Students pull an all-nighter with the first E2S UPPA ChallengeImagining tomorrow's campus

42 undergraduate and master’s students from the University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour (UPPA) from the campuses of Anglet, Mont-de-Marsan, Pau and Tarbes, worked on the “campus of tomorrow” in Pau, during the night of November 7-8, 2019. The final round took place on Monday, June 22, 2020 with 3 teams competing.

The “Bee ‘O’ Top” project won the challenge. The four seniors (L3) majoring in Geography and Planning chose to enhance the green spaces of the University by establishing flowery meadows and habitats for wild bees (beehives, sandboxes for bees inside the flower beds).

Their goal is to develop urban biodiversity and to raise awareness, among all generations, about the actions that contribute to the survival of pollinators. With the help of fellow students (student association L’Arrosoir) and the wood workshop of the MJC Berlioz, the Bee ‘O’ Top project has been carried throughout the year of 2020 and in the spring of 2021.

The night of the Challenge

Adopting the approach that suited them best (technological production, communication action...), each team had one night, from 7pm to 8am, to contribute to the construction of the multisite campus of tomorrow (2025). A campus anchored in its territory, open to everyone, and with the ambition to be at the forefront of the energy and ecological transition.

Dinner and snacks were provided, and entertainment was organized throughout the night to counter fatigue and unite the teams, making it an unforgettable experience.

The participants

The participants to the E2S UPPA Challenge could be any student registered at the University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour, except for PhD students. They formed multidisciplinary teams of 2 to 5 students.

They were assisted by a pedagogical team composed of researchers and teacher-researchers, as well as partners from the economic world (local authorities and companies).

The teams had the night to prepare a short presentation of the project (type of realization and estimated budget) they delivered in front of the pre-selection jury the same morning.

Evaluation criteria

The projects were selected on the following criteria:

  •     Originality and relevance
  •     Technical and financial feasibility
  •     Possible integration across the 5 campuses
  •     Potential for sustainability and “transferability”

The teams whose projects were not selected by the jury were encouraged to present their project to the UPPA Student Projects commission.

Support and rewards

The pre-selected projects were financed on the basis of the estimated budget (the final amount was determined by the pre-selection jury). The E2S UPPA Challenge also offered the possibility to the participating students to valorize their commitment academically, through the module “Recognition of experience and skills.”

The publication of results and the awarding of prizes took place on Monday June 22, 2020.

  •     1st prize: 800 euros for each team member
  •     2nd prize: 400 euros for each team member
  •     3rd prize: 200 euros for each team member

The awarded projects should also be presented in October 2020 on the stands of the Science Villages of all the UPPA sites, with the support of the Lacq Odyssée association.

Some of the projects are to be implemented within the campus within the framework of the Sustainable Development Mission.

Watch the video of the E2S UPPA Student Challenge Night 2019 (4 min, in French):