Official Call for Universities 2026
​The European University Festival invites universities and higher education institutions across Europe to submit innovative projects addressing climate change and global environmental challenges.
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Europe and Climate Change
Applications open 1 April 2026
Deadline: 30 April 2026
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Key Information
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Participation: Free
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Language: English
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100 Selected Projects
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24 Finalists
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Final Stage: 21–24 May 2026 – Turin
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Live TV & Online Broadcast
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About the Call
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The European University Festival 2026 invites universities and higher education institutions across Europe to submit projects that contribute concrete, measurable solutions to climate change and environmental challenges.
The Call aims to highlight academic excellence, innovation and cross-sector collaboration, connecting research, institutions and industry in a structured European platform.
Selected projects will be evaluated by the Scientific Committee of the Festival and may access a pathway for potential implementation in collaboration with strategic partners.
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Eligibility
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Applications are open to:
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European universities
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Higher education institutions
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Academic research groups
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Student teams formally affiliated with a university​
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Applications must be submitted by a faculty member, researcher or academic representative using a verifiable institutional email address.
Prior institutional approval is not required at the time of submission.
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Thematic Areas
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Projects must address climate change and may fall within one of the following areas:
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Science & Environment
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Art & Academies
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Sustainable Gastronomy
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Sport
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Each institution may submit a maximum of one project per thematic area.
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Application Requirements
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Each application must include:
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A written project description (maximum 5,000 characters)
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A mandatory presentation video
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Optional technical documentation (if applicable)
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Video Specifications
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Maximum duration: 90 seconds
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Recommended duration: 75–85 seconds
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Format: MP4 (H.264)
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Resolution: Full HD (1920×1080)
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Maximum file size: 500 MB
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The video must clearly present:
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Project title and institution
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The climate challenge addressed
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The proposed solution
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Measurable impact indicators
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Current stage of development
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Videos containing copyrighted material without authorization or non-compliant technical specifications may be excluded.
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Selection Process
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All eligible applications will be evaluated by the Scientific Committee of the European University Festival.
The evaluation process will consist of two stages:
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Stage 1 – Preliminary Selection
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Up to 100 projects will be selected based on the official evaluation criteria.
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Stage 2 – Final Selection
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From 9–12 May 2026, the Scientific Committee will select 24 finalists.
The official announcement of the 24 finalists will be made publicly.
Finalists will be invited to present their projects during the Festival in Turin (21–24 May 2026).
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Official Evaluation Criteria
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Projects will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
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Relevance to climate change challenges – 20 points
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Innovation and originality – 20 points
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Measurable environmental impact – 25 points
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Feasibility and scalability – 15 points
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Cross-sector collaboration and European dimension – 10 points
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Quality and clarity of presentation (including video) – 10 points
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Maximum score: 100 points.
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Legal Notice
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The European University Festival reserves the right to modify the present Call for organizational or institutional reasons.
The Festival also reserves the right to reschedule, relocate or adjust the format of the event if required due to force majeure, institutional decisions or logistical circumstances.
Submission of an application does not create any contractual right to participation.
Selected projects may access opportunities for implementation in collaboration with strategic partners; however, the Festival does not guarantee automatic funding or operational deployment.
By submitting materials, applicants grant the Festival the right to use submitted texts, images and video excerpts for communication, promotional and institutional purposes, with proper attribution.