Problem Statement for AYC 2025 Hackathon:

Challenge: Tackling Transboundary Environmental Issues with AI

Problem:

Design an AI-powered solution to address a cross-border environmental challenge that affects two or more countries in the ASEAN+3 region. The solution must demonstrate how AI can facilitate coordination, decision-making, or action across national boundaries and consider cultural, environmental, and political diversity.

What to Consider:

1. Environmental Aspects: Shared natural resources, Transboundary pollution, Cross-border biodiversity conservation or disaster risks
2. AI Aspects: Data integration from multiple countries, Predictive modeling, anomaly detection, and alert systems, Tools that support collaboration, negotiation, or consensus building
3. Cultural and Regional Relevance: Respect for local knowledge, practices, and legal frameworks, Multilingual or low-bandwidth AI tools, Inclusivity of marginalized communities or cross-cultural interfaces

Expected Output from Participants:

• Clearly define the cross-border environmental issue.
• Propose and justify the AI model used and how it promotes multinational cooperation.
• Explain how the solution works, its scalability across borders, and any limitations.
• Illustrate cultural/contextual sensitivity in the design.
• Present the solution professionally in a 7-minute pitch.

Instructions: Required Submissions for the Judging Committee

To ensure smooth evaluation and presentation, each team must submit the following two items:

(1) Two-Page AI Solution Description

Each team must prepare a two-page written description of their AI-based solution to the assigned cross-border environmental challenge. This document will be shared with the judging committee prior to your presentation and will serve as a key reference to understand your thinking, innovation, and relevance to the regional context.

 

Guidelines:

• Length: Maximum 2 pages (excluding cover page, if used)
• Format: PDF
• Font: Arial or similar, minimum 11 pt, single line spacing
• Language: English
• Submission Deadline: Thursday, 19 June 2025, 23:00 (Bangkok Time)
• File Naming: [CountryName0x]_AI_Solution.pdf (e.g., Thailand01_AI_Solution.pdf)
• Submission via email to: km@seameo-stemed.org

Your description should be written in a way that tells the story of your idea—its purpose, how it works, and how it responds to the complex realities of the Southeast Asian region. The judging committee will assess how well each team addresses the required aspects through both the written submission and live presentation.

If you have any questions or need further clarification, please contact the organizing team.

(2) Presentation File

Each team must prepare a presentation to support their 7-minute pitch during the judging session.

Guidelines:

• Format: PowerPoint (.ppt/.pptx), Google Slides (exported as .pptx), or PDF
• Optional Media: Teams may include video clips, but these must be downloaded and playable offline from the presentation computer
• Submission Method: Copy to the designated presentation computer on-site
• Submission Deadline: Friday, 20 June 2025 by 07:30 (Bangkok Time)

Late file uploads or web-based video links (e.g., YouTube) will not be allowed. Please test your presentation and videos on the presentation computer in advance to avoid technical issues.

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This problem statement is codeveloped by Johannes Kepler Universität Linz and SEAMEO STEM-ED