On September 18, 2025, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Brno University of Technology held its first student project hackathon for master's and doctoral students. Over five hours, four teams prepared a vision for a research project that could form the basis for participation in the international Horizon Europe – Twinning program.

A total of 18 participants participated in the event, trying their hand at teamwork, presenting their own ideas, and searching for innovative solutions for the future of their fields. The winner was a team from the Institute of Machine and Industrial Design, which won faculty prizes and the opportunity to continue preparing a real international project.

"We felt that students often don't get enough opportunity to influence what will happen in the project. This form of competition—a hackathon—was intended to provide a space where such proposals could be developed. If the winning team members are interested, we will prepare a real project with the winning team on the next call. If they accept this offer, they can follow the preparation process, participate in meetings with partners, and generally get involved in preparing a real international project proposal," says project manager Blanka Marušincová.

Participants rated the hackathon format positively, especially the opportunity to gain new experiences, broaden their horizons, and connect with colleagues across departments. The judges, who included representatives from the faculty and the corporate sector, appreciated the active involvement of students and doctoral candidates, which can strengthen creativity and research excellence at the faculty.

The event is part of the BAANG project. The project has been funded by European Union Programme Horizon Europe under grant agreement no. 101079091.