You have two months to submit your entry. Entries close on Tuesday, 1 October 2024, 5pm AEST.

Your entry should ideally be based on activities from the last 12 months. We’re looking for projects/initiatives that clearly address a specific problem or challenge with an innovative solution. Ensuring the project/initiative was delivered recently is important.

Please review the awards categories and criteria and select just one category that best fits with your project.

Yes, as long as the projects or initiatives are different.  

Your written entry should include:
- an attention grabbing title (max. 100 characters)
- a short description of the project/initiative (150 words), and
- a detailed project summary (max. 1000 words).

Other elements required for your entry include:
- up to three written testimonials from individuals or groups who have benefited from the initiative/project (up to three, max. 300 words each in Word format)
- Vice-Chancellor endorsement (max. 150 words)
- a two-minute video (16:9, MP4, max. 100MB), and  
- up to five high-resolution images (16:9 ratio in landscape and portrait, 300dpi and JPG or PNG).

You can request written endorsement from a Deputy Vice-Chancellor instead.

Yes, we strongly recommend asking your university’s communications and marketing teams for assistance and advice on your entry. They can help you pitch your entry and assist with photography, video, and proofreading. Strong entries that clearly identify a problem, its impact, and how the solution has made a real difference to people and communities will have a higher chance of getting shortlisted. More tips and tricks for submitting an entry can be found here.

No, entries with videos exceeding two minutes will not be considered.

Yes, each winner will receive $2,500 in prize money.

Entries are assessed in three phases:
 
1. Shortlisting: after entries have closed, the top five entries per category will be selected and notified.  
2. People’s choice voting: shortlisted entries will be published online for public voting starting in October. The entry with the highest vote per category will be announced in February.  
3. Judging panel: a panel of eminent Australians will assess each entry against the criteria, selecting one winner per category.  

Winners will be announced on 25 February 2025 at the Universities Australia’s gala dinner.

There are six winners in total, with two winners per category chosen by the public and the judges.

All elements of your entry will be visible online for public voting.

You will be notified at the end of September whether your entry has been shortlisted.

Only if there has been a major milestone, development or breakthrough in the project in the last 12 months that still meets the criteria. Videos and digital assets submitted last year will not be considered.

The testimonials should be written by those who have benefited from the initiative/project in the last 12 months. Ideally, the testimonial should align with the entry criteria.

The testimonials should be either signed by the individual (and where possible, presented on company letterhead if applicable).They should reflect how the project/initiative helped them in the last 12 months.

The VC endorsement should be written on university letterhead and signed by the VC. This endorsement is crucial for the selection process, as it's a key requirement for our judging panel to assess the winning entry. It would be beneficial to include specific details on how the initiative has made a tangible difference to people and communities.