Una Europa Student Award 2026 | Imagine it, film it, shape it!

The Una Europa Student Award is a platform to share your vision with the Una Europa community and make your voice heard. Your ideas can shape how we think about learning, power, responsibility, and balance, and influence the future of both our alliance and each of our partner universities. We encourage you to think big and imagine boldly – what would your ideal future look like?

The 2026 edition of the Student Award invites submissions in the form of a short video. The format is open and flexible: your submission does not need to be a traditional recording of yourself speaking to a camera. You can combine visuals, text, audio, narration, images, slides, animation, or spoken word, whatever best supports your idea. Through storytelling and speculative imagination, show us your vision of the future of university life.

This year’s Student Award asks you to imagine the future of higher education and the student experience. You are invited to share your vision within one of the two following themes:

• The Core Values of Higher Education
• The Evolving Role of the University

These themes are also being explored by the Future UniLab, the alliance's think tank, and its creative Visionaries. Feel free to explore the work of the Future UniLab for inspiration.

Present your ideas through short-form video, a flexible and accessible format that supports creative and authentic storytelling.

Five students will win the Student Award 2026. The prize includes:

• Fully funded attendance at the Una Europa Student Congress 2026 in The Hague (you will receive a travel grant to cover travel, accommodation, and other basic costs).
• Showcasing the winning submissions to the Una Europa community.
• The opportunity to present your vision during the Student Congress in The Hague.

• Choose one theme.

You can respond to one of the prompts below or develop your own idea, as long as it aligns with the chosen theme.

1. Core Values of Higher Education
   1. What makes education meaningful in 2040? How should universities help students develop their critical thinking, not just pass exams or earn degrees?
   2. What does a university look like when students are genuinely heard? How should power, trust, and decision-making be shared?
   3. What responsibilities do universities have toward society, democracy, and ensuring our shared values?
2. The Evolving Role of the University
   1. How should universities prepare students for jobs that don't yet exist? What does "being ready for the future" really mean?
   2. What could universities become if students were co-creators, not just learners? How should students help shape teaching, campus life, and the future direction of universities, and what could that look like?
   3. Imagine a day in the life of a future student — how does the university enable balance rather than burnout?

• Camera! Action!

Here you can really get creative. Your final submission must be a video file, but how you use that format is entirely up to you. You might act out a scenario, do a video interview with a student from the future, record spoken word with images, simulate a future class, walk us through campus, or create a “day in the life” of a student in 2040.

• Submit your entry.

Follow the submission guidelines and submit your video by 8 March at 23:59 CET.

Submissions will be assessed by the selection committee using the following criteria (1-5 points each):

• Creativity of submission: How do you use and play around with the format? How do you use the format to add value to your answer? How is the approach you choose complementing the vision you are presenting?
• Fulfilling the criteria: Are you answering and fulfilling the criteria for the assignment?
• Innovation/creativity of your vision: How is the content of your answer meaningful?

Technical production quality is not assessed. A simple video can score equally well as a highly produced one if the idea is communicated clearly and creatively.

The selection committee will also consider diversity in:

• University representation.
• Study backgrounds and level.
• Use of different video formats.

Practical information:

• Your final submission should be a video of between 30 seconds and 2 minutes.
• The video can take many forms e.g. narrated slides, visual essays, audio with images, animation, or filmed scenes.
• Submit your video via either a link to a public or private YouTube video or a link to a Google Drive/One Drive folder.
  

• Applications are open until 23:59 CET on 8 March. Submit your video via the application form.
• For each theme, 3–5 submissions will be shortlisted by our selection committees of Una Europa staff and students.
• Specialists and students in Una Europa from each of the themes will review the shortlist and pick the winner.
• Winners will be notified by 23 March. More information will follow to the selected winners after this date, including an invitation to follow the programme and further information regarding the participation in the Student Congress in The Hague.
• A pre-meeting will be organised for all the winners to work together on their contribution to the Una Europa Future UniLab.
• Attend the Una Europa Student Congress 2026 from 9–12 June in The Hague.

• What counts as a video?

Your submission must be shared as a video file, but the format is flexible. It does not need to be a filmed talk to camera. Production quality is not judged.

• Can I use AI tools?

AI tools may be used during the creative process, but this must be declared. We reserve the right to disqualify your entry if this rule is not met.

• Who can apply?

Bachelor’s and Master’s students and doctoral researchers (PhDs) currently enrolled full-time at one of the 11 Una Europa universities to meet the selection criteria.

• What’s covered for the winners?

Winners will receive a travel grant to cover travel and accommodation and other basic costs not covered by the Student Congress hosts.

• When will I know whether I was selected?

We will review all the submissions during the first half of March and will let all students know by 23 March. Even if you weren’t selected, we will still let you know.

• Can I submit more than once?

No, you can only submit one idea for the Student Award 2026.

The Student Award is an annual call to award and showcase student visions, ideas, and creativity towards the aim of reinventing the university to create the University of the Future. The scope, prize, and impact change from year to year.