Queen's Platinum Jubilee Student Challenge Prize Fund

This ‘Challenge’ is open to all Swansea University students (undergraduates and postgraduates).

We are looking for you to design creative and innovative projects on campus which can help us achieve our ambition to be a net zero university by 2035.

We need you to submit your creative and innovative ideas for student-led, on campus projects (trials or living research) that aim to, either reduce our carbon emissions, or demonstrate a sustainable shift in behaviour.

The projects can be designed and delivered in collaboration with local community partners, as long as there are clear co-benefits, and an impact on carbon emissions can be demonstrated.

Energy

Ideas for engineering solutions; organisational change; behavioural insights and change; microgeneration.

Food

Ideas to reduce agricultural emissions; food miles and distribution; cooking and food waste; landfill emissions.

Travel

Ideas that reduce emissions through campus transport; research travel; student home travel.

Carbon Removal

Ideas that offer natural solutions; technological solutions.

One single winning entry from Swansea University will be selected by the University’s Student Challenge Lead and submitted to the Prize Fund panel; with the top 5 winning student trials announced at the end of June.

Prize funding will be awarded in the following amounts: £5,000, £10,000 or £15,000.

Applicants must specify the amount they require and how that funding will be used to deliver their project.  The winning trials will need to be implemented on campus between July and December 2022 and a 2-page progress report submitted in mid-October, outlining the project and its measurable impact.

You will need to submit a written submission using the online form below, as well as a short project video to describe your idea, how it will work and its potential impact.

Your video should be no more than two minutes in length and sent as an MP4 file to: pathtozero@swansea.ac.uk. As your MP4 will be a large file, you will need to use a file transfer system such as wetransfer.com to email your video to us.

Your application must demonstrate that it is:

• Practical – You must be able to execute your trial between July - December 2022 using the resources and funding awarded.
• Innovative – The idea must be creative and innovative within the sector in the UK.
• Has Impact – The carbon impact and broader results must be measurable i.e., impact data must be used to assess the trial’s results by December 2022.
• Has Scale – Ideas which have the potential to scale in other institutes and have the biggest impact on reducing carbon in the education sector.
• Engaging – Ideas which demonstrate a high level of energy, excitement and engagement from the students themselves.

If you have any queries about developing your submission, please email pathtozero@swansea.ac.uk.