UK university offers £5,000 to student who can 'change the world'

A UK university has launched a fund that will award £5,000 ($6,400) to the student who can come up with the best idea that will “change the world.”

The University of Law, which has 10 campuses across the UK and one in Hong Kong, is encouraging students to submit ideas about how they can enact change in the world — be it through lobbying, charity work, or a business venue — for the chance to win a £5,000 investment in their initiative.

Just one winner will be chosen by a panel, chaired by the university’s CEO and vice-chancellor Professor Andrea Nollent.

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In addition to the money, the winner will receive “ongoing support and mentoring from the university’s faculty and alumni”, the institution said.

The fund is a response to research by the university, which found two in five young Brits believe money is the biggest inhibitor to them being able to help causes they are passionate about, while nearly half (46%) said their generation simply “isn’t listened to.”

Over four out of five (84%) of 18 to 25 year-olds claimed they don’t have the money or expertise to do more to change the world — despite nearly 47% agreeing their generation is the one that can make the most difference.

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The Change the World Fund aims to encourage students to “use their voices” to share thoughts and ideas about how to tackle important issues, such as climate change and gender quality, the university said.

Professor Nollent said: “Our research has highlighted how important issues like racism, climate change and poverty are to our younger generation. Yet this generation clearly feels as though they don’t have a voice or a platform to make a change.

“We’re hopeful that we can find some creative and innovative people and ideas from our campaign and, working together, we can change the world.”