World Engineering Day (WED) for Sustainable Development is celebrated on the 4th of March every year as a UNESCO international day promoting the profile of engineers and engineering. WED is an opportunity to engage with governments, organizations, universities, industries, media and the community to address the need for engineers around the world to develop strategic frameworks and best practices for the implementation of engineering solutions for Sustainable Development.

In 2023, The World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO) and its members and partners are hosting the HACKATHON which is an international event with a goal to involve engineering students from all over the globe in the celebration of the World Engineering Day.

The WFEO committee, Young Engineers / Future Leaders (YE/FL), is a motivated team of young engineers that work voluntarily to acknowledge and celebrate the young voices of the Engineering profession. Firas Bou Diab is the Chair of this committee, and is delighted to encourage engineering students from all universities to participate in this worldwide competition and work in teams to present engineering solutions for a global problem that is affiliated to the WED2023 Theme: Engineering innovation for a more resilient world

The Hackathon is hosted by the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO), its members and partners.

WFEO has once again partnered with Engineers Without Borders International (EWB) and utilised their great knowledge and experience in creating the hackathon challenges. EWB worked closely with WFEO to ensure the challenges aligned with the WED theme for 2023 and were able to highlight some challenges engineers are facing towards the UN SDGs.

Our 2023 Partners

All times noted are in Paris, France timezone (GMT+1)

December – open to register your team

9 Jan 2023 – Challenges released

Students around the world are invited to participate in the WED Hackathon, that address engineering challenges developed by the World Federation of Engineering Organizations in collaboration with its partners in international engineering and the Engineers Without Borders International network.

Participants will get an opportunity to apply principles they are learning in universities to solve real engineering problems. Further, participants will gain insight into the complexities involved when working within a team trying to solve a challenge within tight time constraints. These types of challenges serve to motivate the students to dig deeper into their engineering education, in order to solve these very real problems.

The HACKATHON competition will take students beyond textbook theory by enabling them to design, build, and test the performance of a real project and then compete with other students from around the world in exciting and intense competition. The competition prepares undergraduate and graduate students in a variety of disciplines for future employment in industries by challenging them with a hands-on, team engineering experience that also requires budgeting, communication, project management, and resource management skills.

The notable prestige that comes with winning or even competing in this HACKATHON will expose participants to additional activities that will help them navigate through their degree in terms of professional opportunities and will also provide networking experiences with experts, who can serve as valuable resources in their collegiate work, as well as advocates for future internships. Participants will also gain valuable exposure with recruiters from leading companies in the industry to help land their first engineering job after graduation.

Based on the International Engineering Alliance Global Graduate Attribute and Professional Competencies Profiles. 

Considering the proposal presented to you, evaluate whether the submission demonstrates the following engineering competencies.

• Engineering Knowledge: Breadth, depth and type of knowledge, both theoretical and practical applied in developing the solution.

• Problem Analysis: Level of thoroughness in examining the problem and developing the solution.

• Design/ development of solutions: The extent to which the solution is original and extent to which the solution uses new and emerging technologies.

• Investigation, research and ongoing learning: Breadth and depth of investigation, literature research and experimentation applied in developing a unique and innovative solution.

• Extent of use of digital tools and new technologies: The extent to which digital tools such as modelling, Computer Aided Design and Drawing etc. have been used to develop the solution.

• Contribution to UN SDGs: Contribution to sustainable development and description of the UN SDGs that are addressed by the solution.

• Consideration of broad ethical issues: The ethical issues that are addressed by the solution in terms of impact on the environment, different parts of society and economy and how the team has addressed ethical issues such as diversity and inclusion and how potential adverse impacts have been mitigated and positive impacts celebrated.

• Individual and Collaborative Team work: Examples of how the team collaborated to successfully develop the proposed solution and description of the broad range of diversity elements (gender, age, ethnicity, physical abilities, location rural/urban) in the team.

• Communication: Examples of how the team was resourceful in communicating with each in developing the proposal as well as the effectiveness of communicating the proposed solution.

• Project Management and funding for the solution: Level of project management and estimated cost of solution with suggestions for financing the proposed solution.

Graduate Attributes that are addressed in the solution, referencing the International Engineering Alliance Graduate Attribute and Professional Competency (GAPC) Framework

Maximum Score per Category 4

Score: 0 – Not Addressed

Score: 1 – Limited attempt to address

Score: 2 – Some success in addressing the various elements

Score: 3 – Good attempt to address the element

Score: 4 – Addressed very effectively

How do we upload our submission?

This competition is using the AwardStage software as the Submission Portal.  You can access this site via the “Submit Now” links on the page.  For detailed instructions on how to Register as an Entrant and how to complete your Submission, you can review this document.

Are both graduate and undergraduate students allowed to participate?

Yes, teams can be made up on most levels of university students. Only PhD level is not eligible.

Are only university students allowed to participate?

All engineering students can  apply to participate in the WED Hack. This includes students attending university, TAFE, technical colleges, polytechnics etc.. As long as they are studying engineering or a technical qualification.

Does the team have to be all from the same university/school?

No, we can accept teams which are made up of a number of universities/institutions.

When will the finalists be announced?

Top 10 Finalists will be announced 6 Feb 2023.

Can I receive a certificate of participation?

Yes, we will send you a prompt to make this request after the finalists are announced.

Is there any cost to participating?

There is no cost in participating. Please note our sponsors, for without their support we would not be able to put on such a worthwhile event.

How will I receive the challenge?

The challenge will be released on this website on the 9 Jan 2023.

When does the registration period end?

Registration ends 22 Jan when submissions close.

What is the maximum number of participants allowed per team?

Teams are to be made up of 3 – 5 students, with a majority being engineering students.

How should my entry be presented?

Your submission must include: a 5-minute video; a photo of your team; response to various questions about your solution (English). Written response must be in English. Video can be in any language, but must have English subtitles.  Further detail will be released with the Challenge.

Can we see an example of the winning case solution from the last years?

The three winning entries from 2022 are available on the WED website here.

Who is WFEO?

The World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO) is the body which created this hackathon event.

What is World Engineering Day?

Discover more here

Who came up with the Hackathon challenges?

WFEO partnered with Engineers Without Borders International (EWB) and utilised their great knowledge and experience in creating challenges. EWB worked closely with WFEO to ensure the challenges aligned with the WED theme for 2023 and were able to highlight some challenges engineers are facing towards the UN SDGs.

Still have a question?

Fill out this quick form with your details and the question. The organisers will either:

1. Contact you directly with an answer;
2. Update the FAQ; or
3. Release a Q&A session

Any question raised after 17 Jan 2023 may not be answered before competition closing.

Entry and Eligibility

The World Engineering Day Hackathon will be open to:

1. Any student attending any university or engineering school, for the entirety of 2023.
2. Written elements of submissions must be provided in English. Video elements can be in any language, but must have English subtitles.

Intellectual Property

The entrants retain ownership of their designs.

The entrant’s licence WFEO and the World Engineering Day Committee to use and modify for use their photographs, video and any written content as a part of promoting the Hackathon, the winners and the event.

WFEO 1st place prize

EUR 4,000

INTEL 2nd place prize

EUR 2,000

WFEO 3rd Place prize

EUR 1,000

All prizes are to be given as a team, not as individuals

Thank you to all the amazing engineers and friends who have volunteered their time to be judges. 

There are 40 judges from around the World to assist us in the judging of the Preliminary Round. 

Amal Kasry UNESCO
Ana Quintas Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute
Ang Chun Sin Deckson YEC
Annai Cuvelier SPEE
Aung Thet Paing Federation of Myanmar Engineering Societies (Fed. MES)
Charles Mukwaso YE/FL
Christopher Chukwunta YE/FL
Damodar Darshan Kolla T-Works Foundation
Dr Yimin Zhang Intel
Emile Hanna 
Firas N Bou Diab YE/FL
He Jing WFEO, Committee on Engineering and the Environment
Hugo de Kock MathWorks
Indira Ashwini Madanayake UNESCO
Jeshika Ramchund FIDIC Future Leaders Council
Jinhui Jeanne Huang Canadian Society for Civil Engineering
Jorge Servert del Rio STA Solar
Katie Cresswell-Maynard Engineers Without Borders (EWB)
Lihui Xu ICEE/Tsinghua University
Marlene Kanga WFEO
Micheala Chan YE/FL
Mohamed KHALIL Engineers Without Borders Sierra Leone
Nicole Brown YE/FL
Norbert TCHOUAFFE TCHIADJE University of Ebolowa, Cameroon
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian S. Magnus IU International University of Applied Sciences
Radhika Gautam Gunaji Student Platform for Engineering Education Development (SPEED)
Rajeev Lal EWB – India
Ramón Francisco Manresa Reñé AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE
Raymond Lopinski EWB-HK
Sofía Romero Oscanoa Alianza Noramazónica
Sri Yash Tadimalla WORLD SPEED
Syed Mubarak Bin Subukutheen Institute of Engineers Singapore

Our 2023 Sponsors

We’re currently seeking sponsorship partners to join us for this exciting new program. If you would like to hear more please click here