The EU-CONEXUS alliance is proud to announce the successful completion of the 6th edition of the School Contest “Think Smart, Create Green!”, an initiative designed to inspire young students to develop innovative and sustainable solutions addressing real-world environmental challenges, particularly in coastal and urban contexts.
This flagship educational activity continues to highlight the importance of environmental awareness, creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration, while strengthening the connection between schools and universities across Europe.
Growing Engagement Across the Alliance
The 6th edition recorded an impressive level of participation:
- 243 registered teams
- 105 participating schools
- 901 pupils involved
Distribution of teams across the alliance:
- Romania – 58 teams
- Croatia – 10 teams
- Cyprus – 18 teams
- France – 62 teams
- Greece – 11 teams
- Ireland – 10 teams
- Lithuania – 54 teams
- Spain – 20 teams
These figures reflect the sustained growth and strong engagement of the EU-CONEXUS community, confirming the relevance and impact of the competition among young learners across Europe.
Excellence, Collaboration, and Fair Evaluation
The projects submitted this year demonstrated a high level of scientific understanding, creativity and commitment to sustainability. Participants approached complex environmental challenges with innovative and solution-oriented perspectives, making the evaluation process both inspiring and highly competitive.
The contest was organised by representatives from each partner country within the EU-CONEXUS alliance (with the exception of Rostock University, Germany), as part of Work Package 15 – University to School Programme. These representatives are the driving force behind the successful implementation of the competition each year.
In addition, they contributed their expertise to the evaluation process, forming the jury alongside a European stakeholder or a representative of the EU-CONEXUS Student Board. The assessment of projects was carried out in full accordance with the established rules and regulations, ensuring a fair, transparent and high-quality selection process.
The jury unanimously highlighted the outstanding level of preparation and engagement demonstrated by the teams, which made this edition particularly remarkable.
Winners of the 6th Edition
Category 12–14 years old[Text Wrapping Break]🥇 Cyprus – Scarto[Text Wrapping Break]🥈 Greece – 9R4ces[Text Wrapping Break]🥉 Spain – NC9
Category 14–17 years old[Text Wrapping Break]🥇 Romania – Cool Nerds[Text Wrapping Break]🥈 Cyprus – AquaWise[Text Wrapping Break]🥉 Lithuania – Acta non verba
We warmly congratulate all winning teams for their excellent achievements and inspiring contributions.
Acknowledgements
We extend our sincere gratitude to all participating students for their enthusiasm, creativity and dedication. Special thanks go to the coordinating teachers from each country, whose valuable work, guidance and commitment have been essential to the success of their teams and of the competition as a whole.
We also wish to express our deep appreciation to all organisers, partners and contributors involved in delivering this edition. Their continued efforts and expertise ensure the growth, quality and impact of this initiative.
Looking Ahead
The EU-CONEXUS School Contest remains a key platform for empowering younger generations to actively engage with sustainability challenges and to develop innovative solutions for the future.
We warmly encourage schools and students to stay connected with EU-CONEXUS and to take part in our future educational initiatives.
Together, we are shaping a generation capable of transforming today’s challenges into tomorrow’s sustainable solutions.
