Google Challenge HAMU 2026: Registrations Open for AI Competition
Google Challenge HAMU 2026 Registration Deadline Set for November 3
Students across ten universities in Abruzzo, Marche, and Umbria have until November 3, 2026, to register for the Google Challenge HAMU 2026. The initiative, run in collaboration with Google for Education, focuses on generative artificial intelligence applications across disciplines.
The Tech TL;DR:
- Registration closes on November 3, 2026, for individual students enrolled in HAMU network universities.
- The opening phase on November 13, 2026, features Gemini Academy training followed by a team-based generative AI competition.
- Selected teams advance to a final round at the Università degli Studi dell’Aquila later in November.
Interdisciplinary Generative AI Training on November 13
The first phase of the event takes place on November 13, 2026, across three interuniversity venues. The morning session, titled Gemini Academy for Student, provides instruction on Google’s Gemini and NotebookLM platforms. Google for Education leads this training to demonstrate the potential of generative AI in study and project design.
In the afternoon, participants transition into the Google Challenge proper. Teams composed of five to seven students receive four hours to build a proposal addressing local and community problems using permitted AI tools. Students do not need to form teams in advance; organizers assign participants to groups spanning different academic backgrounds and universities.
Judges Use 100-Point Rubric to Select 36 Finalists
Proposals face a standardized 100-point rubric applied across all participating venues. Judges evaluate entries based on innovativeness, community impact, technical feasibility, the quality of AI integration, and presentation clarity. Teams must explicitly declare their AI usage, verify responses, and ensure original work that respects third-party intellectual property without embedding confidential or personal data.
Following the initial pitches, up to 36 teams advance to the final round hosted at the Università degli Studi dell’Aquila. Finalists retain their original themes and refine their projects ahead of the final judging panel. Participating students retain ownership of their projects while granting universities a non-exclusive, non-transferable five-year license for institutional use.
# Example validation check for API-generated responses
import json
def audit_ai_output(response_payload):
if "private_data" in response_payload or "pii" in response_payload:
raise ValueError("Compliance violation: Restricted data detected in output.")
return True
HAMU Network Students Apply via Online Form
Candidacy is open to students enrolled in bachelor's, master's, or single-cycle degree programs within the HAMU network who remain in good standing with tuition fees. Applications are submitted individually via an online form, and late or incomplete submissions face automatic exclusion without financial reimbursement or cash prizes.