2024 CIEE UNHCR Student Challenge

Develop solutions to help refugees and earn a trip to London!

2024 marked the 2nd Annual CIEE UNHCR Student Challenge. CIEE was pleased to collaborate once again with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to call on student leaders from across the globe to present their solution ideas to support increasing access to higher education and livelihood for forcibly displaced youth around the world. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights, and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people.

Challenge participants gained valuable skills, like those developed during a global internship, and expanded their professional networks, all while solving one of the most critical issues of our time. Finalist teams earned a trip to London to compete in person, and the winning team will receive a 2025 summer internship facilitated by the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), and an opportunity to have their idea be selected to be shared with UNHCR and their networks.

New for 2024: The Challenge consisted of three rounds of competition.

  1. Round 1 - all teams registered to participate were provided the Challenge materials and invited to submit a solution idea in no more than 500 words to address the challenge.

  2. Round 2 - 36 teams were selected from the Round 1 teams to further develop their ideas and present to a panel of judges virtually.

  3. Finals - 3 finalist teams were selected to advance from Round 2 to compete in the final round in London, England, and presented their ideas at the CIEE Global Internship Conference in June.

Registration for the 2025 CIEE Student Challenge will open in November 2024. The final round will be held in person at the 13th Annual Global Internship Conference on June 27, 2025, in Singapore. Have a question about the 2025 CIEE Student Challenge? Email us at GIC@ciee.org or check out our FAQs.

Meet the Winning Team!

Congratulations to the Eagles, winners of the 2024 CIEE UNHCR Student Challenge! Team members are Amina Mkova (Team Captain); Obed Korusenge; and Joselyto Baho, all from Kepler College, Kigali, Rwanda; and Nimco Ibrahim, from African Leadership University, Kigali, Rwanda.

Eligible members of the winning team will each be awarded a CIEE summer 2025 global internship, and CIEE has pledged $50,000 to support the team’s solution idea, consisting of a comprehensive and sustainable mentoring program that assists high school students who are forcibly displaced and need help bridging the knowledge gap to gain university admission, refugee students enrolled in higher education programs who need help navigating university, and soon-to-be-graduates who need help preparing for careers and networking. 

Eagles Team Captain, Amina Mkova, explained that her favorite part of the challenge was the opportunity to help forcibly displaced and refugee students in Rwanda access and seamlessly transition into higher education. “I believe that empowering them will enable them to reach their full potential and achieve their dreams,” she said. 

"Participating in the Student Challenge was an incredible and eye-opening experience,” said Eagles team member Joselyto Charite Baho. “As a first-time international traveler, visiting London for the finals was exciting, but the entire competition process exceeded my expectations. Through the three phases - from the initial proposal to the final presentation in London - I learned so much about how we, as university students, can make a real difference.” 

Read the full press release.

Meet the Round 2 Finalists

Congratulations to the 2024 CIEE UNHCR Student Challenge Round 2 Finalists! Among the 130 global teams who participated in Round 1, 36 teams representing 47 universities, 21 countries, and 132 students were selected to advance to Round 2 to compete. Volunteer mentors provided support to student teams during the weeks of the competition. Judges from across the globe came together to evaluate student ideas. Many impressive proposals were presented, but three teams’ proposals really stood out. These teams fully embraced the spirit of the challenge and presented an idea that has significant potential to address this critical challenge. Please join us in congratulating the teams.

Team Eagles

Team Eagles is comprised of Obed Korusenge Nsanzimfura, Joselyto Charite Baho, and Amina Mkova (Team Captain), all of Kepler College, Rwanda, and Nimco Ibrahim, African Leadership University, Rwanda.

Amina Mkova (Healthcare Management) brings team leadership and strategic planning expertise. Joselyto Charite Baho (Communications) demonstrates proficiency in computer skills and problem-solving. Nimco Ibrahim (Computer Science) excels in research and organizational abilities. Obed Korusenge Nsanzimfura (Business Management) showcases strengths in mathematical problem-solving and conceptualizing ideas. 

Focused on access to higher education, our project aims to empower forcibly displaced and refugee students in Rwanda through a sustainable mentorship program. Each member has specific roles: Amina oversees team challenge tasks, Joselyto promotes innovation, Nimco enriches deliverables with data-driven insights, and Obed manages assignments and deadlines.

Team Three Paths

We are Team Three Paths, four friends from three different regions in the U.S. that all share common interest in global and political studies. Our team includes Mia Williams (Team Captain), a first-year student at University of Pennsylvania, Zamzam Fadhil, a first-year student at San Diego Mesa College, Ahmednoor Hassan, a first-year student at Bates College, and Kay Ellen Bell, a second-year student at Bard College. We met through the CIEE Morocco Language and Culture Program in 2022 and although we reside in different regions in the U.S., our friendship has thankfully grown over the past two years. We appreciate the opportunity to expand our knowledge of this issue and look forward to making long-lasting changes. We hope that through partnering with CIEE and The UNHCR, we can leverage our Three Paths towards creating a better future for refugee students around the world in higher education.

Team Wellesley in the World

Driven by a passion for addressing global issues, Wellesley in the World consists of three undergraduate students from Wellesley College: Ilinca Drondoe, a second-year student majoring in Peace and Justice Studies, Merelin Baldonado (Team Captain), a third-year student double majoring in Political Science and Africana Studies, and Suzanna Schofield, a fourth-year student double majoring in Environmental Studies and Peace and Justice Studies. Committed to promoting equity, solidarity, and community across the globe, our passions lie in social and climate justice. With years of experience in grassroots-level organizing, academic research, and conflict resolution, our team is eager to present our proposal to address this year’s CIEE and UNHCR challenge. We are grateful for this opportunity and excited to further engage with our peers and mentors from various disciplines and professions.

Meet the Round 2 Judges

  • Miriam Feldblum

    Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration

    Read Bio

  • Ella Ininahazwe

    Kepler

    Read Bio

  • Noura Klieb

    Southern New Hampshire University

    Read Bio

  • Muvunyi Consolee Niyogisubizo

    Jesuits Worldwide Learning - Kakuma

    Read Bio

  • Mariam Olleik

    Talent Beyond Boundaries

    Read Bio

  • Francis Randle

    UNHCR

    Read bio

  • Laura Wagner

    Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration

    Read bio

  • Alexandra Wood

    CIEE

    Read bio

Meet the Student Teams​

  • AOE

  • ArEA

  • Bleu Dreamers

  • CADA Impact

  • Central Strategic

  • Dawgs

  • Eagles

  • Ergatocratics

  • FCA

  • Global Citizens

  • Http404

  • Lafayette College

  • Learning for All

  • Neville and Team

  • OneHive

  • Peace Makers

  • Potential

  • Precious Pearl

36 Teams​

  • QazNomads

  • Refugee Education Equity Alliance

  • RefYOUgee

  • Risky Biscuits

  • RPS

  • SVJ

  • The GenZ

  • The Goal Getters

  • The Humanitarians

  • Three Paths

  • THUAS

  • Tommie MASH

  • Ubuntu Inspired Solutions

  • VidyUR

  • Visionary Crew

  • Wardian Scholars

  • Wellesley in the World

  • WeUnite

  • African Leadership University

  • Balochistan University

  • Bard College

  • Bates College

  • Beijing Foreign Studies University

  • Dillard University

  • Duke University

  • Government Boys College Sariab Road Quetta

  • Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai

  • Kepler College

  • Kigali Independent University

  • Lafayette College

  • Loyola Marymount University

  • Nankai University

  • National Open University of Nigeria

47 Universities​​

  • Nazarbayev University

  • Peking University

  • Princeton University

  • Ramapo College of New Jersey

  • San Diego Mesa College

  • Sarda Bahadur Khan Women’s University

  • Sunway University

  • The Hague University of Applied Science

  • The University of Queensland

  • Tulane University

  • Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD)

  • Universidad Nacional Evangélica

  • University of Alemam Almahadi

  • University of British Columbia

  • University of Cross River State

  • University of Edeian

  • University of Georgia

  • University of Hong Kong

  • University of Imperial College

  • University of International Relations

  • University of Johannesburg

  • University of Kansas

  • University of Melbourne

  • University of Pennsylvania

  • University of Pittsburgh

  • University of Queensland

  • University of Rochester

  • University of Southern California

  • University of St. Thomas

  • University of Sudan

  • University of Toronto

  • Wellesley College

Student Challenge Benefits

All Participants

  • Everyone who participates will have an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges facing refugees and forcibly displaced populations.
  • Microsoft will provide free Microsoft Fundamentals Certifications to student teams. Microsoft representatives will present the details and benefits of this offer to all student teams during orientation

Round 2 Finalists

Three teams will earn a trip to London to compete in the finals. You’ll learn from a team mentor, develop career skills, network with employers, attend conference workshops, explore London, and connect with a global community of your peers.

Grand Prize Winners

Each member of the winning team will earn a summer global internship in 2025 facilitated by CIEE.

Key Dates

Student Registration Period
December 5, 2023 – February 9, 2024

Round 1 Materials Released
February 12, 2024

Round 1 Submissions Due
February 23, 2024

Round 2 Teams Announced
March 25, 2024

Round 2 Competition
April 1 – 15, 2024

Round 2: Virtual Presentations
April 19, 2023

Round 2: Finalists Announced
April 22, 2024

Final Round Competition (London, England)
June 16 – 20, 2024

Final Round Presentations & Winners Announced (London, England)
June 21, 2024

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency

Worldwide, over 100 million people have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, violence, and persecution. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, believes that young people have a central role to play in finding ways to help them thrive, not just survive.

Sponsors

CIEE, in collaboration with UNHCR, invites student leaders from across the globe to present their solution ideas to support increasing access to higher education and livelihood for forcibly displaced youth around the world. More specific details regarding the challenge will be released on February 12, 2024.

About UNHCR
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights, and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities, and stateless people.

Partners

Microsoft
Microsoft will provide free Microsoft Fundamentals Certifications to student teams. Microsoft representatives will present the details and benefits of this offer to all student teams during orientation.

District C
Prior to Round 2 of the Student Challenge, our partner, District C, will provide a webinar for students on how to approach solving the challenge and deliver training for mentors to help coach students during the week of the competition.

About District C: District C is preparing the next generation of talent for modern work. In District C's Teamship program, student teams meet and work with professionals to solve real problems for real organizations. Student teams are guided through this work by a District C Certified Coach. The coach helps them build the mindsets and tools they will need to work in a diverse team to solve a complex problem.

Student Challenge FAQs

Student Eligibility

  • No. Students who participated in Round 1 of the 2023 Student Challenge are not eligible to participate in the 2024 competition.

Student Demographics

  • Students must be 18 or older, and currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at an accredited higher education institution to participate.

  • No. All current undergraduate students attending any accredited higher education institution globally are invited to participate in this competition.

  • No. Students may be nationals of any country. However, all students must commit to being able to present in London in the final round if they are selected as finalists. We encourage students to consider whether there will be any restrictions on travel to London when making this commitment. If a student is unable to attend competition week and present in London, the rest of the team may still compete, but the student who is unable to attend will forfeit the opportunity to win the grand prize.

  • All current undergraduate students attending any accredited higher education institution globally are invited to participate in this competition. Preference will be given to students who are in their 2nd and 3rd year of their undergraduate program.

Student Registration

  • Each team must have a minimum of 3 team members (including the team captain) and a maximum of 4 team members.

  • No, participants on a team do not have to attend the same academic institution.

  • The fee is $50 per student team. The fee is non-refundable.

  • No, there is not a cap in round one. All student teams registered can participate.

  • Yes, you do have to have team members selected to register.

  • Yes. If there are extenuating circumstances which require an adjustment to the team roster, you may make a change by selecting the “Modify Your Registration” button found in your registration confirmation email. After March 29, 2024, no further changes to the team roster will be accepted. If you have questions about modifying your team roster, please contact us at GIC@ciee.org.

Student Challenge

  • During round one, each team will submit a one-page document (maximum 500 words, saved as a PDF) describing their solution idea. Challenge materials and instructions will be distributed on February 12, 2024. An expert panel of judges will review and evaluate the ideas and select 36 teams to move on to round two of the competition.

  • Teams will receive confirmation regarding qualification for round two on March 25, 2024, and must confirm participation by March 29, 2024. If participation is not confirmed by March 29, 2024, selected teams may forfeit the opportunity to participate in round two.

  • Round 1 – challenge materials will be released to students and available February 12, 2024. A workshop on refugees will be offered the week of February 12–16, 2024. Students will submit their solution idea February 23, 2024. Teams qualifying for round 2 will be notified on March 25.

    Round 2 – teams qualifying for round 2 will work on the challenge April 1 – 15, 2024. A volunteer mentor will be assigned to each team and a required 3-hour orientation session will be hosted. Presentations will be due on April 15 and teams will present virtually to judges on April 19, 2024. Finalist teams will be announced April 22, 2024.

  • No, there will not be formal presentations in round one. Student teams will submit a document with their solution idea.

  • Yes. Student teams will be scheduled to present to judges April 19. Presentations will be virtual. Teams are expected to present in English.

  • More information regarding the judges will be shared with student teams during orientation.

  • The Student Challenge will be reasonable for all academic majors, including liberal arts and business.

London Travel

  • CIEE financial assistance is limited to Economy class Airfare, CIEE provided housing, a set stipend for 3 meals per day, ground transportation in London to and from the conference, and registration fees for the Global Internship Conference. Any additional personal expenses, including required visas for students to enter England/UK, will not be covered. CIEE will offer guidance to individual students to understand visa requirements and procedures upon request.

  • Yes, you will need a passport to travel to London. If you do not have a US passport, we encourage you to start the process now given the lengthy processing time required in the US.

    We encourage students, regardless of citizenship, to consider whether there will be any restrictions on travel to London when making the commitment to participate. If a student is unable to present in London, the rest of the team may still present, but the student who is unable to attend will forfeit the opportunity to win the grand prize.

  • Finalists presenting in London can have one guest attend the final presentation session on Friday, June 21, 2024. Guests travel at their own expense and are not covered by CIEE for any travel or other costs.

Grand Prize Internship

  • A subset of CIEE Summer 2025 Global Internship opportunities will be offered to the winning teams. . We recognize that with global student participants, the Internship opportunities available might not fit the scheduling or professional needs of all team members. We will do our best to accommodate the unique situation for each student on the winning team to ensure a successful internship experience in 2025, but CIEE cannot guarantee preferred placement. If we are unable to successfully arrange for an internship, the student will qualify for a USD $1000 cash prize instead. More information on the CIEE Summer Global Internships available will be shared with students by March 29, ahead of when teams must confirm participation.

  • CIEE Summer Global Internships are 8-week programs offered in the May through August timeframe of each year. Specific dates vary by location. The winning teams will be eligible to select from a subset of CIEE Summer Global Internships in 2025.

  • All team members do not have to choose the same internship location.

  • No. Only CIEE Program Fees will be covered. Winning team members are responsible for their own travel accommodations. Students are invited to visit the CIEE Global Internships site to learn more about our programs and the fee structure.

  • CIEE Summer Global Internships are 8-week programs offered in the May through August timeframe of each year. Specific dates vary by location. The winning teams will be eligible to select from a subset of CIEE Summer Global Internships in 2025, hosted by a variety of industry partners. We recognize that with global student participants, there may be unique needs depending on the student. We will do our best to accommodate the unique situation for each student on the winning team to ensure a successful internship experience in 2025.

    During the pre-departure process, participants work with a local internship coordinator to identify skills, goals, and internship interests. Based on this dialog, local internship coordinators match you to your internship opportunity. You also will have the opportunity to interview with the internship host, pre-departure, to confirm the match is a mutual good fit. Learn more about the internship placement process.