LSE100 SDG Policy Hackathon
It’s more than a collaborative essay competition. A unparalled opportunity to engage in undergraduate-level research on an international policy that you are passionate about. Applications to the Hackathon are currently open and will close on 26 January 2026, 12:00 GMT.
What is the SDG Policy Hackathon?
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Policy Hackathon, first introduced in 2024 as a way for students to engage critically with some of the most pressing issues of today, makes its long-awaited revival, in time for the second edition of London YouthMUN 2026. In their participation, students will get to closely examine one Sustainable Development Goal in detail, analyse the strengths and weaknesses of its implementations, and finally make feasible, well-supported policy recommendations that improve efforts towards achieving said SDG. Through this challenge, students gain invaluable research and presentation skills, while gaining a thorough understanding of the policymaking process in the international arena beyond debating in MUN.
This Hackathon culminates into a written report submitted and an opportunity to present their reform in front of a panel. Winners will be invited to present their findings at the London YouthMUN Conference. Students will also be paired with a university mentor to guide them.
Key skills assessed in this challenge include an assessment of political economy, policy formulation and political communication. Teams should therefore reflect a multitude of interests and backgrounds, including but not limited to politics, economics, law or even media and design (i.e. strategic communication).
Key Dates (see Briefing Document for more information)
12 January 2026 - Applications for the Challenge are open
26 January 2026 - Hackathon Booklet (the deliverable) is released. Students will have approximately 1 month to finish this Hackathon.
11 February 2026 - LSE100 Taster Session. The LSE100 Faculty, led by Dr. Jillian Terry, will be organising a taster session held at the LSE on skills relevant to the Policy Hackathon. This session will be held at the LSE and will include a School Tour. Schools are welcome to attend this session in-person although there will also be an online element.
27 February 2026 - Booklets are due for submission
2 March 2026 - Finalists are announced
9 March 2026 - Finalists Presentation. Finalists (3 groups per category) will be invited to an hybrid (in-person/online) Presentation, which is evaluated by the LSE100 teaching faculty. This event will be held on campus, although should schools require (such as an international school) they are welcome to attend this session online.
13 March 2026 - Winners of the Policy Hackathon will be invited to present their findings in the London YouthMUN 2026 Opening Ceremony
Brought to you in partnership with LSE100
This Hackathon is organised with LSE100, LSE’s flagship interdisciplinary course taken by all first-year undergraduate students. The course is designed to build your capacity to tackle multidimensional problems through research-rich education, giving you the opportunity to explore transformative global challenges in collaboration with peers from other departments and leading academics from across the School.
