Students at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. Oxford’s Said Business School has launched a competition for high schoolers with innovative ideas to combat climate change. Courtesy photo
In the face of what is anticipated to be the hottest July ever recorded, University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School has launched a worldwide call for innovative climate crisis solutions.
The Burjeel Holdings Oxford Saïd Climate Change Challenge is open to high school students aged 15 to 18 from around the world to submit their ideas. Deadline to enter is October 15. Oxford Saïd is one of Europe’s leading business schools while Burjeel Holdings is one of the Middle East’s premier healthcare providers.
The competition seeks proposals focusing on five key areas: air pollution, extreme weather events, water scarcity, food security, and insect-borne disease spread.
High school educators are also encouraged to submit climate change lesson plans that inspire their students to think creatively about tackling the global crisis.
Ten finalists – five teams from the student category and five individuals from the teacher category – will be recognized during COP28 in Dubai this December. Winners will present their solutions to a distinguished audience and will earn coveted spots in a bespoke program at Oxford Saïd. They will also gain access to a vibrant community of influential entrepreneurs and innovation and social impact thought leaders from around the world.
Soumitra Dutta
As the climate crisis continues to escalate, it is crucial to address the challenges that future generations will face in the coming decades.
“With ongoing scenes of severe disruption across the world caused by extreme heat this month, there has never been a more urgent time to inspire and mobilize the next generation of leaders, change makers and innovators. Climate change is the greatest threat to humanity, and our young people will be dealing with its impacts in ways we do not yet understand,” says Soumitra Dutta, the Peter Moores Dean at Oxford Saïd. “I look forward to giving them a platform during COP28 and personally welcoming the winners to our School next year, where they will learn more about solving climate change from our world-leading academics.”
Adds Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, founder, and chairperson of Burjeel Holdings, “We are thrilled to launch the Burjeel Holdings Oxford Saïd Climate Change Challenge, an initiative that sparks the transformative potential of the almost one billion-strong high school students and teachers around the world to have their ideas and lessons heard all around the world in addressing the generational issue of climate change.
“By fostering a spirit of collective responsibility, we are nurturing a powerful force that can shape a more sustainable world for themselves and future generations.”
The winning student team and educator will be awarded the exclusive opportunity to attend specially curated courses at Oxford Saïd in the spring of 2024.
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