Deadline:
March 30, 2025
Location(s)
Online United Kingdom
Final and Showcase in London
Overview
"How can we feed the growing population sustainably?"
Details
All animals on the planet must eat. Whether we are vegetarians, omnivores or carnivores, the food chains for all land animals begin with plants. The world's human population is over eight billion people, and we all need food. Human food production requires huge amounts of fresh water and uses enormous areas of land, with half of the world’s habitable land already used by agriculture.
As we use more land for farming, we lose forests and wilderness and reduce biodiversity. Agriculture is also responsible for a quarter of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, helping to drive climate change, rising carbon dioxide levels and a warming world. Changing rainfall patterns mean that some areas now receive too much water and others not enough. These factors are reducing food crop yields, not only of key crops like maize, wheat and rice but all plants, including chocolate, coffee and sugar.
Advanced crop genetic engineering and new seed development are helping keep things growing for the moment, but as climate change advances and the human population continues to grow, new ways of intensively producing food need to be developed (without using any more precious land).
Timeline
In 2025, the focus is on bringing several informative and exciting events to our audience on sustainable food, agricultural innovation and STEM education.
The working schedule is currently as follows (subject to change):
- 10 December 2024 - Report Stage Guideline Publication, register to receive the download link.
- 28 February 2025 (TBC)- Sustainable Food STEM Forum. Hosted by the Lord Mayor of Westminster, Westminster City Hall.
- 30 March 2025 - Report submission closed
- June 2025 - International Round (online)
- 1 July 2025 - Final and Showcase in London
- 2 July 2025 (TBC) - Youth STEM Forum 2024 & BIEA STEM Star Launch, Westminster City Hall, London
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Competition Requirements
The 2025 competition is primarily aimed at students aged 6 to 17/18 (secondary schools). We welcome university undergraduate students' submissions, these could be exemplary examples for the younger age groups. The competition will be accepting online submissions. Students can enter as part of a team (of up to five) or as an individual competitor (however, individual entries may lose marks in the team aspect). Schools may have more than one entry. Students who cannot attend school may submit entries as individual competitors, although all competitors under 18 or in high school must be registered by a responsible adult (e.g. teacher or parent).
Dates
Deadline: March 30, 2025
Cost/funding for participants
Rewards for your hard work
We are continuing our efforts to get the best possible rewards for the competition.
The list below is an example of previous years awards:
- Grand Prize
- Champion
- First Prize
- Second Prize
- Third Prize
- Outstanding Achievement Award
- Best Report Award
- Rising Stars
- Chairman's Award
Special Awards:
- BIEA STEM Star Awards
The BIEA STEM Star Awards is an accreditation programme from the British International Education Association, it’s designed to encourage student development in the STEM subjects. Students' achievements in the BIEA International STEM Youth Innovation Competition is assessed at silver level. The awards is available to UK and international students with a small admin charge. To order: BIEA STEM Stars
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
