Organizer Information
The InfraVision ThinkTank is an interdisciplinary research and innovation platform focused on future-oriented infrastructure systems. The organization brings together expertise from engineering, architecture, urban planning, sustainability studies, and technological innovation to address global challenges related to infrastructure resilience and transformation.
Through its initiatives, the think tank promotes experimental and forward-looking approaches to infrastructure design, emphasizing adaptability, systemic thinking, and long-term environmental and social impact. The InfraVision ThinkTank positions itself as a bridge between academic research and real-world implementation, encouraging students and emerging professionals to propose solutions that respond to complex global transitions such as climate change, digital transformation, and regulatory evolution.
Title & Description
InfraVision ThinkTank 2026 Student Competition – “Infrastructure as a System: Rethink the Future”
The InfraVision ThinkTank 2026 Student Competition invites international student teams to reimagine the future of infrastructure through a systemic and interdisciplinary lens. Participants are challenged to design infrastructure concepts that go beyond efficiency, focusing instead on resilience, adaptability, and sustainability in the face of global uncertainty.
The central theme, “Infrastructure as a System: Rethink the Future,” encourages participants to consider infrastructure not as isolated physical structures, but as interconnected systems influenced by climate pressures, technological disruption, shifting regulatory frameworks, and evolving societal demands.
Participants are expected to develop forward-thinking proposals that integrate design, planning, stakeholder engagement, technological innovation, and decarbonization strategies. The competition emphasizes the importance of addressing real-world complexities while applying cross-disciplinary knowledge to create impactful solutions.
The program is designed not only as a conceptual exercise but also as a professional development opportunity, offering participants the chance to receive expert feedback from a jury of academics and industry professionals. Through this process, students contribute to rethinking how future infrastructure systems can function more sustainably and intelligently.
Categories
- Architecture
- Urban Planning
- Infrastructure Design
- Environmental Systems
- Sustainable Development
- Engineering Design
- Interdisciplinary Systems Thinking
- Digital / Technological Infrastructure Concepts
Eligibility
- Open to individual students and student teams (1–6 members)
- Participants must be enrolled in an academic institution at the time of submission, including PhD candidates
- Recently graduated students (year 2025) are also eligible
- Minimum age requirement: 18 years (or parental/legal guardian consent if applicable)
- Open to all nationalities and academic institutions
- Not eligible: employees of the organizing institution and their immediate family members
Program Benefits & Awards
Selected participants receive recognition and monetary awards:
Cash Prizes:
- First Prize: €7,000
- Second Prize: €5,000
- Third Prize: €3,000
Professional Benefits:
- Evaluation and feedback from an expert jury composed of academics and industry professionals
- Opportunity to present projects to a multidisciplinary panel
- International visibility for innovative infrastructure concepts
Recognition:
- Shortlisting of 10 finalist projects
- Official recognition of winning teams
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Completed online application form (name, email, institution, team size 1–6 members)
- Project summary
- Submission in PDF format
- 30–40 slide presentation (e.g., PowerPoint converted to PDF)
- Written abstract included within the presentation
- Visual representations of the proposed infrastructure concept
- One project per individual or team
All submissions must be original and comply with intellectual property and legal requirements.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Opening Date: May 15, 2026
- Expression of Interest Deadline: July 31, 2026 (23:59 CET)
- Submission Deadline: July 31, 2026 (23:59 CET)
- Notification Date: Not specified
- Winner Announcement: Not specified
Location
Paris, France
Additional Details
- Participants may submit only one project per team or individual
- A jury of independent experts evaluates submissions based on design quality, sustainability, originality, and overall impact
- The competition shortlists 10 finalists and selects 3 winners
- Participants retain full intellectual property rights over their work
- Organizer retains non-exclusive rights to display and promote submissions for non-commercial purposes
- The competition operates under French law, with jurisdiction in Paris
- Payments to winners are processed within 60 days of official announcement
- Organizer reserves the right to modify or cancel the competition under exceptional circumstances