Would you like to meet students from across the EELISA Alliance, form multidisciplinary teams, tackle real-world challenges, and prototype innovative solutions for a more sustainable and inclusive Europe? Then get ready for an intensive, hands-on learning experience—created by students, for students!

Join the second edition of the EELISA Student-led Bootcamp, taking place 8–10 November 2026 at ZHAW in Winterthur, Switzerland.

A university campus works like a small city. It needs a constant flow of physical resources (water, energy, heating) and daily consumables (food, paper, single-use plastics, lab materials, electronics). Today, much of this still follow a linear “take-make-dispose” model. To build a truly sustainable European identity, our universities must evolve towards a circular model – optimizing how we manage, track, and extend the lifecycle of every resource on campus. Taking the form of a hackathon, this year’s event will focus on developing an innovative and sustainable system to track, reduce, or repurpose the flow of daily consumables and physical resources within the university campus.

What to expect

— Over an intensive multi-day hackathon, this event will be chance for you to push your limits, develop key soft skills, and apply your knowledge to a real challenge while engaging with essential values like sustainability, social inclusion, and ethics.

— By taking part in team-building activities, and inspiring sessions, you will: Collaborate across different fields, cultures, and universities.

— Turn ideas into a working prototype under time pressure.

— Pitch your solution clearly and make your ideas matter. Apply circular economy and resource efficiency principles to a real campus problem.

— Reflect on sustainability, the UN SDGs, and active citizenship in Europe.

For Whom?

Students -from any degree and any field of study- currently enrolled in any EELISA partner institutions

Why Join? 

— Join the European conversation: Meet and connect with students from all EELISA partner universities and share your thoughts on the future of education and Europe.

— Learn by doing: Build skills in teamwork, prototyping, and pitching through an intense hands-on challenges

— Make an impact: Get the tools you need to drive positive change in your university community and even beyond.

When?

8–10 November 2026 ( 3 days – as part of the EELISA Days commemoration and the EELISA Grand Meeting week). Where Onsite at ZHAW, Winterthur, Switzerland.