Hackathon format & key facts
Organized detailsOverview
Khalifa University, in partnership with UNESCO and Youth4Water, is running a global student hackathon to develop science-based solutions for water security. Team registration is open through 7 September 2026, followed by an online development phase and an onsite Abu Dhabi final on 8–10 December.
Complete hackathon details
Teams develop solutions across sustainable desalination, water reuse and circularity, smart and AI-enabled water systems, water quality and health, the energy-water-climate nexus, and integrated water governance. The official program lists an online development and review phase through 31 October, final submission on 1 November, finalist decisions on 6 November, and onsite pitching and awards in Abu Dhabi on 8–10 December 2026.
Eligibility requirements
Open globally to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at recognized higher-education institutions in 2026. Teams comprise 4–5 students and include faculty adviser support; the official registration form also asks for at least one faculty adviser or industry mentor.
Tips for this hackathon
Practical Job and Scholarship guidance. These tips do not replace official rules or create new eligibility requirements.
- Form a compliant student team and select one official water challenge theme.
- Review the official guidelines before submitting.
- Read the rules, eligibility, judging criteria, required technologies and intellectual-property terms before forming your submission plan.
- Build a complementary team early and assign product, engineering, design, research and presentation responsibilities clearly.
- Optimize for the published judging rubric: demonstrate a real problem, working solution, measurable impact and a concise live demo.
- Prepare the repository, pitch deck, demo video and submission links before the final hours so upload or platform problems do not invalidate the entry.
- Check whether travel, finalist presentations, team-size limits or mandatory attendance apply before committing.
Verification notes
Verified against Khalifa University’s launch announcement, official program microsite, open registration form, and official hackathon guidelines on 2026-08-29 UTC. The registration deadline is stated as 7 September 2026 without a closing time, so the schema deadline remains null.
Job and Scholarship is the discovery and verification layer. Confirm eligibility, dates, salary/funding and application instructions on the original source before submitting anything.
Khalifa University / UNESCO Global Water Hackathon ↗