EMERGENCY PROTOCOL 2026:
THE HIGHWAY COLLAPSE
A massive geotechnical failure has severed a critical transport route. Students across Australia are invited to design coding, robotics, and AI solutions for rescue, logistics, safety, and recovery.
More Than a Themed Competition
This is applied STEM through meaningful, real-world engineering problem solving.
Why You’ll Want to Take on the Mission
It’s not just a worksheet. It is an opportunity to prove your skills on a national stage.
Be the Creator
Don’t just play gamesโbuild your own interactive app, robot, or AI tool from the ground up.
Real-World Impact
Solve an actual, meaningful mission. See how technology directly responds to human crises.
Rep Your School
Submit your boldest ideas and proudly represent your schoolโs talent on an Australia-wide platform.
Earn the Glory
Gain national recognition. Top innovators earn medals, physical trophies, and verified certificates.
Choose Your Challenge Pathway
Students research a real-world emergency, then turn their ideas into games, AI projects, robots, and STEM solutions.
Coding Challenge
Path A: Junior Explorers (KโY2)
Path B: Scratch Rescue Game (Y3โ12)
Path C: AI Pose Rescue Game
Robotics Challenge
Build and control an AI rescue robot using pose recognition and Bluetooth. Individual, Team, and Starter categories available.
STEM Learning Challenge
Build STEM confidence through online learning activities. No robot kit needed. Helps schools include more students in the challenge.
Research-Based Learning
Every pathway follows: Research โ Design โ Code/Build โ Test โ Explain. Students investigate the highway collapse and turn research into solutions.
See What Students Can Build
This project is shared as inspiration only. Students are encouraged to create their own unique solutions.
“Zombie Animal Outbreak!”
Yobel took a crisis theme and imagined a scenario where animals turned into zombies attacking a school. The user must help the principal create a vaccine and physically inject the animals to save the system!
Designed for Classroom STEM Learning
Students investigate a real emergency, design solutions, build or code their ideas, test, improve, and explain their thinking.
Australian Curriculum Aligned
Connects with Technologies, Science, Mathematics, HASS/Geography, HPE, and General Capabilities across all pathways.
Research-Based Projects
Students follow: Research โ Design โ Code/Build โ Test โ Explain. Real inquiry, not just themed games.
Low Prep, High Impact
eLearning courses and project structures ready to go. Teachers guide โ students build and learn independently.
Affordable & Inclusive
$20/student (school group). KโYear 12. Coding pathways need no robot kit โ more students can join.
Real Recognition
Online qualification โ UNSW Grand Final. Medals, trophies, certificates, and school celebration opportunities.
How It Works for Your School
Three simple steps โ from registration to recognition.
Register Your School
Choose Coding, Robotics, or STEM Learning pathways. $20/student for school groups. Students get eLearning access instantly.
Students Learn & Build
Self-paced eLearning courses, research guides, Scratch projects, AI tools, and robotics missions. Teachers guide โ students create.
Submit & Celebrate
Submit projects online. Top students are selected for awards, certificates, and UNSW Grand Final opportunities.
Registration Unlocks Free E-Learning Support
Don’t worry if your students haven’t coded before. The moment your school registers, teachers and students gain access to our dedicated preparation hub.
- โ Challenge Setup Orientation
- โ Beginner Coding & Game Logic
- โ Robotics Hardware Basics
- โ Project Planning Guides
How It Works & Schedule
A clear operational flow designed to give schools maximum flexibility.
Register
Secure your spot via bulk school entry or individual sign-up. Access prep materials instantly.
Prepare & Build
Students formulate ideas, learn mechanics, and build projects inside or outside the classroom.
Submit Online
Upload project files and a short demo video for the national preliminary judging matrix.
Celebrate
Top participants are invited to the UNSW Grand Final. Certificates are dispensed to all.
A Tradition of National Excellence
This is a growing annual challenge driven by real projects, real schools, and authentic student achievement.
Zombie Apocalypse
Students built survival systems, defended communities, and deployed rescue missions to save humanity.
Natural Disasters
Students engineered early warning systems, autonomous rescue vehicles, and resilient architectural designs.
The Highway Collapse
Re-establishing logistics and critical safety via specialized technological intervention.
Bring the 2026 Challenge to Your School
Help students investigate, design, code, build, and present solutions for a real-world emergency mission โ aligned with the Australian Curriculum.
Already Registered?
Check out our step-by-step guide to get started with eLearning, add students, and submit projects.
