Worldwide Student Forum
The Student Forum is an international, collaborative platform that brings together university students from across the globe to engage in dialogue around major global challenges. The forum is typically held annually and often takes place online to ensure broad accessibility.
Each edition of the forum focuses on a pressing global issue and is structured around a series of working sessions, each introduced by a keynote speaker who provides expert insight and context on the theme.
Following these sessions, students are grouped into collaborative teams where they critically examine the topic, exchange perspectives, and co-develop practical and policy-oriented recommendations. The outcome of their work is captured in detailed reports, often complemented by creative formats such as student-produced videos. These materials are submitted to U7+ leadership and showcased in high-level events like the U7+ Summit, ensuring that student voices contribute meaningfully to institutional and policy discussions.
The U7+ Student Challenge is a flagship initiative of the U7+ Alliance, designed to empower university students to take action on global issues through innovation, collaboration, and competition. It brings together multidisciplinary student teams from leading universities around the world to develop concrete, impactful solutions to pressing societal challenges.
Each edition of the Student Challenge focuses on a set of critical global themes—such as inclusive education or human-centered artificial intelligence—and invites students to address these issues through the design of practical, creative projects.
The Challenge culminates in an in-person international final, hosted by a U7+ member university. Over the course of several days, student teams present their projects to a panel of judges, participate in intercultural exchanges, and engage in dialogues on sustainability, innovation, and social justice. The experience is enriched by cultural visits and networking activities that foster cross-cultural understanding and long-term collaboration.
Winning teams are recognized for the originality, feasibility, and societal impact of their solutions, but all participants leave with strengthened global perspectives, interdisciplinary skills, and connections that extend beyond the competition.
Other U7+ Student initiatives
U7+ Student Engagement in Global Climate and Sustainability Initiatives
Beyond the Student Forum and Student Challenge, the U7+ Alliance actively promotes ongoing student engagement in global policy and sustainability spaces, particularly in the context of climate action. These efforts are often conducted in collaboration with the U7+ Working Group on Climate Change and Sustainability, and align with broader international frameworks such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.
A key focus of this engagement is supporting the Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) agenda, which emphasizes the importance of education, public awareness, and youth participation in achieving climate goals. U7+ students have participated in international forums such as SB60 negotiations in Bonn and COP29 in Baku, where they have contributed to side events, panel discussions, and poster presentations that showcase youth-driven climate solutions.
These initiatives serve multiple purposes inculding amplifying student voices in global climate governance and highlighting youth-led innovation in climate mitigation and adaptation.
Intergenerational Roundtable Series
Another significant initiative under this umbrella is the U7+ Intergenerational Roundtable Series, co-convened by Northwestern University. This three-part global series was co-designed by students and senior university leadership to foster intergenerational dialogue on some of the most pressing issues facing future generations. Each session brought together students, scholars, and scientists from across continents for deep discussions around equity, innovation, and social transformation.