The SHINE and AHSSEDI Inclusive Campus Challenge

What would you do to make your campus more inclusive? 

The Inclusive Campus Challenge asks students to identify a campus challenge, and create an innovative and implementable solution that would actively contribute to combating hate and promoting equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in any dimension of campus life – academic, cultural, digital, social, community, or student services. 

The winner(s) of the Inclusive Campus Challenge will be given access to a fund of €2000 to implement their proposals, and see their vision for a safe and inclusive campus become a reality.

Successful challenge submissions will:

  • have a vision to make UL a more inclusive campus;
  • be implementable with our support, or by the institution;
  • be linked to one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; 
  • be creative and innovative.
big ideas, real change large
image of students and ul flagpole
Prize

 A prize fund of €2000 has been created, which will be used to implement successful challenge proposals.

Following the deadline, a short list of five challenge submissions will be chosen. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to present their Inclusive Campus Challenge to a panel of judges who will determine the winning entries. Presentations will be 10 minutes in total, and judges will have a maximum of 5 minutes for question after each presentation. The prize fund of €2000 will be allocated to the winning projects by the judges at their discretion, who may fund the implementation of more than one challenge if they wish. 

All shortlisted candidates will be presented with a certificate at a formal ceremony. All shortlisted candidates will receive prizes from SHINE including branded stationery and t-shirts, with winning candidates receiving a SHINE backpack and hoodie.  

The winning projects will also receive the following implementation package:

  • Implementation funding of up to €2000 ringfenced for delivering the project;
  • Support from a dedicated project implementation team, to include a project mentor and other team members as appropriate such as SHINE faculty members; Assistant Deans Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion; professional services such as Marketing and Communications; Students' Union representatives etc;
  • Access to expertise and university resources including venues, design, AV, event support, relevant staff expertise;
  • A public launch/showcase of the winning project(s);
  • Winning projects will be featured in short video disseminated on UL channels.
Rules and how to apply

The prize is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students of the University of Limerick. 

Submissions can be made by individuals or groups, with a maximum of four per team.

All submissions must include (1) Application Form, (2) Challenge proposal (3) Reflective statement; (4) Statement of use of Generative AI .

All submissions must be emailed to SHINEChallenge@ul.ie by 1800 on November 13th. You must use your UL email address to send your submission. 

If your file is too big for email, just email for a link where you will be asked to upload your materials. 

All submissions must include:

  • Application Form 

    Download the application form here.

  • Challenge Proposal

    We want to know what an inclusive campus looks like to you.

    The Challenge Proposal is where you set out the change you want to achieve, and what you want to do to implement that change. Successful challenge submissions will:

    • have the capacity to create real-world impact with regard to inclusivity on campus
    • be informed by the course(s) of study of the student, or be interdisciplinary in focus; 
    • be creative and innovative.

    Challenge proposals can be submitted in written, audio, visual, or mixed media.

    It is up to you how long your proposal is, but keep in mind that the judges will need to read or listen to every entry. Big ideas can be presented simply. 

  • Reflective statement 

    Along with your submission you must include a short reflective statement.

    This should be about 500-750 words or a 3 minute audio or video clip which explains:

    • The challenge identified; 
    • The solution proposed;
    • The intended impact; 
    • The link from the Challenge Proposal to principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Statement of use of Generative AI (see further details below)

You must include a statement of how you used Generative AI in your proposal, which can simply include a statement on your form "No Generative AI tools were used in the development of this submission." If you choose to use Generative AI which we would much rather you avoid, you must include a statement with the following information: 

  • System(s) used;
  • Prompt(s) used;
  • Type of content created;
  • Use of content created;
  • Estimation of environmental cost of use of Generative AI in developing the proposal.  
Evaluation criteria

All submissions will be judged across four equally weighted categories by a panel of judges. The categories are:

1. Impact & Relevance

  • Does the idea meaningfully address hate, exclusion, or inequality?
  • Is it relevant to campus life?
  • Does it have the potential to improve campus culture?
  • Is it connected to lived experiences?

2. Engagement, Communication & Presentation

  • Is the message clear and well organised? Does it connect emotionally or intellectually with diverse and interdisciplinary audiences?
  • Is it accessible and inclusive?
  • Is the chosen format effective?

3. Creativity & Originality

  • Is the proposal innovative?
  • Does the proposal connect with a core UL value? 
  • Is there a clear vision for change? 
  • Does it stand out?

4. Feasibility / Application

  • Can the proposal be implemented or scaled on campus?
  • Does it offer practical value?
Presentation stage

Following the deadline, a short list of five challenge submissions will be chosen. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to present their Inclusive Campus Challenge to a panel of judges who will determine the winning entries. Presentations will be 10 minutes in total, and judges will have a maximum of 5 minutes for question after each presentation. 

At presentation stage, the following criteria will be used:

Reflection & Insight

  • Does the student/group demonstrate depth of understanding and critical thinking?
  • Awareness of diversity and inclusion complexities
  • Quality of research
  • Accuracy and nuance in addressing the issue.

Presentation of vision

  • Is it clear how the challenge identified links to the vision for change;
  • Is the presentation clear and presented in a compelling way.
Use of Generative AI

Use of Generative AI

The Inclusive Campus Challenge requires just an idea and a plan for implementation. The proposal does not need to be perfectly presented, with exciting graphics, or videos that have Oscar-worthy editing. One paragraph of written text could contain the most compelling and exciting idea the judges receive. The judges will look behind the shiny presentation to the core of the idea, looking for a desire for change, and a commitment to fundamental principles of human rights.   

If you really want, the use of Generative AI for developing the Challenge Proposal is permitted when done so in an ethical and transparent way, and all applications must include a statement of use of Generative AI including:

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