisation for testing and educational quality accreditation.

A total of 120 candidates from across the country will be chosen for the national championship.

Three winners at the national championship will go on to the World Championship in the US from 29 July to 1 August this year.

The first prize winner will receive 7,000 USD in cash, whilst 3,500 USD and 1,500 USD in cash prizes will be given to those finishing in second and third places respectively.

The competition has been organised worldwide since 2002, and was first held in Viet Nam in 2010.

Viet Nam won 3^rd place in Microsoft Word 2013 at the World Championship last year.

(Source: VNA/ DA NANG Today)