​​Schools Competition​

At AKU we believe in active engagement on local and global issues. Climate change is one such global challenge that requires every single person in the world to take action. And we can! We also believe that working together on a challenge brings forward more ideas and more opportunities. Fostering critical thinking, active engagement, and co-creation are just some of the goals we hope to share beyond the walls of AKU.

Hence, each year, we invite schools in Karachi to participate in the Schools Competition as part of the AKU President's Challenge for Climate Solutions!


Process and timelines

  • February 2026: Schools/high schools receive an invitation and onl​ine nomination form via email. If your school has not received an invitation but you would like to participate, please reach out to climate.challenge@aku.edu
  • 20th March 2026: Deadline for schools to submit nominations via online form (NB: ​Schools/colleges will determine the process of internal selection and group formation. Each school/college can nominate only one group)
  • ​End of March 2026: AKU reviews nominations and invites selected teams for pitching
  • Mid April 2026: In-person pitch round at AKU Stadium Road campus for invited school teams
  • TBC: Closing ceremony (alongside winning teams from across AKU campuses)

About the team, idea and criteria
  • Teams may consist of 3 to 4 students.
  • Students must be enrolled in A-levels/Intermediate, O-level/Matric, or equivalent grades.
  • A teacher or tutor may support the students in guiding their thinking, however, would not be part of the pitch presentation.


Idea and pitch

  • Ideas are to be relevant to the students, their role in society and abilities to influence / promote change.
  • Ideas must address climate change as well as this year's theme.
  • For nominations, answers to three short questions - including an idea on this year's theme - must be submitted through the online form.
  • The pitch presentations must be no longer than three (3) minutes.
  • The team may use up to six (6) PPT slides for the pitch, as well as a physical representation (e.g. poster or model), if desired.
  • All team members should be presen​t and speaking during the pitch.
  • A muti-disciplinary team of judges from AKU and beyond will be engaging with the invited teams to further learning, engagement, and exchange of ideas.


Criteria

Nominations will be assessed on their comprehensiveness of responses, creativity, relevance, and feasibility.

The pitches will be judged in the following criteria:

  • Relevance to climate change and to the year's theme
  • Relevance to the scope of influence (i.e. what high school students can influence)
  • Feasibility and impact potential of the proposed idea
  • Innovativeness and uniqueness of the proposed idea
  • Presentation quality and level of engagement

Prizes for winning teams may include recognition for the winning school student groups, such as books, AKU merchandise and others. These will be awarded at the Closing Ceremony, for which details will be shared with winning groups later​. All teams participating in the pitch day will receive certificates.