Sustainable Smart Campus Student Competition 2023

About the Competition

Do you have great ideas for ways to improve our campus to be smarter AND more sustainable? Have you identified areas where new technologies or innovative approaches can improve our campus?

If so, check out these two SSC Student Competitions:

Campus Project Competition

Form a group to propose an on-campus project that will improve our campus conditions and make us smarter AND more sustainable. The top five successful group proposals will have an opportunity to implement their project on campus during the 2023/24 academic year with budget and support, subject to the feasibility of project implementation.

Challenge your creative minds to come up with innovative and people-centric solutions

Innovative Solution Competition

As a group or individually, offer a unique and creative idea on solving one of our pressing campus sustainability problems. The top five most innovative ideas will receive cash awards of $2,000 each.      
 
Challenge your creative minds to come up with innovative and people-centric solutions by integrating technologies and sustainable concepts that can help us improve our campus. You can focus on the landscape, buildings, facilities, mobility, learning and living spaces, catering, or supporting services. Or, you can identify any other area that will benefit from a creative new approach.

If you want to turn your idea into reality… form a group and enter the SSC Campus Project Competition. Your team will identify something specific that can be done on campus within this academic year that will improve our sustainability performance. The top five teams will have opportunity to receive budget and support and turn the idea into real project on campus subject to the project feasibility. Through meeting faculty and senior university administrators, the winning teams can build leadership skills, gain project management experience, and enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

If you just want to share a cool idea… then enter the Innovative Solution Competition. For the competition you will present your creative idea and make a case for why this new concept is relevant and important for us to consider. It is not necessary to implement this idea – just give us your concept and amaze us! You can enter as an individual or a team. The top five winners will receive a cash award of $2,000 and the bragging rights of being an SSC creative champion!

Submission Details

Submission Process

Submit a paper of up to four pages in length (all-inclusive of photos, graphics, and text descriptions) describing your idea. All submissions will first be reviewed by a judging panel who will select a short list of finalists. Shortlisted teams / individuals will be asked to create a short (3 minutes, max) video and an electronic poster for public viewing. Voting results from UST members and SSC committee members will be consolidated to determine the winners.

Students can submit more than one entry
Submission deadline: 16 October 2023
We recommend each group to have 3-4 members


Eligibility

All UG and PG students are eligible for participating in the competition.

Evaluation Criteria

All papers will be assessed based on the following three criteria-

Significance of Problem - problem that is identified and well-defined with empirical observation
Novelty of Solution - solution that is original and creative in addressing the problem
Feasibility of Implementation - solution that is technically feasible and cost efficient

Important Dates

Information Session (on zoom)
12pm on 7 September 2023 (For zoom details please refer to promotional email)
Paper submission deadline
16 October 2023
Judging panel review
by 30 October 2023
Shortlisted students’ submission of posters and videos (for public voting)
by 10 November 2023
Public voting
21-27 November 2023
Announcement of winners
By 30 November 2023
Implementation of team projects
January to June 2024

Prizes

Most innovative solution awards (top 5 individuals or teams)

-$2000 cash prize

Campus project awards (top 5 teams)

- Opportunity to implement their project on campus during the 2023/24 academic year with support and budget.

*In addition, we will provide mentoring on project management, support and guidance for project implementation on campus. To learn more about the SSC projects, please visit https://ssc.hkust.edu.hk/projects 
We believe that every student should be given the chance to contribute towards making the campus a green, innovative and energizing place. Be our partners. Your ideas matter.
 
For the top 10 entries of the last SSC student paper competition held in fall semester 2022, please click here to learn more about their project ideas.