Hackathons

Hackathons have become a fantastic platform for students from different countries to come together, share ideas, and collaborate on innovative projects. These events are especially powerful for addressing global challenges, such as developing sustainable solutions, by fostering diverse perspectives and knowledge. The magic of hackathons lies not only in the technical skills that participants develop but also in the cultural exchange and learning that takes place as students work side by side, often in international teams. It's amazing to see how these events create bridges between people from various backgrounds, enriching both the solutions and the individuals involved.

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The word “hackathon” is a portmanteau of the words “hack” and “marathon”, where “hack” is used in the sense of exploratory programming, not its alternate meaning as a reference to computer crime. The concept of hackathons originated in the early 2000s, with the first known event organized by OpenBSD in 1999. They wanted to gather developers to work intensely over a short period, which became the basis for today’s hackathon format. As a method, hackathons are powerful because they encourage rapid prototyping, creativity, and interdisciplinary collaboration—traits that are crucial for tackling today’s most pressing problems.
“The aspect of the SoHack project that impressed most students who participated in these events - was the common goal. The goal to improve the sustainability of the campus of different universities.” – says social work student Patrik from Vilnius University.  

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Vilnius, Thessaloniki and Lisbon are such diverse and unique cities, with different campuses, but all the university communities were united by a common goal - to contribute to sustainability and to saving the world. Each community does this in its own way, adapting to different circumstances: location, climate, number of students, etc. For students and teachers, going to other countries has the dual benefit of providing experience and ideas, as well as feedback on how the sustainability goals are being implemented from the outside, and sharing ideas on what could be improved.

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Hackathons are more than just competitions; they are opportunities to explore new ideas, work with people from different cultures, and contribute to the growing demand for sustainable and impactful solutions around the different European countries involved in Sohack project.

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