"The Challenger Season" ends with over 160 proposals to solve challenges on campus

Fi guanyadors The Challenger Season

The competition ended after five weeks in which participants worked on ideas to improve food, mobility, residue managmenet, discrimination and mental health on the UAB campus.

30/05/2023

The initiative, organised by the UAB Research Park with the support of Santander Universidades, invited university students to work on a series of challenges on campus related to the sustainable development goals. The organisers valued the creativity, innovation and commitment to the university of the proposals presented, which ranged from technological solutions to social projects.

The jury evaluated the ideas based on viability, growth potential and impact on society. The winning projects in the areas of technology, education, and entertainment were:

Challenge 1. How can we increase the consumption of healthy food and improve its level of sustainability?
Serzhio Danailov Dimitrov, a student at the Faculty of Arts & Humanities, proposed a programme of small community gardens managed by associations and students at the UAB, which he calls SmallGreens.

Challenge 2. How can we improve mobility to reach the UAB campus?
Pol Sancho Capel, student of the Faculty of Psychology, has made a proposal to develop a car-sharing application for UAB students called "GoTogetherUAB".

Challenge 3. How can we improve circularity at the UAB: from residue to resource?
Aida García Rodríguez, student of the Faculty of Economics and Business, presented her project CircUAB, a mobile application that aims to promote the circular economy at UAB. The application includes a waste separation guide, a list of collection points, a section for exchanging objects, a map of sustainable resources and a section of challenges and rewards.

Challenge 4. How can we reduce levels of discrimination within the UAB community?
Eva de Agosto, a student from the Faculty of Economics and Business, suggests the creation of an app with different sections and functions to give more visibility to diversity and raise awareness in an interactive way, and the organisation of an event for cultural exchange.

Challenge 5. What measures can be taken on campus to prevent mental health problems and improve the emotional well-being of members of our community?
Jordi Avilès Pérez, student from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, presented a series of initiatives designed to improve the well-being of the university campus, focusing on mental health and stress reduction: animal-assisted therapy, a conscious cafeteria, therapeutic gardens and spaces for artistic expression.

This information is related to the following SDG

  • Good health and well-being
  • Industry, innovation and infrastructure
  • Affordable and clean energy
  • Responsible consumption and production
  • Sustainable cities and communities