By CTW team

On October 10-13, USIU-Africa made its debut at the 2025 SDG Olympiad in Geneva, where two student teams pitched their innovations, Wetlands4Wellness and CycleCharge Power. The Olympiad is explicitly student-led and aims to inspire the current generation to produce implementable SDG-focused solutions that can be scaled and sustained.

Competing against 14 finalist teams from universities worldwide, USIU-Africa won the Silver medal for Wetlands4Wellness, which made a scientific discovery that was highly commended by the SDG Olympiad jury, who in turn advised the team to initiate a patent process immediately. The judges further encouraged the team to reach out to them for technical and procedural assistance in the patenting process should any challenges arise. The university also won a Special Award for Cross-Sector Collaboration for CycleCharge Power.

Both projects demonstrated strong alignment between research, innovation, and practical community application. The projects were not just theoretical concepts but implementable solutions addressing real-world challenges such as environmental restoration and sustainable energy access. Each team was able to present evidence of tangible outcomes, like community engagement, environmental benefits, and scalability potential. The clarity of purpose and focus on measurable results positioned USIU-Africa as a university that nurtures innovators who think beyond the classroom to create real social and environmental impact.

The teams showcased remarkable independence, discipline, and teamwork throughout the Olympiad. Despite the demanding timelines and intense competition, students effectively organized their presentation materials, refined their pitches, and coordinated responsibilities without constant supervision. Their ability to adapt quickly to feedback, maintain composure under pressure, and deliver concise, compelling presentations demonstrated maturity and strong leadership skills. This level of ownership reflects the effectiveness of USIU-Africa’s experiential learning approach, which empowers students to take initiative, collaborate effectively, and represent the University with professionalism on global platforms.

Participation in this event strengthened university’s global visibility, student capacity-building, and partnership opportunities; enhanced institutional reputation & global positioning; elevated the university profile as a hub for SDG-focused student innovation by delivering a medal-winning performance on an international platform; students gained hands-on experience in solution design, pitching, stakeholder feedback, and cross-cultural teamwork, skills highly sought by employers and funders; and provided exposure to global organizations opens partnership and grant opportunities.