FAQ

We have compiled some of the most frequently asked questions about the Geneva Challenge below. Please consult the contest's rules and regulations for more information. If you still have any remaining questions, feel free to contact us via geneva.challenge@graduateinstitute.ch.

 

Rules & Regulations 2025

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Does the content category my team is competing in have to match the location in which we design our project?

No, this is not necessary. You could for instance compete as Team Latin America but design a project based in Europe.

I would like to work together with graduate students from another continent. Is this allowed, and if so, which continent category do we compete in?

Yes, you can form a team with graduate students studying in different continents. You will compete in the category of the continent that the majority of your team members studies in. If there is no majority, you can choose, which of the continent categories represented among your team members you would like to compete in.

I have not found any team members (yet). Can I compete alone?

No, we only allow teams with 3-5 members to register for the competition.

All of my team members are enrolled in the same Master's programme. Are we allowed to compete?

Yes, you can still compete. Just make sure that your proposal includes different disciplinary perspectives.

What should I submit as a certificate of enrollment?

Please submit a document, such as a certificate of registration, which includes the following information:

  • Your name
  • The programme you are enrolled in
  • An issuance date up to three months before the registration date OR validity beyond the registration date for the Geneva Challenge 2025 (30 April 2025)
I am a graduate student but currently on leave. Am I still allowed to participate in the Geneva Challenge?

Yes, as long as you are still currently registered as a student at your university.

I have successfully registered for the contest and would like to start working on my proposal. How do I go about this? How should it be structured?

All submissions for the Geneva Challenge must include an abstract and a description of the project, all of which is to be submitted in a joint PDF by 16 July 2025. The abstract should be one page long and include short biographies of each team member, a brief description of the problem addressed by the project and a solution, specifying how the proposed solution will make a difference.

The submission must have a maximum length of 8000 words, excluding all notes, graphics, and references. You can write your proposal either in English or French.

Entries have to be original. For more information on what this means, as well as our regulations on the use of AI, have a look at the rules and regulations of the contest.

When evaluating the written proposals, the Academic Steering Committee and Jury will be looking for the following:

  • The relevance of the research question proposed by the team (i.e. to what extent the proposal identifies a real-world problem)
  • Analytical rigour and a critical appeoach
  • The practicability of the solution(s) proposed by the team 
  • The originality of the project
  • The outreach of the solution.

To get some inspiration and a better insight into how to structure your projects, we recommend that you have a look at the previous editions' winning projects.

Last editions