The FEIT Hackathon Festival provides Faculty of Engineering and IT students with the opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary team to develop innovative solutions to industry challenges.
When is the Hackathon Festival?
September 29 - October 01 , 2025
Why should you attend the Hackathon Festival?
The 2025 competition will be held across 3 days in September and will include:
- Skill development workshops - Hands-on sessions aimed at enhancing participants' capabilities relevant to the competition themes.
- Industry networking opportunities - A chance to connect with professionals, mentors, and peers in the field.
- Challenge response development - Support and guidance to help teams craft solutions to the provided challenges.
Participants are also eligible to gain recognition for their capability in Sustainability Advocacy, with a verified digital credential through Melbourne Plus.
Sponsors
2025 Event Partners and Sponsors will be announced at a later date.
Prizes
All attendees will be eligible to win prizes throughout the competition. The top three teams will be awarded with monetary funds and will be acknowledged at the Festival's closing ceremony.
For the 2024 competition, the following monetary prizes were awarded to the top three teams:
- 1st place - $6,000
- 2nd place - $3,000
- 3rd place - $2,000
There will also be opportunities to win spot prizes from our partners throughout the festival.
Key Event Information
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The FEIT Hackathon Festival provided Faculty of Engineering and IT students with the opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary team to develop innovative solutions to industry challenges.
The 2024 competition was held across 3-days from September 24 to September 26, 2024, and included a series of activities, including skill development workshops and industry networking opportunities designed to assist teams in developing a response to provided challenges.
All attendees were eligible to win prizes throughout the competition. The top three teams were awarded monetary funds and were acknowledged at the Festival's closing ceremony.
Participants were also eligible to gain recognition for their capability in Sustainability Advocacy, with a verified digital credential through Melbourne Plus.
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FEIT Hackathon participants were able to build their capabilities in Sustainability Advocacy by working in a team to respond to a challenge and explore the intersection between sustainability and technology.
The 2024 Hackathon may have wrapped up, but now is the perfect time to start planning your participation in 2025! By joining the FEIT Hackathon Festival, you’ll have the chance to:
- Be exposed to new tools and technologies
- Build your professional network and career opportunities
- Meet your peers and develop friendships
- Apply your theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges
- Win some great prizes
- Be eligible to gain a Melbourne Plus verified digital credential for your capability in Sustainability Advocacy.
Be recognised with Melbourne Plus
Melbourne Plus provides a gateway for you to find opportunities to engage in activities outs of the classroom. Connect with others, build your capabilities and contribute to the University and broader community.
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The theme for the 2024 Competition was Harnessing AI for Positive Impact: Advancing the Present & Future.
The challenges prompted teams to explore and create projects that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to solve problems that affect the world.
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The Hackathon Festival was open to all current postgraduate students in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, including students studying the following:
- Master of Engineering (suite of programs)
- Master of Engineering Management
- Master of Information Systems
- Master of Information Technology
- Master of Energy Systems
- Master of Computer Science
- Doctor of Philosophy - Eng & IT
Participants were required to be enrolled in at least one subject in Semester 2, 2025 to be eligible to compete.
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- Teams consisted of 3-5 students.
- All teams benefited from having a broad range of disciplines represented in their team. Each team aimed to have at least two eligible degrees represented.
Students were encouraged to apply with their own team. However, if this was not possible, the Faculty helped match students with one another.
Industry Information
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The FEIT flagship event Hackathon Festival will bring together postgraduate University of Melbourne engineering and information technology students to develop innovative solutions to industry challenges.
The 2025 theme is AI Solutions for a Sustainable Future: Tackling the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The Hackathon Festival will harness and leverage the innovation ecosystem at the University and provide students with the opportunity to build skills and enhance their networks.
The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology invites University colleagues, tenants and industry partners an opportunity to be involved with this flagship event.
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2025 Theme
AI Solutions for a Sustainable Future: Tackling the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Background: “AI Solutions for a Sustainable Future: Tackling the UN Sustainable Development Goals” is an inspiring and timely theme that encourages participants to address meaningful, real-world challenges while leveraging AI technology for the greater good. It encourages participants to focus on impactful, real-world challenges while leveraging AI technology for the greater good. By focusing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the theme connects with the growing interest in using innovation to create a more sustainable world, attracting individuals who are passionate about making a real difference. Plus, it’s broad enough to encourage creativity while being specific enough to guide participants toward meaningful, real-world solutions.
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Postgraduate students from the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, including
* Master of Engineering (suite of programs) including Master of Engineering Management students
- Master of Information Systems
* Master of Information Technology
* Master of Energy Systems
* Master of Computer Science
* Doctor of Philosophy – Eng & IT
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Students participate in the Hackathon Festival to:
* Develop their skills
* Network
* Problem-solving and teamwork
* Experiential learning
* Meet their peers
* Personal growth
Why should your organisation get involved?
* Connect with our students – build brand affinity and promote your organisations employment opportunities
* Hackathons encourage the generation of fresh ideas for products, services, or solutions, and can accelerate the process of rapid prototyping and innovation.
* Mentor and engage with the next generation of STEM leaders.
* Strengthen your engagement with the University community and our industry partners.
* Leverage this activity to provide professional development opportunities for your graduate or junior staff.
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Propose a challenge or problem statement
Get solutions to your sustainability challenges. Provide a problem statement for students to address within the Festival. The challenges should align with the Hackathon theme.
Provide sustainable merchandise
Enhance your brand identify amongst the students. Provide environmentally friendly branded merchandise, such as t-shirts, hats, pens or bags.
Propose a technology you would like students to use to solve a problem
Get your technology in front of early adopters. Provide access to technology for students to use to solve challenges or couple a piece of technology to a challenge
Host a drop in session
Help students reach their potential. Meet with groups of students and check in to see how they are progressing. This is an opportunity to offer your expert advice regarding approaching problem statements and solution design.
Host a branded lunch, morning or afternoon tea*
Network with students participating in the Hackathon. The session will be branded, and it will provide your organisation with the opportunity to meet the students over refreshments.
Participate as a mentor
Join us on the journey. Support and guide student teams throughout the competition. It’s a valuable opportunity to connect with the next generation of talent, share your expertise, and make a lasting impact. Mentor student groups throughout the competition. This is a great way to engage with the student cohort and identify talent.
Provide a prize
Support a branded student award within the Festival. This could include team or individual prizes, or spot prizes to encourage engagement and momentum throughout the three day program.
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If you are interested in contributing to the 2025 FEIT Hackathon Festival, please reach out to
Enkhzaya Adiya
eadiya@unimelb.edu.au
Manager, Internships & Projects
Student Experience Team