A small open cardboard box sits on an open book, a brain and idea icons burst out with dotted arrows and paper planes in front of a chalkboard reading “Think outside the box”.

HackAIthon for UQ students, 13 to 15 March 2026

Work in teams to tackle real-world challenges with AI and compete for great prizes!

About HackAIthon - learn, create and make an impact

We have partnered with the UQ Sustainable Innovators Club (UQSIC) for Hack-AI-thon to give UQ students an opportunity to work in teams to tackle real-world challenges to harness the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) or address its risks.

Join HackAIthon to meet new people, learn from mentors, build new skills and have a chance to win amazing prizes.

The hackathon will run from 5pm, Friday 13 March to 5pm, Sunday 15 March 2026.

Registration is free and open to UQ students only. 

  • You can purchase A$35 hack-pack tickets for exclusive HackAIthon merch (lanyard, CV-ready certificate, laptop stickers) and food during the event (Subway, pizza and more). Payment is required at registration.
  • The first 80 hack-pack tickets sold will also receive a specially designed event t-shirt!

You will work in teams of 3 to 5 people. You can put your own team together or choose to be assigned to a team for the event. If you are putting your own team together, provide your team name and the names of your team members when you register. Each team member must complete a separate registration form.

Come to pre-hackathon sessions to help you prepare for the event!

Register for HackAIthon (UQ login required)

Get more details about the event in the following sections.

Prepare for HackAIthon

Get ready

Find out what to expect at the hackathon, explore the pre-hackathon workshops, and access key resources to help you prepare.

Themes and challenges

Work with your team to develop a creative solution for one or more challenges aligned to our key themes.

Support and wellbeing

Event staff will be available to support you and your team during the event.
Three students studying at a desk.

Prizes

HackAIthon prizes for winning teams:

  • 1st Place: A$2,500
  • 2nd Place: A$1,500
  • 3rd Place: A$1,000

Plus 2 bonus prizes of A$500.

Read more about the prizes

During the event

Event schedule

See what's planned for each day and what you’ll need to bring for the hackathon.

Book a mentor session

From 13 March 2026, you can book a session with a mentor to help you develop and refine your solution. Meet our expert mentors.

Submit your presentation

You and your team will submit a 3-minute presentation for judging at the end of the HackAIthon. Find out how to submit it.

Event rules and guidelines

Review the event guidelines and the terms and conditions for participating in HackAIthon.

About the UQ Sustainable Innovators Club

UQ Sustainable Innovators Club (UQSIC) are our partners for HackAIthon. UQSIC bring together students from diverse backgrounds to turn fresh ideas into impact.

The club runs a range of activities, including:

  • a food forest and vertical farming station
  • hackathons and panel discussions on topics such as the circular economy, water, climate policy and biodiversity
  • opportunities to connect with body, nature and community through yoga and food grown in our gardens.

UQSIC provide space to build sought-after skills, seize opportunities, and co-create sustainable projects on campus and beyond. They’re driven by the urgent challenges facing our planetary home—and the opportunity to create something better, together.

Connect with UQSIC

Join the club or find out more about their activities: