Library Innovation Competition supporting information

The following section outlines the official terms and conditions of the University of Leeds Library Innovation Competition. It is intended to provide clear guidance for all entrants and organisers, consolidating the rules, judging criteria, deadlines and supporting information.

Eligibility and entry rules

• Entrants must be registered students at the University of Leeds.  
• Each entry must be submitted either individually or as a group of up to three people.
• Each entrant may submit up to a maximum of three entries. Each idea must be submitted as a single competition entry; entries containing multiple ideas may receive lower scores or be discarded at the discretion of the shortlisting panel.  
• Entries must be submitted via the online submission form.
• Submissions may be accompanied by supporting images, videos or other media.  
• All submissions must be the original work of the named entrant(s); where existing concepts or sources of inspiration have been used, these must be appropriately acknowledged. Entrants are responsible for ensuring that their entries do not infringe on third-party rights. If an entry is found to plagiarise other work and/or infringe upon any third-party intellectual property rights without appropriate acknowledgement, the entrant(s) will be disqualified from the competition. The University of Leeds will not accept any responsibility or liability in such cases.
• Entrants shall retain ownership of their entry submission. Each entrant grants the University of Leeds a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use their entries for the purposes of the Library Innovation Competition including but not limited to judging, promotion, publication, display on website, marketing, showcasing at events and inclusion in reports.  
• By submitting an entry, the entrant accepts that the application is made at their own risk. The University of Leeds is not responsible for any loss or damage, however caused, either in transit or during the competition process.  
• The judging panel's decisional shall be final and there will be no opportunity to appeal. 
• Entrant personal data collected during the competition will be handled and processed in accordance with the University’s Privacy Notice and applicable data protection laws. Shortlisted entrants and winners consent to the use of their names and photographs in competition-related publicity, marketing and notifications, except where they have requested otherwise and the University has agreed to such a request.  

Judging criteria  

Competition entries will be judged on the following criteria:

• impact on the student experience
• feasibility and practicality
• originality and creativity
• clarity and detail of the proposal
• consideration of diverse perspectives and student voices.

Deadlines and key dates

• Submission deadline: The deadline for the competition is midnight (UK time) on Sunday 23 November 2025.
• Shortlist annouced: The shortlisted finalists will be contacted via email on 5 December 2025.
• Mentoring support: The shortlisted finalists will receive their tailored mentoring in February 2026.
• Live event and winners announced: The event will take place in the evening of 3 March 2026 and the winners will be announced.

Shortlisting and judging

• Selection panel: Initial shortlisting will be carried out by a working group composed of representatives from the Library and, where possible, members from Leeds University Union (LUU). This panel will review all submissions and determine which entries progress to the final stage, using the judging criteria to ensure fairness throughout the process.
• Judging panel: Finalists will present their ideas to a panel comprising of senior leaders in student education, members of the Libraries’ leadership team and representatives from LUU. This diverse panel will provide valuable feedback and recognise innovation across a range of perspectives. Presenting finalists will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas to individuals who play a significant role in shaping the student experience and academic environment at the University.

Mentoring

• As a finalist, you will benefit from tailored mentoring support in February 2026 to help you prepare for presenting your idea at the live final. You will have access to expert advice and guidance to further develop your concept, so you feel fully equipped to pitch to the judging panel.
• The mentoring will focus on enhancing your presentation skills, building your confidence and providing constructive feedback to help you create a compelling, clearly articulated proposal that meets the judging criteria. This process will also provide you with valuable practical experience in public speaking and advocacy, which can be showcased in future applications, interviews or professional environments as evidence of your initiative and creative thinking.
• Mentoring will be delivered by either Library and University staff or external specialists.

Public vote

• In the run up to the live event, a public vote will provide students with the opportunity to have their say on the shortlisted ideas. This vote does not form an official part of the competition but will provide Library teams with useful insight into student opinion which may inform future planning.
• The competition will be judged solely on the finalists' presentations at the live event.
• The result of the public vote may only be considered in the event that the judges are unable to decide on a winner from the presentations alone.

Announcement of winners

The winning idea will be announced at the live event on 3 March 2026.

Prize information

The prizes are as follows:

• 1st prize: £1,000 and the title of Student Innovation Champion.
• 2nd prize: £500.
• 3rd prize: £250.
• Prizes for group entries: Where a winning entry has been submitted by a group, the total prize value awarded will be the same as for an individual entry and will be divided equally among all named group members.  
• All prizes will be awarded in vouchers of the recipient’s choice (if a winning idea is a team submission, individual group members can each select their voucher type).
• If we cannot purchase your first choice of voucher for any reason, then we will work with you to find a suitable alternative.
• All prizes will be awarded by the end of March 2026.