Utopia World 2027

Important Dates

• Call for submissions: November 1 – December 13, 2026 (reviewed on a rolling basis)

• Results announced: December 16, 2026 (may close early if capacity is reached)

• Smart City Hackathon: January 25 – January 29, 2027 (Taipei, Taiwan)

  • The Smart City Hackathon gives advancing teams a platform to pitch their concepts, receive feedback, and build out the scale models and slide decks needed for the Global Final Round.

• Global Final Round: February 13 – February 17, 2027 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

The 3 Stages

Stage 1 ── Proposal Call at home, at your pace

To register, email your team details and proposal package to: info[@]ecolympiad.tw.

💡 Download and fill out the registration form (here) → email us with  ① the form and ② proposal → Done!

Note: Remove the square brackets [ ] from the email address. Payment is only due after you receive an official confirmation email upon submission — send your files first!

• Submission window: November 1 – December 13, 2026 (rolling review)

• Advancing teams: 10 teams across all divisions

  • The top 5 qualify for the  Kuala Lumpur Track  — awarded the Utopia World National Selection Award of Excellence plus qualification for the Global Final Round

  • Those opting out of overseas travel take part in the  Taipei Track  — awarded the Utopia World National Selection Award of Excellence

• Team size: 6–10 members per team (students from different grades or schools may team up; cross-category teams not permitted)

• Eligibility: Citizens of or residents in Taiwan

  • Categories: Elementary School (Grades 4–6), Junior High School, Senior High School 

• Format: One 2-page PDF document per team (English or Traditional Chinese; diagrams welcome)

• Prompt: Grounded in your own local community and its most urgent challenges, harness cutting-edge technology, engineering systems, and green infrastructure to design a sustainable smart city projected 100 years into the future

  • Scoring Focus — SDG & Concept Integration: Evaluates how effectively the urban master plan embeds the UN Sustainable Development Goals across three dimensions: social inclusion, economic viability, and environmental resilience

• Entry Fee: NT$2,520 per team (flat rate regardless of team size; payable only after receiving submission confirmation)

Stage 2 ── Smart City Hackathon in Taipei

• Dates: January 25 – January 29, 2027

• Participants: The 10 shortlisted teams; the top 5 qualify to represent Taiwan at the Global Final Round

  • If a qualifying team declines to travel, the invitation rolls down to runner-up teams in rank order

• Participation tracks (select one)

  •  Kuala Lumpur Track  Attend all 5 days (January 25–29, fee TBA) for both the pitch and hands-on model fabrication

  •  Taipei Track  (no overseas travel, free of charge): Attend on January 29 only to deliver the final pitch. 

• Pitch format: 10-minute presentation (in any national language of Taiwan or English)

• Topic: Same as stage 1

Note: The Global Final Round requires an on-site physical scale model and an oral presentation in English. International Track teams must finish their models and their presentations prior to departure.

Stage 3 ── Global Final Round in Kuala Lumpur

• Model guideline

  • Maximum dimensions: 25 in (W) × 50 in (L) × 20 in (H) [63.5 cm × 127 cm × 50.8 cm]

  • Budget cap: Total spending on physical models, slide decks, visual aids, or costumes/props must not exceed US$100

• Evaluation rubrics

  • SDGs & Urban Planning Integration (35%): Assesses whether land zoning and urban infrastructure holistically and equitably balance the 17 UN SDGs across social inclusion, economic prosperity, and environmental protection

  • Physical Scale Model (25%): Multitiered spatial layout and zoning logic; aesthetic and inventive upcycling of reclaimed materials; functionality and durability of dynamic mechanical components during transport

  • Team Presentation & Q&A (40%): Problem definition and SDG solution clarity; presentation delivery and team synergy; technical integration of engineering and modern tech; systemic coherence and real-world feasibility over a 100-year horizon

• Fee: To be announced

Challenge Highlights

Supporting Organizations