Tech4Change

The inaugural Tech4Change: Asia-Pacific ICT Innovation Challenge was launched in 2024, building on existing collaborations with the Department of Infrastructure.

Sponsored by the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity and the Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, the event invited UQ Business School students to address Sustainable Development Goal challenges across the Asia-Pacific.

Over a 4-week challenge, students could choose either a data stream or a strategy stream to explore any solution to address any challenges with ICT for development within the Asia-Pacific.

Students developed solutions for issues such as:

• child marriage in Bangladesh
• climate change adaptation in the Pacific
• housing affordability in Australia
• water stress
• cardiovascular health in Indonesia
• environmental pollution in India.

Winning projects

Data stream

First place ($1,000)
Heart to Heart: Unveiling Indonesia’s Cardio Crisis

Second place ($500)
Developing a classification model to forecast future water stress challenges

Third place
Game On, Plastic Gone: India’s Strategy for Environmental Change

Strategy stream

First place ($1,000)
A sustainable system to prevent and reverse the effects of rising sea levels

Second place ($500)
Transforming Housing Crisis into Sustainable Housing in Australia

Third place
Alleviation of child marriage through financial education and support in Bangladesh

The inaugural event received strong feedback from participants, judges and industry partners, establishing Tech4Change as a meaningful experiential learning initiative for future cohorts.