The closing event of the IOG Challenge 2025/2026 took place in mid-February, with around 900 students in 61 teams from colleges and universities across Germany taking part. The team from Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences was successful and finished among the top ten. Prof. Frank Schrödel, who provided the students with ongoing support for their project, was delighted with their success: “I am absolutely thrilled about the good ranking and impressed by the level of commitment our students show in dedicating their free time to such important issues.”
This year's challenge involved upgrading a wind-powered water pump in Uganda that delivers 85,000 liters of water per day. The idea behind this is that the system switches off automatically after filling a storage tank. This means that supplies can be maintained even on windless days without overloading the system or risking damage from overuse, such as flooding of fields.
The students presented their designs in videos. The ten best were selected before the final event. A jury interviewed the teams and announced the winners: the team from Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences was among the ten best.
You can view Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences' competition entry here: https://youtu.be/mj2IAa_jS2Y?si=Jx3IvVqFn2aeMdB2