Grand Challenges

🌏Repair Lab UWA: Clothes, Accessories, Bikes. 

Come along to this free drop-in session with skilled volunteers who can help repair items including clothes, jewellery, bags and bikes. Repair Labs help give new life to items and save them from going to landfill. No need to attend, just bring your item along!

When: Tuesday March 4th 2025, 5.00-8.00pm 

Where: The Circle, Reid Library

Bring your item, stay with your volunteer repairer for the duration of the repair- have a chat and learn repair skills! 

*Some items may be beyond our volunteers’ skillset. Expertise and repair services may vary from event-to-event. We cannot guarantee a successful repair, however our volunteer repairers will do their best to help you free-of-charge with the time, tools and skills they have available. Advice will be provided if your item is unable to be repaired.

Come solo or bring a mate, meet new people, and extend the life of your things! 

Keen to Volunteer as a Repairer

🌏 Human Rights in Practice: A conversation with Sara Elliott, human rights lawyer and former officer for the UN Refugee Agency.  

When: Monday March 10th 2025  5.00-7.30pm

Where: Alexander Lecture Theatre

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to respond to a humanitarian emergency on the ground, in real time? Have you considered the ethical challenges you might face when attempting to optimize a limited budget to help fleeing people get to safety?

Have you wanted to learn more about how human rights law can be used to press for justice around the world? Have you thought about how your Human Rights degree might lead to a career in policy or lobbying work in the non-profit sector or United Nations?
UWA alumnus and human rights lawyer Sarah Elliott will be entering into conversation with UWA’s Bachelor of Human Rights about the day to day realities and ethical challenges of human rights work. Sarah’s journey began right here at UWA and took her around the world: she has tackled human rights issues on the ground in Egypt, Eritrea, the UK, and Ukraine. You’ll have space to ask Sarah about her experiences, research, and lessons learned along the way.

About SARAH ELLIOTT
Sarah Elliott is a humanitarian, human rights lawyer, and aspiring documentary filmmaker. She has twelve years of experience managing responses to refugee and internal displacement situations globally. During her career, Sarah has developed policy and practical guidance on anti-trafficking for the UN Refugee Agency and overseen complex emergency responses in Egypt during the Arab Spring, during the civil war in Northern Ethiopia and most recently in Ukraine. She has also worked on critical strategic litigation, challenging violations of asylum and human rights law in superior UK courts on behalf of the UN. Sarah is passionate about community-based protection and decolonizing aid—key themes in her forthcoming book, For Whose Benefit? Critical Perspectives on Addressing Anti-trafficking Then and Now (Policy Press, exp. May 2026). Sarah is admitted to practice law in Australia, and holds a Bachelors of Laws/Arts (First Class Honours) from the University of Western Australia and a Masters of Philosophy in International Relations and Human Rights from Cambridge University.

This event is directed at students in UWA’s Bachelor of Human Rights, but all are welcome.

Drinks and light snacks will be provided! Please RSVP so we can cater accordingly 🙂

Register here

🌏Join UWA Grand Challenges at EnviroFest!

UWA Grand Challenges will see you at Guild Environment's EnviroFest, a festival to celebrate the environment and Sustainability. Come down to Oak Lawn to celebrate clubs, sustainable small businesses and environmental not-for-profits.  

Learn about the Sustainable Development Goals and see how you can get involved. 

When: Tuesday March 11th 2025, 11.00-2.00pm 

Where: Oak Lawn. 

Come solo or bring a mate, meet new people, and see how we can all make a difference!

🌏 Want to tackle the world’s biggest problems? Start here!

When: Wednesday March 12th 2025  12.00-2.00

Where: Reid Library (Level 2 Conference Room 139.202)

Register here

Join UWA Grand Challenges and UWA Student Guild's Venture for an interactive session on the Sustainable Development Goals and the Grand Challenges of Climate Change and a More Just and Equitable World as part of UWA Enviro Week. 

🔥 What’s in it for you?

• Use Design Thinking—a powerful tool for problem-solving, innovation, and even entrepreneurship.
• Hear how other students have created real-world solutions to complex challenges.
• Work on your own ideas with hands-on activities to think big, design smarter, and test faster.

Come solo or bring a mate, meet new people, and enjoy FREE FOOD while brainstorming ways to make a real impact.

👉 No experience needed—just curiosity and a willingness to think differently!

🌏Sustainable Startups Panel Night: Sustainable Innovation  (and networking) 

When: Thursday March 13th 2025  6.00-8.00pm

Where: UWA Tavern

Join Venture UWA, The UWA Student Guild Environment Department, UWA Grand Challenges, and SNAGS for an inspiring discussion on sustainability and entrepreneurship!

This panel brings together industry leaders, eco-innovators, and successful founders who are driving change through sustainable business practices. Hear about their journeys - the highs and lows of running a business, the impact of innovation, and what the future of sustainability looks like.

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a student passionate about sustainability, or simply curious about how businesses can prioritise people and the planet, this event is for you! 🌱

Please note this that due to the location this is an 18+ event and ID will be required.

RSVP here

🌏Dirt Cheap: Composting for a Greener Future

Join us for a fun and informative session on composting, where we'll learn how to turn our trash into treasure for a more sustainable future

When: Wednesday March 26th 2025  10.00-12.00pm

Where: Guild Village Courtyard (TBC)

Come join us at UWA Guild Village for a hands-on workshop on composting! Learn how to turn your kitchen scraps and garden waste into nutrient-rich soil. Expert Shani Graham will guide you through the process and share tips on how to reduce waste and help the environment. Don't miss this opportunity to make a difference and create a greener future together!

This workshop is a collaboration between UWA Grand Challenges and UWA Student Guild Volunteering and is kindly supported through a Waste Sorted Community Education Grant. The workshop focuses on Earth-cycling, one of the key elements of the 'Be a Great Sort' campaign.

There will be prizes and giveaways so please register below!

Register here

🌏Sustainable Fashion: Style with Impact Workshop and Pop-up Op Shop

When: Wednesday April 9th 2025  12.00-4.00pm Op Shop, 2.30-3.30 Workshop

Where: Guild Village (TBC)

Register here

Get ready to think global and act local. Come solo or bring a mate, meet new people, and find sustainable fashion gems as unique as you! 

The UWA Grand Challenges Sessions aim to provide students with an understanding of UWA Grand Challenges and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, inspire interdisciplinary collaboration and empower students to make meaningful actions towards Grand Challenges. 

This aligns with our vision to empower a generation of passion fuelled and purpose driven global citizens, committed to tackling the greatest challenges facing our world. The Grand Challenges Sessions will take UWA students on a journey to;
• gain insight and knowledge,
• develop skills, 
• be inspired,
• connect with a broad network and 
• engage with and make a positive impact towards addressing grand challenges.

Venture’s partnership with Grand Challenges enhances support to current UWA student entrepreneurs who have a social enterprise concept that uses social innovations to make a positive difference and create change in the world. All incubated businesses seek to address 1 or more of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) and 1 or more of the UWA Grand Challenges, A More Just and Equitable World and Climate Change.

Venture is a UWA Student Guild initiative that exists to better prepare students for the future of work, whatever that might look like. Through the curation of a suite of industry events and hackathons, industry-led skills development workshops, and via three flagship programs:

1. Venture’s Innovation Consultancy works with industry partners to solve challenges;
2. Venture’s Incubator supports the development of social and/or environmental impact student-led businesses through mentorship, a structured education program, industry-led workshops and equity-free seed funding;
3. Venture’s Startup Internships where students learn industry-specific, practical tools with our industry partners before interning in one of Venture’s incubated start-ups.

Venture’s programs can be completed as work-integrated learning units or as additional, co-curricular opportunities.

Find out more or get involved by contacting [email protected].

Global Citizenship Programme 2025 will be held in September/October 

Global Citizenship is an experiential online course through which you will develop the skills and competencies needed to thrive in the 21st century, whilst learning more about the UN Sustainable Development Goals, enabling you to play an active role in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

UWA Students will complete a series of experiential activities, offline tasks, reflections and discussions that will increase your knowledge and awareness of the UN SDGs whilst developing your leadership potential.

The course contains 9 hours of interactive content which you can access as a co-learning experience with peers across the Matariki Network of  Universities over 3 weeks.

As a result of the programme, you will be:

· Equipped to take rapid action on the Sustainable Development Goal that you choose
· Able to step outwards and collaborate with diverse networks
· Ready to challenge preconceptions and better inform people’s perspectives
· Better equipped to operate across hierarchies

· Better prepared to live and maintain your values and integrity

Upon successful completion of the course, you can earn the ‘Global Citizenship’ micro-credential, demonstrating to the world that you’ve developed the skills to tackle complex global issues. This can be displayed on your LinkedIn page and in your digital backpack.

Register Your Interest Here

UWA Grand Challenges and Guild Venture support UWA student participation in the Joondalup Innovation Challenge!

The Joondalup Innovation Challenge (JIC)  is Western Australia’s foremost collaborative Innovation Challenge, bringing together over 100 students from six educational institutions. Students work in multidisciplinary teams to solve real-world problems faced by Joondalup residents, students and businesses. Students develop key employability skills including communication, innovation, leadership, business agility and networking.

Students prepare themselves for the future of work by learning how to rapidly make decisions and deploy creative, technology-based solutions. They can build their confidence and capability in digital literacy and critical technology skills by attending both live and virtual summits and mastermind sessions and by preparing video pitches using the latest technology platforms.

Find out more on the Joondalup Innovation Challenge website.

• AIESEC
• Amnesty International
• Bloom
• Coders for Causes
• Enactus
• Ignite Mentoring
• Multicultural Students Union
• Progressive Energy Society
• UWA Science Union
• Students for Refugees
• Teach Learn Grow
• TedxUWA
• Venture
• WA Youth Public Policy Institute

The UWA Making a Difference grants of $500 up to $2500 are available to current UWA students and are designed to stimulate social and environmental impact initiatives that address one or more of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) and one or more of the UWA Grand Challenges, A More Just and Equitable World and Climate Change. 

You can create an initiative or series of small initiatives, connect, advance or add value to current UWA research or area of study, stimulate new areas of student research, produce a resource or policy, or implement a program to stimulate social and/or environmental impact. 

Making a Difference projects will have access to support from UWA staff and are invited to share their successes and learnings at the Making A Difference Showcase in October.

Applications are awarded based on the following:

• Impact, Objectives and evaluation
  • Are the objectives clear and achievable in the proposed timeframe?
  • What is the envisaged social and/or environmental impact (and how will you measure it)?
• Alignment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and UWA Grand Challenges 
  • Does the initiative demonstrate strong alignment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and UWA Grand Challenges of Climate Change and a More Just and Equitable World?  
• Need and Sustainability 
  • Is there a broader need for the proposed initiative in the wider community? 
  • Is this a new or existing Initiative? Greater weighting will be placed on new innovative initiatives.
  • Is there potential for this initiative to be ongoing beyond the grant funding? 
• Benefit and Collaboration 
  • What are the potential benefits of the initiative on the community?  
  • Will the project involve collaboration with other organisations i.e. local governments, Not for Profits etc?  
• Resources  
  • Does the application articulate resources required, additional contributions that could be leveraged (i.e. In-Kind funding, volunteer time)

Apply Now

Please reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions or if you don’t have your own initiative but would still like to get involved (we can try to connect you with a team).

 Previous Making a Difference Grant Projects [PDF 12MB]

Congratulations to the 2024 UWA Making a Difference Grants recipients:

• Bio-Plastic Research, combining bacterial plastic degradation with bioplastic production to address marine plastic pollution effectively.

• The Birthing Kits Project, providing clean birth kits to under-resourced communities to prevent maternal and infant deaths and infections during childbirth.

• Coders for Causes, a student-led team that assists charities and non-profits by providing free technical solutions, enabling them to redirect funds to essential initiatives.

• Women UNI-ted, a support group for female university students who have experienced domestic or intimate partner violence.

• Modern Forms of Slavery Awareness Initiative, raising awareness and educating students about modern forms of slavery in Australia.

• The SciComm Collective Podcast, a podcast by UWA Science Communication students enhancing science engagement and understanding through a professionally developed podcast. 

• Robotics Club Outreach Program, promoting STEM education, equity, and sustainability by introducing robotics education to younger students.

• Mental Labour Gender Gap Initiative, working on research to tackle workplace implications of mental labour to promote workplace equality.

• Equality at UWA, an initiative encouraging students to showcase projects aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• Banksia Media Study, examining the ecocultural significance of Banksia media in the Southwestern Australian Floristic Region.

• “What Were You Wearing?” Exhibition, challenging victim-blaming narratives placed on sexual assault survivors.

Congratulations to the following high schools for receiving Making a Difference grants in 2023/2024:

• Busselton Senior High School
• Duncraig Senior High School
• Greenwood College
• Presbyterian Ladies’ College
• Santa Maria College
• St Norbert College

The high school projects focused on waste reduction, mental health, plastic monitoring and bee habitats. Busselton SHS’s Caring for Country program saw students undertake environmental recovery, including anti-erosion and revegetation activities, on Wadandi Boodja and installing sanctuaries for the endangered Quenda after the Meelup Regional Park fires.