During the EU4DUAL 2025 Conference, a Blended Short-term Mobility- Sustainable Industry Mobility Week for students from the 9 partner universities. One of the activities organised as part of this short-term mobility was the 24-hour innovation challenge which brought together students from diverse backgrounds to collaborate on real-world problems. Eleven students from MCAST’s Institute of Business Management and Commerce and Institute of Engineering and Transport participated in this intense and exhilarating experience. Reflecting on this experience, the 24-hour innovation challenge was described by MCAST participants as the highlight of the whole event. Reflecting on the experience, many described the innovation challenge as the highlight of the event, praising its unique blend of creativity, teamwork, and practical problem-solving. Ms Spiteri recounted how the challenge pushed participants to rapidly develop a random idea into a sustainable project. “The thrill of brainstorming and creating something meaningful under time pressure was an incredible learning experience,” she said, proudly noting her team earned a prize—an achievement that brought pride to both her team and MCAST. Mr Cassar emphasized the real-world relevance of the challenge, highlighting how communication with company representatives offered valuable insights. “Working across language barriers taught me new collaboration techniques and deepened my understanding of how companies overcome challenges,” he shared. Ms Portelli found the challenge demanding yet highly rewarding. “Collaborating with students from different universities, conducting thorough research, and delivering a concise pitch to a large audience was exhilarating. Despite the shortened timeframe, the experience boosted my creativity, resilience, and ability to work effectively under pressure.” Mr Buttigieg celebrated the multicultural teamwork at the core of the challenge. “Our diverse group tackled pressing sustainability issues, fostering innovative problem-solving. It was fulfilling to create actionable solutions addressing urgent environmental and educational challenges.” Overall, participants unanimously recommend integrating more hands-on, collaborative innovation challenges into future Erasmus programs. These challenges not only deepen understanding of sustainability and business practices but also cultivate vital skills such as teamwork, creativity, and adaptability. Far beyond a competition, the EU4DUAL innovation challenge proved to be a transformative journey, equipping students with the mindset and skills to address future global challenges.
Read more at:
https://mcast.edu.mt/2025/04/07/mcast-at-eu4dual-conference-2025/
