Collaborate Sprint 2026

What is Collaborate Sprint?

Collaborate Sprint is an exciting and unique 2-day experience at our Loughborough University London campus, in which participants will work with a partner organisation on a real-world challenge. It is an excellent opportunity to apply skills and knowledge to problems, offering organisations insights and recommendations. Participants will also 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. This will be our fifth year of delivering Collaborate Sprint, 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!

Who is it open to?

Undergraduate students studying at Loughborough University who are interested in postgraduate study at Loughborough London and want to learn more about the Loughborough London campus, our teaching, learning and research environment. 

Places are open to all Loughborough University undergraduates, but if we are oversubscribed, final year students will be prioritised. 

Places are also open to prospective students who are interested in studying a Master's programme at Loughborough University London, including offer holders.

Why should I take part?

Collaborate Sprint is a great opportunity to:

• Develop and evidence vital skills like teamwork, problem-solving, presenting and critical thinking, all useful for future careers and post graduate study. 
• Work collaboratively in a team, innovating and developing potential solutions.
• Engage and network with our partner organisation and wider team at Loughborough London.

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 and you get to explore East London!

Student quote from Sprint 2025

What happens at Collaborate Sprint?

Participants will arrive on the first afternoon, allowing us to welcome everyone and for participants to check into their accommodation and get some pizza!

The next day we’ll start early with our partner organisation, presenting the project brief and taking questions. Teams will then be guided (by our brilliant London staff) through solving this real-world challenge while collaborating in small teams. That evening, there will be an opportunity for socialising and connecting at our community event and at Hackney Bridge on Here East. On the final day, teams will focus on refining their solutions and pitches, presenting back to our partner organisation in the afternoon. 

How do I apply?

Places are limited for this excellent opportunity; therefore, we ask students to complete a short application form, which will open in April 2026. If you have any questions about Collaborate Sprint 2026 in the meantime, please get in touch.

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.

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 quote from Collaborate Sprint 2025.