Collaborate Sprint 2026/27

Collaborate Sprint is an exciting and unique experience at our Loughborough University London campus, where students work with a partner organisation on a real-world challenge.

Are you interested in...

...knowing how to create change in the world?
...tackling real-world challenges, pitching ideas and competing for a prize?
...meeting students across campus, building your confidence and learning new skills?

If you answered yes to any of these questions – then our Collaborate Sprints are for you!  

What is Collaborate Sprint?

Collaborate Sprint is an excellent opportunity to apply skills and knowledge to problems, offering organisations insights and recommendations. Participants are able to network with our partner organisation and fellow students, helping them make connections and strengthen transferable skills for future careers and study. The opportunity is a taster of the Collaborative Project module and will be our fifth year of delivering the Sprint. Over the years we’ve worked with over 100 students and world-leading organisations including Ford, Holland and Barrett and the Global Disability Innovation Hub. We continue to build on this success and will be taking our Sprints to our global community in India this year!

When are the Sprints?

  • Friday 25 September 2026, 9.30am - 4.30pm
  • Friday 4 December 2026, 9.30am - 4.30pm
  • Friday 5 February 2027, 10am - 5pm (also open to Loughborough University undergraduates)
  • Friday 19 March 2027, 9.30am - 4.30pm

What will I do at a Sprint?

  • Build a team and develop your team working skills
  • Work together to tackle a ‘wicked problem’ – learn how to get things done!
  • Take on a real challenge from a business or global organisation and receive feedback from established professionals
  • An opportunity to meet new people and network with students and our partner organisations
  • An opportunity to prepare for the Collaborative Project and Grand Challenges modules

No previous experience is necessary; all the information will be given on the day.

Prizes on offer for winning teams!

At Loughborough University London we like to teach the discipline of solving problems sustainably. Sprints challenge our students to take on a big problem. Whether it’s the regulation of AI, Climate Change, fixing fast fashion or looking at transport infrastructure in cities – we want to help students to create better.

Who can take part in the Sprint?

Any student currently studying at Loughborough University London can take part in any of the 4 Sprints.

Our Sprint on Friday 5 February is also open to Loughborough University undergraduates who are interested in postgraduate study at Loughborough London or want to learn more about the Loughborough London campus, our teaching, learning and research environment. 

Which partner organisations will be setting the challenges?

Previous partners have included Ford, IBM, Holland & Barrett, LendLease, Here East and the Global Disability Innovation Hub. This year we are really excited to be working with 4 different partners; we announce each partner nearer to the time of each Sprint with full event details and registration on Handshake.

How do I sign up?

If you are a Loughborough University London student please log into your Handshake account and register for the Sprints.

If you are a Loughborough University undergraduate student interested in attending the Sprint on Friday 5 February 2027, please complete the short form and we will be in touch.  

Image of a big group of students at the collaborative sprint
A perfect opportunity if you want to gain experience of tackling real life business challenge. It was a fun, supportive experience where you learn a lot from not only the staff, but other students.
It was a challenging but rewarding experience that teaches you how to work collaboratively in teams. It expanded my network, boosted my skills and introduced me to the professional, real world.

Student quotes from 2025 and 2026 Sprints.

Collaborating with Loughborough University London helped us build a stronger creative community in Hackney Wick’s Here East. We had the opportunity to nurture the next generation of designers from different courses, to introduce them to human centred design, get them excited about innovation and design processes and show how we solve real life problems as a company.

Ford Human Centred Design Team – Collaborate Sprint partner organisation in 2023 and 2024.