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Student Sustainability Challenge

Make UM—and the world—more sustainable with your idea!

Maastricht University invites students from all faculties to take part in a university-wide challenge to drive sustainability forward. Whether you already have a concrete idea or simply feel inspired to make a difference, this is your opportunity to turn vision into impact.

You can participate with:

  • An idea that contributes directly to making UM more sustainable, or
  • A broader sustainability solution that could be applied beyond UM, with UM acting as the launching customer.

Read here the news article with the winners of last year's challenge. This challenge is organised in cooperation with the Brightlands Startup Challenge.

What’s the challenge?

Propose a sustainable idea or intervention that:

  • Tackles a real sustainability challenge at the UM (and possibly beyond)
  • Is evidence-based and well-analysed
  • Aligns with UM’s Sustainability Roadmap 2030 (focused on Climate, Circularity, and Community)
  • Can be implemented at UM before the end of the academic year 2026-2027 

Ideas may address topics like waste, events, catering, biodiversity, mobility, water management, green ICT, and more.

What do you need to deliver?

Upon registration, you’ll provide a short description of your idea (if you have one already). After registration, you’ll further develop your idea. Near the end of the challenge, you’ll submit:

  • A presentation of your idea (format flexible: report, slides, sketch, prototype, poster, etc.)

  • An implementation plan with budget allocation
    (€3,000 will be distributed across at least three winning ideas for implementation at UM)

     

Click here to register!

Important information for registration:

  • Register individually, even if you're joining a team

  • Select the Sustainability Challenge in the "cluster" section of the registration form

Note the important key dates of this challenge:

KickOff: 27th of October 2026
Registration Deadline: 3rd of November 2026
Speed Dating Event: 8th of December
Finale: 21st January 2027

What’s in it for you?

  • Win funding to implement your idea at UM
    (Note: funding is only for implementation at UM, even if your idea has broader potential)
  • Get support from the Sustainability Office and, if desired, from the Brightlands Start-up Challenge to develop your (business) idea
  • Gain visibility through UM’s sustainability newsletter and a professionally produced pitch video (for winning ideas)
  • Boost your resume and become a UM Sustainability Hero

Who can participate?

  • All UM students (academic year 2026-2027 )
  • No restrictions on faculty, background, or study level

Student Sustainability Challenge