The next generation of engineers demonstrated the power of globally responsible design at the 2025 Grand Finals of the Engineering for People Design Challenge, hosted recently at Sheffield Hallam University.
Delivered by Engineers Without Borders UK, in partnership with Makers Valley Partnership and Engineers Without Borders South Africa, the challenge invites university students to rethink the role of engineering in society and design solutions centred around the needs of communities.
This year’s participants tackled real-world issues in Makers Valley – a vibrant but under-resourced neighbourhood in Johannesburg, South Africa – where complex challenges like high unemployment, infrastructure decay, and urban inequality intersect with rich community activism and entrepreneurship.
“We hope for a city that is safe and secure for all, where the voiceless are heard, where the environment is cared for, and where there are opportunities for thriving, not just surviving,” said Noluthando Mdayi, joint CEO of Makers Valley Partnership. “These innovative ideas and engineering skills can make a lasting impact, helping to shape a future where everyone in Makers Valley can thrive.”
Almost 10,000 students from universities across the UK and Ireland participated in this year’s challenge, supported by immersive resources including video case studies and interviews with local residents.
The top 36 teams earned a place at the Grand Finals, where they pitched their ideas to expert judges, networked with peers and professionals, and took part in workshops designed to inspire globally responsible engineering.
Keynote speakers included Dr Shini Somara, mechanical engineer and broadcaster, who encouraged students to embrace difference and speak confidently about the positive impact of their work, and Hector Dibakoane, Joint CEO of Makers Valley Partnership, who spoke passionately about the value of community-led development.
The winning team from the University of Warwick developed BrikCycle – a low-tech, high-impact solution that transforms unrecyclable plastic waste into interlocking construction bricks.
The modular design requires no mortar, reduces material usage, and improves insulation, while also generating employment and promoting a circular local economy. The team’s proposal impressed judges with its simplicity, scalability, and deep alignment with local needs and opportunities.
“We learn a lot of theory in university. But when it comes to actually applying that, we don’t have much opportunity. And so, coming to this challenge and having that opportunity has been great […] Working with your group to present what you think matters to the world is a really motivational thing to do,” said Hamed Khan, University of Warwick.
Combining menstrual health, sustainability, and community empowerment, the University of East Anglia’s People’s Pad Project trains local women to make reusable sanitary pads using recycled PET fabric. The project also incorporates hygiene education and entrepreneurship, offering a holistic approach to health, waste reduction, and economic inclusion.
Voted for by the public, the University of Sheffield’s proposal tackled water insecurity through a comprehensive system combining gravity-fed infrastructure, pipe restoration, and rainwater harvesting.
A key feature of the design was community involvement: training and employing local residents to install and maintain the system while building water conservation awareness.
The Grand Finals mark the culmination of months of student-led innovation – but for many, this experience is just the beginning. Now reaching over 100,000 students across 50 universities worldwide, the Engineering for People Design Challenge continues to transform how engineering is taught and practised, embedding global responsibility into the heart of the profession.
Independent evaluation shows that:
“It’s such a well-designed programme, which makes it very easy to bring into our course,” said an educator at Colorado State University. “Engineers Without Borders UK provide such great materials.”
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