We are pleased to announce that the application for the 2024 Geneva Challenge for postgraduate students is now open.
Eager to stimulate reflection and innovation on development from diverse disciplinary and contextual perspectives, and with the generous support of Ambassador Jenö Staehelin, the Graduate Institute launched in 2014 the Advancing Development Goals Contest, an international competition for Master students. The Geneva Challenge 2024 invites teams to propose solutions addressing “The Challenges of Youth Empowerment.”.
The Geneva Challenge Eligibility
Contributions must be both theoretically grounded and offer pragmatic solutions to relevant international development problems. They must stem from an interdisciplinary collaboration between three to five enrolled master students from anywhere in the world. The competition recognises five geographical categories based on the UN Statistics list:
- Universities located in Africa
- Universities located in Asia
- Universities located in Europe
- Universities located in North America and Oceania
- Universities located in Latin America
KOFI ANNAN, High Patron of the Advancing Development Goals Contest, supports this initiative that encourages young students to become key agents for development and peace.
How to Apply
Interested teams must submit an application form and provide proof of enrolment as a master student, including their name, graduate programme, and a recent issuance date on their enrolment certificates or student cards. Should these documents not be available at the time of registration, they can be sent to geneva.challenge@graduateinstitute.ch.
Submissions will be evaluated by an interdisciplinary academic steering committee. Three submissions per category will be selected for publication on the competition’s website and then reviewed by an independent jury consisting of experts with academic, governmental, and private sector backgrounds. The finalist teams, one per continent, will be invited to an oral presentation in Geneva to defend their ideas.
Registration Timeline
- Registration deadline: April 22, 2024, at 23:59 CET.
- Submission deadline: July 14, 2024, at 23:59 CET.
The registration deadline is for the application form and proof of enrollment, while the submission deadline is for the final proposal, twelve weeks after registration.
Prizes
The ADG contest awards a total of 25,000 CHF in monetary prizes. The winning project receives CHF 10,000, the two teams in second place receive CHF 5,000 each, and the two teams in third place receive CHF 2,500 each.
