Khalifa University–UNESCO Global Water Hackathon 2026: Global Competition for University Students to Develop Innovative Water Solutions

Overview

The Khalifa University–UNESCO Global Water Hackathon 2026 is an international research and innovation competition led by Khalifa University's Center for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT), in partnership with UNESCO and the Youth4Water initiative. The program supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) and connects students with researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers.

Participants develop evidence-based solutions across six challenge themes aligned with UN Water pillars:

• Water Security and Sustainable Desalination
• Water Reuse, Circularity and Resource Efficiency
• Smart, Digital and AI-Enabled Water Systems
• Water Quality, Health and Environmental Protection
• Energy-Water Nexus and Climate Resilience
• Integrated Water Systems, Governance and Cooperation

Benefits

• Compete for a total prize pool of AED 290,000, including the Khalifa University–UN Water Innovation Award, Best Theme Awards, and Strategic Recognition Awards.
• Receive academic and industry mentorship throughout the research, problem-framing, and solution-development stages.
• Gain international exposure, with finalists invited to present their projects on-site in Abu Dhabi during the 2026 UN Water Conference from 8 to 10 December 2026.
• Produce tangible portfolio outputs such as validated technical concepts, prototypes, AI tools, policy briefs, and simulation models.

Eligibility

The competition is open to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at recognised higher education institutions worldwide.
Interdisciplinary participation across engineering, science, data science, public policy, health, environmental studies, and other relevant academic fields is encouraged.
Teams must consist of a minimum of four members and include at least one faculty adviser or industry mentor.

How to Apply

Interested student teams must form their groups, choose a research theme, and complete their registration via the official portal before the deadline.

Deadline

The registration deadline is 7 September 2026.