A syllabus to save the world - a global competition

Asking ground-breaking questions

From the climate emergency to deepening social divisions, the world seems to be in a state of permanent crisis. The pressing problems faced by humanity can seem daunting to tackle – even for all the experts engaged in a global collective effort to find answers and solutions.

But sometimes novel solutions can come from simply asking novel questions. So, together with Guardian Labs, we’re challenging you to submit a short proposal for a novel research project or course syllabus to help the global effort to save the world.  

What we're looking for

We’re looking for submissions of no more than 600 words, that cut across different fields of study and that pose ground-breaking questions rather than provide immediate answers. Because studying at university these days is about more than getting a degree, it’s about rolling up your sleeves to help tackle global problems.  

Here are some examples of the kinds of questions your submission could pose:  

• How can we better address the social and environmental trade-offs when developing clean energy and cleantech? 
• What key behavioural changes are needed for the global shift to a low-carbon economy?  
• How might we combine different disciplines to help companies more accurately quantify corporate impacts on biodiversity? 

How to enter

Our competition is now closed. Please check back for the upcoming announcement of the winner. 

What you will win

The winner will receive £1,000 and they will be partnered with one of our academics to develop a MOOC (massive open online course) based on their proposal. We are also offering a cash prize of £500 each for two runners up. 

Deadlines

• The entry submission date for this competition has now passed
• Judging will take place and the winner will be announced on Friday 22 September 2023
• The winner will be notified by email and/or letter within 28 days of the closing date. If the winner cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within 14 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner

We advise reading our full terms and conditions before submitting your proposal.