The Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences hosted the first UrbanCircular Hack(athon) on 13 and 14 November 2024. As part of the European University Alliance U!REKA, around 30 students from Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Lisbon tested an innovative format that not only promoted creativity but also a sense of community.
Working together for a sustainable future
Under the motto “Circular Society”, the participants worked in multidisciplinary teams to develop solutions for real challenges in the Rhine-Main region. The issues were designed in close consultation with external stakeholders such as the district of Offenbach. The aim was to find solutions to social challenges, e.g. recycling solutions, awareness raising and education, sustainable management practices, management of water resources, and promotion of urban biodiversity.
The two-day event began with two presentations by scientists from AUAS and Frankfurt UAS about circular economy and its specific challenges. The teams then immersed themselves in intensive work phases, accompanied by the support of experts who acted as coaches and mentors. The teams came up with innovative ideas - from smart recycling systems to new educational formats that promote awareness of sustainable living.
The participants' results were presented to a jury on the second day, which included representatives from the participating universities and stakeholders from the region. The concepts not only reflected the creativity of the participants, but also their willingness to actively contribute to solving global problems.
The winning team of the first UrbanCircular Hack(athon) presented a concept of a gamified recycling app approach, combining education, competition and reward to raise citizens' awareness of recycling and encourage their active engagement. The app's key features give users an overview of their recycling performance.
Conclusion and outlook
The UrbanCircular Hack(athon) marked a successful start for further formats within the framework of U!REKA European University and illustrated how valuable international and interdisciplinary cooperation can be. The teams' solution approaches will be included in the 500 Solutions that U!REKA will deliver at the end of the funding phase. There are also plans to pursue some of the solutions further within the framework of U!REKA, but this will be reported on once the concrete agreements with the partner universities have been finalised.