Water and Sustainable Cities: The Solutions of the Future Are Taking Shape in Montpellier!

[Article] - Published on February 23, 2023 in Educational Innovation, Flagship Projects, Erasmus+ Training Projects

Under the theme “Water and Sustainable Cities,” more than 400 students, divided into 70 teams, developed innovative projects over the course of the 48-hour Water4Future Student Hackathon 2023, held on February 16 and 17, 2023, at the FDI Stadium in Montpellier by the UNESCO International Centre Icireward. A unique competition, held both in-person and remotely, marked by collaboration and innovation.

The participants represented 42 universities and engineering schools from 17 countries in Europe (France, Spain, Hungary, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland), Africa (Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Benin, Niger, Cameroon, South Africa), and North America (Canada). This amounted to 70 international teams divided into 10 groups. These teams were supported over the two-day event by more than 80 coaches, experts in various fields: hydrology, geology, entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, design, etc. The teams also received advice and encouragement from Academician Erik Orsenna, president of the Initiative for the Future of the Great Rivers.

During these 48 hours of brainstorming and intense work, in a particularly warm and welcoming atmosphere, the various teams received support from Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier, Isabelle Parrot, Vice President of UM responsible for Science-Society Relations; François Pierrot, Deputy Director of UM’s Strategic and Structural Investments Committee and former Vice President of Innovation; and Patrice Canayer, coach of Montpellier Handball and regional councilor for Occitanie / Pyrénées-Méditerranée, and Eric Servat, Director of the UNESCO International Centre Icireward and organizer of this hackathon, now in its^5th edition.

The student teams therefore had 48 hours to develop an innovative project on the theme of “Water & Sustainable Cities.” The 11 finalist teams pitched their projects to a large international jury, which selected four winners: