What is a hackathon?

“Hackathon” is a combination of the words “hack” and “marathon.” It is an innovative format in which participants come together to brainstorm ideas and create solutions within a short period of time.

Also referred to as an “innovathon” or “ideathon,” a hackathon brings people together to use collective creativity to imagine and develop new ideas. This collaborative and intense format is designed to inspire innovation and deliver concrete results quickly.

What is our format about?

Hackathons have become increasingly popular over the past five years. They provide students with an opportunity to showcase their skills, explore new ideas, and collaborate with others from different backgrounds.

Hackathons are valuable for institutions because they can help students come up with innovative solutions together to address real challenges. It is also an effective way to strengthen the interaction and connections between universities and practice partners such as policymakers.

In our case, the hackathon format takes place during a week-long seminar dedicated to the topic of public policy design. This seminar option is open to two Master’s students from all disciplines at the university, and we expect 15 to 30 students per session.

Students can develop unique, practical ideas in just a week through intensive teamwork. Hackathons also highlight the value of multidisciplinary collaboration and structure the creative process around specific goals, especially – in our case – where students from all disciplines meet to work in groups of four to five students and combine different approaches to complex questions.

How does the format work?

We organize a five-day hackathon in a non-working week, dedicated to introductory courses (resulting in ECTS credits) where students from all disciplines can explore topics, they have not yet encountered in their studies.  Our format is an in-person event and involves numerous on-site meetings where students can meet with key players in each year’s thematic area of activity.

The key steps

Step 1: Define the challenge

It is important to start by selecting a sponsor and working with them to define the theme or the topic and a related challenge. The challenge should be realistic and achievable within the timeframe. Effective communication is also important to attract motivated participants.

Step 2: Event launch

Kick off the hackathon with an opening session. The teacher explains the schedule and objectives for the week. The sponsor presents the challenge, including constraints and key considerations. Additional contributors, like associations or beneficiaries, may provide input to guide the students.

Step 3: Idea generation

Throughout the week, students take part in seminars and workshops led by instructors and experts. These sessions guide them as they brainstorm and refine their ideas.

Step 4: Prototyping

Once the groups have a clear idea, they move to the prototyping phase. This includes expert-led workshops and autonomous teamwork to create a concrete solution.

Step 5: Presentations and feedback

At the end of the week, the groups present their projects to the sponsor. These presentations may be followed by discussions and/or feedback to further refine the ideas.

Step 6: Post-event follow-up

It is important to stay in touch with both the sponsors and the students/participants after the event. This allows questions to be addressed and adjustments to be made along the practical implementation of the ideas developed. This follow-up stage also helps maintain good relationships with the sponsor and sets the stage for future collaboration.

For universities, grading a hackathon can be challenging. Instead, participation and engagement can be evaluated or feedback collected through a satisfaction survey.

Tasks and resources

A hackathon is a short, collaborative experience designed to inspire innovation and work in the field. Resources need to include an adequate assignment for the format and an external sponsor who is available for a few days.

Examples

https://www.univ-lyon2.fr/sciences-et-societe/les-poles-de-specialites/motif-design-des-politiques-publiques

Sources and further reading

https://www.bibliotheque-initiatives.fonction-publique.gouv.fr/files/2023-11/HACKATHON-LE-GUIDE-PRATIQUE.pdf

Introduction: What is the format about?

• A capsule format is a discussion in closed, small group sessions between researchers and policymakers (private). As a rule, these involve two researchers and two policymakers, but there can be less or more if necessary. A small audience may also be present in this discussion.
• It is a free format that allows participants to engage in free exchange without concern about a large audience listening to, after which the main points that emerged from the discussion are presented to the audience
• Topics must be open to discussion and the themes defined in advance because there is a public presentation later of the discussion, open to questions from the audience.

How does the format work?

Part 1: The private meeting

The capsule format is based on a confidential and informal setting that is designed to encourage open and constructive discussions.

Generally, two or three policymakers meet with two or three researchers, ideally from different disciplines. The workshop is organized by knowledge exchange officers from the university when, as in our case, we have identified a common theme. The capsule was organized as part of a two-day conference, which gave us the opportunity to bring together researchers and policymakers interested in the topic and provide them with an important opportunity for private discussion on the subject. The meeting is closed to the public and the media. Participants are invited to freely share their knowledge, challenges, and questions without concerns about public communication or political position.

This format aims to create a climate of trust and can lead to mutually beneficial relationships in the future.

Policymakers can ask questions without fear of judgment, and researchers who are not accustomed to speaking in public can present complex or even sensitive findings.

This capsule format also makes it possible to move beyond short-term thinking by opening up new areas for action. These dialogues can be one-off events or part of a cyclical process.

Part 2: The public presentation

At the end of the private session, a public debriefing can be organized to share the main ideas discussed while respecting the confidentiality of individual comments. This time allows for broader reflection and highlights the value of the discussion. In our case, the private session took place when the audience broke up for lunch. When they returned, the public session was included in the conference schedule for the day, which enabled us to have a significant, interested, and dynamic audience.

Challenges and how to address them

The main challenge of this format for support staff (knowledge exchange managers and research managers) is to maintain a common thread throughout the discussion to ensure the coherence and progression of the exchanges. To this end, the choice of moderator is crucial: he or she must have properly prepared the topics in advance, know how to rephrase comments, and make connections between the concerns of the participants, especially during the second phase of the public presentation.

Tasks and resources

Content: The content is very open, but the moderator must have thoroughly prepared the discussion topic and the limits of the researchers’ field of expertise and the limits of the policymakers’ field of activity for the discussion to be productive.

Although the format is fairly open, it requires a certain amount of preparation time for all participants. In fact, a meeting prior to the discussion is very useful for everyone to clarify their area of expertise and also to define the topics and limits of the discussion.

Examples

https://www.univ-lyon2.fr/sciences-et-societe/nos-projets/review-of-the-capsule-meeting-between-policy-makers-and-reseachers-on-the-key-topic-the-management-of-urban-wastelands

Summary: Key features in a nutshell

• Ten regional UGR County Councils, one per county of the Granada province
• Living Lab and Quadruple Helix approach linking universities, governments, businesses, and citizens
• Participatory identification of local challenges in water management, soil restoration, sustainable mobility, and cultural heritage
• Science-policy pairing between researchers and public officials for locally relevant solutions
• Institutional framework ensuring long-term coordination and knowledge transfer between academia and territorial authorities

Description

The UGR County Councils are a regional model for science-policy dialogue developed by the University of Granada (Spain) within the Erasmus+ ENGAGEgreen project. The initiative is a response to the province’s urgent environmental and social challenges—such as drought, soil degradation, and rural depopulation—by creating ten County Councils, one per county, that connect academia, policymakers, the private sector, and civil society.

Using the Living Lab methodology and the Quadruple Helix model, the Councils foster collaborative experimentation and evidence-based policymaking. They serve as locally rooted platforms for co-creation, capacity building, and participatory governance, advancing sustainable development at the regional level.

How does the format work?

1. Introduction

Granada’s pressing environmental issues revealed a lack of structured mechanisms to integrate scientific evidence into policymaking. To overcome this, the UGR established ten County Councils to institutionalize dialogue between science and policy at the territorial level.

2. Objectives

• Foster inclusive and structured dialogue between academia, public administration, civil society, and the private sector.
• Identify and prioritize local challenges through participatory platforms.
• Pilot a scalable model of science-policy pairing capable of replication in other European regions.
• Strengthen institutional capacities for knowledge transfer and consolidate the university’s civic engagement mission.

3. Methodology

The Councils employ a Living Lab approach that promotes real-world experimentation and stakeholder cocreation of locally relevant solutions.

They integrate the Quadruple and Quintuple Helix logic, ensuring the participation of:

• Academic institutions
• Public administrations
• Private sector actors
• Civil-society organizations
• Recruitment and participation combined institutional communication (emails, websites) with informal word-of-mouth channels to reach local policymakers and citizens.
• Activities used hybrid formats (online and in-person) such as webinars, cocreation workshops, and capacity-building sessions designed to foster dialogue, mutual learning, and joint decision making.

4. Pilot implementation highlights

The UGR County Councils were formally launched in January 2025 during the First Impronta Granada Meeting, which gathered 143 participants for the first province-wide encounter. Since then, the initiative has evolved into a structured network of approximately 230 active participants across ten counties in Granada.

The councils have facilitated science policy dialogue on key environmental issues, including webinars and seminars on soil restoration, drought management, and biotechnological alternatives for pest control, co-organized with local authorities and scientific experts.

Stakeholder engagement reflects the project’s Quadruple Helix foundation, combining public administrations, academic institutions, civil society, and private sector actors.

A total of over 15 multiformat activities have been organized, including:

• Webinars on soil restoration and drought with regional agencies
• A seminar on sustainable pest control co-led by UGR biotechnology experts and local mayors
• Capacity-building workshops and collaborative working sessions, generating more than eight localized action proposals, several of which are being integrated into municipal and regional policy agendas
• Codesigned, place-based solutions addressing water governance, ecological transition, and rural innovation rooted in territorial realities.
• Science-policy pairing mechanisms, enabling researchers to act as regional mediators and catalyze evidence-based decision making at the municipal level.

 5. Results and impact

• National and international visibility through participation in conferences, dissemination via institutional networks, and continuous media outreach
• Development of a flexible governance model, balancing central coordination with local autonomy and self-organization
• Institutional recognition and symbolic incentives, such as participation certificates and the forthcoming Best UGR County Council Award, reinforcing long-term stakeholder engagement
• Hybrid participation formats (online and in-person) expanded accessibility, especially in rural areas, strengthening inclusivity and plural representation

Overall, the UGR County Councils have demonstrated the potential of universities as regional mediators, fostering collaborative solutions that address environmental and social challenges through sustained science-policy dialogue.

Challenges

• Historically weak links between academia and local governments required trust-building
• Balancing academic coordination with local autonomy
• Ensuring equitable representation of all quadruple-helix sectors
• Managing logistics and accessibility for rural territories
• Translating dialogue outcomes into concrete, actionable policies
• Difficulties maintaining consistent participation across all counties

Tasks and resources

Scientists

• Contribute research insights on sustainability, soil, water, and cultural heritage
• Act as regional mediators, facilitating evidence-based discussions
• Support monitoring and evaluation through data analysis and policy translation

Knowledge exchange managers and research managers

• Coordinate the creation of ten county-based councils and manage logistics
• Design and facilitate cocreation workshops and training sessions
• Ensure alignment between local priorities and ENGAGEgreen objectives
• Compile reports and communication materials for dissemination (websites, media)

Policymakers

• Participate in workshops and webinars to share challenges and priorities
• Provide local data, administrative context, and feedback on proposed solutions
• Integrate cocreated proposals into municipal or county policy agendas

Required resources at a glance

Examples

• Launch event (January 2025): First Impronta Granada Meeting was attended by 143 participants, marking the establishment of all ten UGR County Councils
• Ongoing network: Approximately 230 active participants across the province
• Thematic webinars: On soil restoration, drought management, and biotechnological pest control, co-organized with local authorities and researchers
• Workshops: Generated over 10 localized action proposals, several now under implementation in municipal policies
• Hybrid formats: Online and in-person participation strengthened inclusivity and accessibility for rural communities