7th edition of the “Water4Future” Hackathon, focused on water resources to find innovative solutions

[Press Release] - Published on February 13, 2025 in Press Room, Science and Society

The The Water4Future Student Hackathon 2025, organized by the UNESCO International Centre ICIREWARD and the University of Montpellier, will take place on February 20 and 21. It will bring together 450 students from universities and engineering schools, divided into 83 teams, representing 16 countries in Europe, Africa, and North America. The students will have 48 hours to develop an innovative project with a positive social and environmental impact. Academician Erik Orsenna will also be present on the second day to coach the teams in person or remotely.

An important event

Over the course of these two days, students from around the world will develop innovative projects addressing challenges in the water sector. As in the previous year, participants will learn the theme 48 hours before the event begins. This hybrid innovation competition is organized by the UNESCO ICIREWARD International Centre in Montpellier, which focuses on inland water resources. Its goal is to unleash the creativity of future leaders in the water sector, raise their awareness, give them a voice, and expose them to the international dimension of water-related issues.

Recent weather events have highlighted the urgency of water-related challenges. From floods in the north to persistent droughts in the south, these phenomena—exacerbated by pollution—serve as a stark reminder of the importance of sustainable management of this vital resource. These issues know no borders: on a global scale, they affect every region.

That is why, at the 2025 edition of the W4F Student Hackathon, young people from France (Montpellier, Alès, Paris, Albi, Réunion Island), Europe (Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Hungary, Finland), Africa (Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Benin, Togo, South Africa), as well as North America (Canada), will brainstorm technical, regulatory, and social solutions, among others. With the support of experts and professionals, their goal is to address a current challenge, get involved, and take action for more sustainable water. At the end of these two days, the solutions will be presented to a jury of international professionals, who will award prizes to the best projects.

The schedule for these two days:

• Thursday, February 20: The event begins at 9 a.m., with official speeches starting at 10 a.m., followed by a day of work for the students.
• Friday, February 21: Competition continues; the semifinals begin at 2:30 p.m. and the final begins at 5:00 p.m.

The UNESCO ICIREWARD Center

The UNESCO International Center ICIREWARD (International Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Water Systems Dynamics) is the first and only UNESCO research and training center dedicated to inland water in France. Located in Montpellier, it ranks among the most important centers of its kind internationally. ICIREWARD brings together and strengthens collaboration among nearly 480 scientists and 180 doctoral students across 18 research laboratories. The Center’s scientific community thus forms a rich multidisciplinary and international network to improve understanding of water-related issues. Its research areas combine hydrological, chemical, and biological sciences with social sciences to provide comprehensive, interdisciplinary expertise in addressing water resource challenges: availability, quality, equitable distribution, and extreme events (floods, droughts). ICIREWARD engages with elementary and middle school students, high school students, college students, and the general public throughout the year.