Celebrating the winners

After a rigorous judging process throughout March, and with a maximum of 150 marks available, the judging panel selected their two standout projects:

•    Winner: Ayesha Foster and Darius Coates. Aquarium Wellbeing Project (120/150)

•    Runner up: Iman Fatima and Shafir Rahman. AIORA Mentorship Programme (101/150)

Both teams impressed the judges across all criteria: sustainability impact, creativity, feasibility, inclusivity and quality of presentation, with each submission receiving high praise.

 "The creativity, passion and practicality shown by our students have been truly inspiring. The competition demonstrates how small ideas can develop into meaningful projects that benefit communities, wellbeing and the environment," said Vinay Reddy, Programme Lead - International Business Management MSc/PGDip.

Ayesha and Darius’ winning initiative was a biodiversity-rich campus pond; simultaneously giving wildlife a safe haven to thrive, as well as drawing on the well-documented links between being out in nature and improved mental health. The fully accessible small pond aspires to be a focus point for students, staff and guests to wind down, enjoy a change of scene and watch the natural world play out, right in the heart of the city. They received £1,000 in seed funding to plunge into the pond.

“It honestly was a fun project to do, and we’re so glad that we can actually bring it to life,” said Ayesha Foster.

“I’d like to thank everyone for the love, support and encouragement.”

Standing for Awareness, Impact, Opportunity, Responsibility and Action, runners-up Iman and Shafir’s enterprising AIORA scheme aims to bridge the gap between established successful businesses, entrepreneurs and like-minded students.

By facilitating contact sessions that allow students to tap into the advice and ideas from those who have ‘been there and done it’, AIORA provides a platform for mentorship and business guidance. Currently, Iman and Shafir also commit up to forty per cent of their revenue to tree-planting schemes in the UK and Pakistan to encourage restoration and support areas lacking in green open spaces. They received £500 in seed funding to further develop their project.

“I wanted to devise a project that helped students with their careers, but also gave something back to the environment,” explained Iman.

“Coming runner-up in the competition is a huge boost; the prize money means we can speed up our future plans.”

Supporting student innovation

Participants received access to free idea-building workshops, one-to-one mentorship and pitch development support, helping them refine their concepts and build confidence in presenting their ideas.
Opportunities for teams to continue developing their projects beyond the competition duration were also available, with staff providing guidance on how to maximise further impact.
All entrants received a digital ‘Sustainability Leadership’ badge for LinkedIn, showcasing their commitment to a sustainable and innovative mindset.

A platform for real-world impact

The broader aims of the competition were clear:

•    encourage practical sustainability thinking
•    amplify student voice and creativity
•    support projects with real community or wellbeing impact
•    promote cross-disciplinary collaboration
•    build engagement with sustainability in everyday life.

These goals align closely with the University’s Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) commitments, and reflect the aim of the Sustainability Strategy 2025-2030 of:

“Cultivating stewards of everyday sustainability who can create meaningful change across their industries and communities.”

Reinforcing the role of education in shaping a more sustainable future.

Looking ahead

The winners will be celebrated across UCB’s website and social channels, with the hope that their projects inspire even more students to take part in future years.

For more information about the 2026/27 competition, please contact Vinay Reddy: vreddy@ucb.ac.uk