The Geneva Challenge
Objective
The Geneva Challenge is an international competition that invites teams of graduate students to design theoretically grounded and pragmatic solutions to pressing global development problems, with the 2026 edition focused on the future of work.
Description
The Geneva Challenge (Advancing Development Goals Contest) is an annual international competition for graduate students organized by the Geneva Graduate Institute since 2014.
- Open to graduate students (master's level or equivalent) enrolled anywhere in the world
- Teams of 3 to 5 students, requiring an interdisciplinary collaboration across at least two disciplines
- Teams submit a written proposal combining academic grounding with practical, implementable solutions to a set annual theme
- The 2026 theme addresses the challenges of the future of work, covering technological change, demographic shifts, and climate change impacts on labour markets
- Competition categories are based on continent, following the UN Statistics list
- Submissions are reviewed by an interdisciplinary Academic Steering Committee
- Five finalist teams (one per continent) are invited to Geneva, Switzerland to publicly present and defend their proposals before a high-level jury
- Travel and accommodation for finalists are covered by the organizers
- The event culminates in an awards ceremony
May 20, 2026
Private
Healthcare
geneva.challenge@graduateinstitute.ch
Graduate Institute Of International Studies In Geneva
Geneva Graduate Institute (Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies), Ambassador Jeno Staehelin
1st place: CHF 10,000
2nd place (two teams): CHF 5,000 each
3rd place (two teams): CHF 2,500 each
Total prize pool: CHF 25,000