1. Eligibility & Submission Requirements

1.1 Applications must be submitted in English only. QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited (“QS”) reserves the right to reject any submission that is partially or wholly submitted in another language.

1.2 Entries must demonstrably enhance learning outcomes, graduate employability, institutional effectiveness, or contribute meaningfully to education in other relevant ways. Submissions that do not meet these criteria may be rejected.

1.3 Applicants may not submit the same project to more than one award category. Applicants may submit multiple distinct projects across different categories.

1.4 In cases of ambiguity regarding category suitability, applicants are expected to consult the organisers prior to submission.

1.5 The organisers reserve the right to reallocate submissions to a more appropriate category at their discretion. All such decisions are final.

1.6 If identical or substantially similar submissions are entered into multiple categories, QS reserves the right to remove duplicate entries. Such removal may result in disqualification from the competition.

2. Re-Entry Policy

2.1 Previous Gold category winners may re-enter the same initiative, whether in the same or a different category, only after one (1) award cycle and must demonstrate substantial and material advancement beyond the originally awarded submission.

2.2 Previous Overall Award winners may re-enter the competition with the same initiative, whether in the same or a different category, only after three (3) award cycles and must demonstrate monumental and material transformation beyond the previously awarded version.

2.3 These restrictions apply only to the previously awarded initiative. Category Gold and Overall Award winners may submit other initiatives without restriction. Regional Gold winners may re-enter in the following award cycle without restriction.

2.4 The Awards Committee reserves the right to determine whether a submission constitutes the same initiative.

3. General Conditions

3.1 All entries must conform to prescribed submission formats and requirements.

3.2 All entries must comply with applicable laws and regulations.

3.3 Entries containing offensive, unlawful, or defamatory material will be disqualified.

3.4 Any entry that has had a complaint upheld against it by the Advertising Standards Authority in the UK, or equivalent regulatory body elsewhere, may be disqualified.

3.5 Entries must be received no later than 31 July 2026 (23:59 BST). In the interest of fairness to all applicants, late submissions will not be accepted under any circumstances, regardless of affiliation.

3.6 All published dates and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of QS. Applicants will be notified of material changes via email.

3.7 Whilst reasonable care will be taken in the storage and handling of entries, QS accepts no responsibility for loss or damage.

3.8 By submitting an entry, applicants acknowledge that any personal data provided will be processed in accordance with the QS Privacy Policy .

3.9 By submitting an entry, applicants grant QS the right to publish, promote, and exhibit submitted materials for Awards-related purposes.

4. Judging Process (Applicants)

4.1 All entries will be evaluated through the official awards management platform.

4.2 Each entry will be assessed by a minimum of three (3) judges with relevant expertise.

4.3 QS reserves the right to subject projects to internal expert review where external evaluation capacity is insufficient.

4.4 Judging decisions are final and non-negotiable.

4.5 Due to the volume of entries received, QS cannot guarantee individual feedback. Applicants may request feedback; however, QS reserves the right to decline such requests at its discretion.

5. Evaluation Structure & Announcement

The Awards entail multiple stages of evaluation conducted by independent Jury Panels appointed by QS.

• Round One: Independent panel assessment to determine shortlisted projects.
• Round Two: Category-level judging to determine Bronze, Silver, and Gold winners.
• Grand Jury Review: Category winners are reviewed by a Grand Jury Panel of international experts.
• Final Determination: Overall Award recipients are selected by the Grand Jury following completion of the evaluation process.

Category and Regional winners are announced during the conference, and Overall Award recipients are formally announced at the Awards Ceremony.

Participation in the Innovation Showcase is separate from the Awards evaluation process. Showcase participation, conference attendance, or the timing of a showcase invitation does not determine or influence Award outcomes.

6. Recognition & Innovation Showcase

6.1 Shortlisted entries will be notified via email and will receive an official e-badge and e-certificate at no cost.

6.2 Shortlisted projects will be featured in the Innovations Directory .

6.3 Shortlisted projects may be invited to submit an Expression of Interest to participate in the Innovation Showcase. Submission of an Expression of Interest does not guarantee a showcase opportunity.

6.4 Following Round Two judging, QS will invite selected projects to participate in the Innovation Showcase.

6.5 Showcase selection will reflect the overall composition and needs of the conference programme, including category representation, diversity of projects and perspectives, organisational representation, suitability for live presentation and available capacity.

6.6 Showcase invitations may be issued in stages as the programme is finalised. The timing of an invitation does not indicate or imply a project's standing or outcome within the Awards.

6.7 QS reserves the right to limit showcase representation from any single institution or organisation and to vary the number of showcase opportunities available within individual categories.

7. Innovation Showcase Participation

7.1 Projects selected to showcase will be notified by email and must confirm their participation and conference attendance within the timeframe communicated by QS.

7.2 Where participation is not confirmed within the required timeframe, QS may release the showcase opportunity and invite another eligible project.

7.3 Showcase Passes will only be made available to projects formally invited by QS to participate in the Innovation Showcase. Other conference tickets, discounts or registration types do not guarantee a showcase opportunity.

7.4 Selected projects must comply with the presentation format, submission deadlines, technical requirements and other showcase guidance communicated by QS.

7.5 QS reserves the right to amend showcase schedules, formats or programme arrangements where reasonably required for the effective delivery of the conference.

8. Judges – Terms & Conditions

8.1 Judges must declare any actual or potential conflicts of interest.

8.2 Judges must accept the terms of the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) during the account activation process and are bound by its confidentiality obligations.

8.3 Judges may submit projects but may only evaluate categories different from their submission.

8.4 Judges are expected to conduct independent, diligent, and differentiated evaluations.

8.5 QS reserves the right to invalidate scores where judging effort is deemed inadequate or non-differentiated.

8.6 Judges whose evaluations are deemed inadequate may be excluded from certification and future participation.