VeHa-2023 formal verification contest: the experience

To create modern competitive and trusted software, it is necessary to use knowledge of formal methods. Currently, a huge number of students are studying specialties related to programming. However, when studying at a university, it is difficult to gain the skill of practical application of theoretical knowledge. Short competitions with non-standard, industrial-related problems can arouse students' interest in the field of formal methods. The article describes the first experience of organizing a competition in formal verification of programs among students of Russian universities. The competition was held in conjunction with a seminar on program semantics, specification and verification (PSSV) in Innopolis in November 2023. The format of the competition was close to the format of so-called hackathons. Participants were asked to solve verification problems using predefined model checking and deductive verification tools. We consider the issues of organizing such an event, proposed tasks, results of decisions and feedback from participants.