CIGR Engineering Student International Competition

Empowering Future Biosystems Innovators

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Students are invited to submit an individual or group project completed during their undergraduate studies. Submissions must be made before September 15, 2025.

Winners will be selected for each one of seven technical areas. Each winner will receive a certificate and a cash award. In addition, one overall winner will receive full financing to attend the 2026 CIGR World Congress in Turin Italy.

Participating students are required to submit a three-minute video and a one-page description of a project conducted while registered full-time in an Agricultural, Biosystems or Biological Engineering program. Also required are a statement from an advisory faculty member and proof of enrollment.

About Us

The International Commission of Agricultural Engineering (CIGR) is an international, non-governmental, non-profit organization consisting of a network of Regional and National Societies of Agricultural Engineering as well as private and public companies and individuals worldwide. CIGR was created by a Constituent Assembly on the occasion of the First International Congress of Agricultural Engineering, held in Liege, Belgium in 1930.

Our mission is to foster the professional growth of students and celebrate exemplary achievements in the field.

PRIZE CATEGORIES

GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE prizes will be awarded to students on each of the following technical areas: 1) Land and water management. 2) Structures and environment. 3) Plant production. 4) Energy in agriculture. 5) System management. 6) Bioprocesses. 7) Information technology. In addition, one PLATINUM prize will be awarded. A total of 22 prizes will be awarded.

GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE

Every GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE winner will receive an award certificate. In addition an individual winner or team will receive a cash award of US$500 for GOLD, US$300 for SILVER, and US$200 for BRONZE.

PLATINUM

The PLATINUM prize winner will be selected amongst the GOLD winners. The PLATINUM prize winner will receive full funding to the CIGR World Congress on June, 2026, in Torino, Italy. This will include air travel and local transportation, hotel, per diem and conference registration.

A one page description of the project that includes: 1) Title of the project. 2) Student's name and email. 3) Agricultural, Biological or Biosystems Engineering issue addressed by the project and objective. 4) Description of the solution implemented. 5) Conclusion. (pdf file) Please use 12 Courier font, single spaced, with one inch margins. Page limits will be strongly enforced.

A three minute video of the student presenting the project. Time limit will be strictly enforced.

Proof of enrollment in an undergraduate program related to agricultural, biological, biosystems or any closely related field.

A letter on official letterhead from faculty advisor recommending the project and a brief statement of its quality and potential beneficial outcomes.

Land and Water Management

Land and water use in agriculture and in rural areas, giving special attention to the conservation of resources, the preservation and re-establishment of environmental balances, and the social and economic impacts to realize sustainable development for both urban and rural societies. SUBMIT

Structures and Environment

The interaction of living organisms and their micro-environment by using structures and guaranteeing the long term sustainability, product quality and safety, as well as human/animal health and welfare. SUBMIT

Plant Production

Components and systems for improved productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. Including, equipment and systems to produce plants, including equipment design, manufacture, and use to establish plants, protect plants, harvest plant products, and transportation of agricultural produce. SUBMIT

Energy in Agriculture

The rational and sustainable application of electricity and other energy sources in agriculture and biosystems. SUBMIT

System Management

The optimization of farm management and work organization by use of operations planning, logistics and system engineering, while improving the operations efficiency, economics, health, ergonomics, and workers´ safety. SUBMIT

Bioprocesses

Engineering and technology in post-harvest and agri-food processing with particular focus on properties of products, unit operations, equipment, process control and traceability in respect to ensure the high quality and safety of food. SUBMIT

Information Technology

The use of information and communication technologies in all areas of agriculture in order to increase its sustainability, quality of operations and produce, productivity and profitability of the businesses. Target those technologies to every link of the production chains, education, research and policy making. SUBMIT

What is included in the prizes?

A GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE winner will be selected for each of the seven technical areas. Each winner will receive a certificate. The GOLD, SILVER AND BRONZE winner for each area will receive a US$500.00, US$300 and US$200 cash award, respectively. The seven gold winners will be invited to provide an extended abstract of their project. From the group of seven gold winners a PLATINUM prize winner will be selected.
The PLATINUM prize winner will receive full funding to the CIGR World Congress on June 2026, in Torino, Italy. This will include air travel and local transportation, hotel, per diem and conference registration. Travel arrangements will be made by the CIGR Secretariat.

I already graduated, can I participate?

No. In order to participate you must be enrolled as an undergraduate student in an agricultural, biological, biosystems engineering, or closely related program at the time your entry is submitted.

When is the CIGR2026 World Congress?

The 2026 CIGR World Congress will be held on June 2026 in Turin, Italy.

I'm a graduate student, can I participate?

No. The competition is open only to undergraduate students.

What are acceptable file formats for submission?

Please submit all files, except video, as pdf files. Please submit video files as MP4 video files.

Are group projects acceptable?

Yes. In the case of a group project being a winner in any category, all team members will receive a certificate. However, the cash prize for the team will remain the same as for an individual. In case of winning the grand prize one individual representing the group will be financed to attend the 2026 CIGR World Congress in Torino, Italy.

What is the deadline for submission?

The deadline for submission is September 15, 11:00PM ETD (New York time). The submission web page will shut down at this time so submissions must be completely uploaded by this deadline.

When will winners be announced?

The announcement of the GOLD, SILVER and BROZE winners will be made on February 15, 2026.
In addition, the PLATINUM winner will be announced for the first time during the CIGR2026 World Congress in Torino, Italy.

How will the winners be recognized?

GOLD, SILVER, and BRONZE winners will be recognized in the CIGR Newsletter and during the awards ceremony that will take place during the CIGR2026 World Congress in Torino, Italy.

How will projects be evaluated?

A standard evaluation criterion used across the competition includes:

Quality and rigor that is present in the submission (Clear description of the problem, analysis and elected approach of the solution implemented, sound use of engineering science and technology).
Originality and creativity in the implementation of engineering principles and science (The solution demonstrates mastery of the principles used in the solution and their use in a creative and innovative manner).
Relevance and impact (The problem addresses an important issue and may affect many stakeholders).
Interest and relevance to Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering (The subject matter is squarely within the domain of one of the CIGR Technical sections).

Can I submit my project to more than one technical area?

No. Projects submitted to more than one technical area will not be considered.

Can I submit more than one project?

No. Only one project per individual or team can be submitted to the competition. Individuals or teams submitting more than one project will not be considered.