UQ Tailings Innovation Summit
Student Innovation Challenge
17—20 November 2026
Ready to Take on a Global Mining Challenge?
And win share of $5,000!
Students are invited to participate in a three-day innovation challenge tackling one of mining's most important sustainability issues.
Your Challenge
Working in teams of 4 students, you'll be challenged to answer the question:
How can we use new innovations to improve tailings management, reduction and avoidance?
- Using publicly available data from real mining operations, you'll explore emerging technologies, analyse real-world scenarios and develop innovative, practical solutions to a global sustainability challenge.
- Along the way, you'll connect with industry experts, collaborate with students from different disciplines, and gain valuable experience solving a complex real-world problem.
- Teams will present their plan to delegates at the closing event of the UQ Tailings Innovation Summit
- The winning team will receive $5,000 and the second-placed team $2,000
Why get involved?
Put your learning into practice
Apply concepts from your studies to a real industry challenge.
Build in-demand skills
Problem-solving, teamwork, communication and critical thinking abilities.
Gain real-world experience
Work with real data, real constraints and real opportunities for innovation.
Connect with industry leaders
Meet researchers, mining professionals and potential future employers.
Boost your CV
Showcase your experience tackling a significant sustainability challenge.
Make an impact
Contribute fresh ideas that could help shape the future of responsible mining.
Who should apply
Apply as a team of 4 students.
Students from all universities and disciplines are encouraged to participate. Whether your background is in engineering, science, environmental management, business, technology, data analytics, communications or another field, diverse teams often generate the most innovative solutions.
Click button below to enter your team.
Entries close 2pm, 23 October 2026.
Key dates
Final challenge details and schedule will be released in the coming weeks. Estimated time commitment 16.5 hours
Week of 9 November: Online kick-off meeting (time and day TBC)
- Team introductions
- Challenge overview
- Pre-reading and resources
- Q&A
Tuesday 17 November | 5:00pm—7:00pm
Welcome Reception
Atrium, UQ Brisbane City
Meet fellow participants, mentors and industry delegates as the Student Challenge is officially launched during the welcome reception of the UQ Tailings Innovation Summit.
Wednesday 18 November | 9:00am—4:00pm
UQ Brisbane City
- Challenge briefing
- Pitching workshop
- Expectations and judging criteria
- Q&A session
- Team working sessions
- Mentor and facilitator support
Thursday 19 November | 9:00am—2:00pm
UQ Brisbane City
- Team working sessions
- Mentor support
Thursday 19 November | 3:00pm—4:30pm
River Room, Customs House
- Final Presentations, teams will pitch their solutions to a panel of judges and Summit delegates.