THE BIG PICTURE

About this event

Beyond Answers: International Student Thinking Championship is the first edition by Gyanis, designed for school students aged 13 to 18 across India, Malaysia and the UAE. The event brings together teams of three students and one teacher mentor from the same school to explore real-world problems connected to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It is fully online, challenging students to examine evidence, compare ideas, understand trade-offs, and develop practical solutions. The championship tests skills beyond finding the right answer, including critical thinking, evidence-based reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, empathy and inclusion, feasibility, teamwork, communication, student ownership, and adaptability. Through three stages: THINK, SOLVE and LEAD, students demonstrate how they think, solve problems, and respond to new challenges. LEAD has two levels: the Semifinal and the Grand Final. In the LEAD Semifinal, teams deliver live pitches in parallel rooms, presenting their SOLVE project and tackling a new common case. In the Grand Final, the top teams respond to a final challenge in front of the full panel. No coding, expensive models, or purchases are required.

AT A GLANCE

The essentials

Team size: 3 students
Teachers per team: 1
Age: 13 to 18 years
School: All members from one school
Results

How the event runs

STAGE 1

THINK

In this stage, teams will identify a real-world problem connected to a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), use evidence to explore the issue, consider possible responses, and explain the direction they would investigate first. Each team will present its thinking through a 90-second video, with all three students contributing.

1. Choose one real problem from the challenge menu, or use your own equivalent problem, and select one primary SDG that clearly connects to it. You may use up to two supporting SDGs if you can explain the connection. Keep the problem specific and manageable. 2. Submit one video of up to 90 seconds in MP4 or MOV format, with a maximum file size of 100 MB. All three students must contribute. 3. In the video, explain the problem and who is affected, the evidence you used and what it does not tell you, two possible responses, the response you would investigate first and why, who might lose out or be excluded, the relevant trade-off, and what you would check or find out next. 4. Keep the video simple. Production quality will earn no points. Focus on clearly presenting your team’s thinking, reasoning, and decision-making. 5. AI tools may be used. If you use an AI tool, disclose which tool you used, what you used it for, and what your team checked or verified. Do not use invented citations or results. Your team’s reasoning and decisions should remain student-owned. 6. If your team cannot use the standard video format because of an accessibility need, use the approved access alternative. Captions should be included where possible. 7. Before submitting, make sure your video meets the 90-second limit, is 100 MB or less, uses MP4 or MOV, includes all three students, identifies the primary SDG, covers the required points, and includes the required AI or assistance disclosure where applicable.

Video up to 1 minute 30 seconds long.
File up to 100 MB.
Accepted formats: MP4, MOV.
48 hours to raise a question about the result.

Entries close 4 Nov 2026, 17:00 GST.

AI tools may be used, and where they were used has to be declared.

An accessible alternative is available for this stage.

STAGE 2

SOLVE

In this stage, teams will turn their THINK idea into an evidence-backed solution they could actually test. Teams will develop their THINK idea into a one-page written solution canvas. They will define the problem and the people affected, support their thinking with evidence, propose a solution and an alternative, show how the solution would work, and identify its feasibility and one test they could carry out.

1. Fill in the canvas online. Keep your response to 500 words and one page. 2. Complete all six sections in order: Problem and People, Evidence, Proposed Solution, Sketch / How It Works, Feasibility and One Test, and Sources, Roles and AI Disclosure. 3. Back your claims with evidence and list every source you use. 4. In the last section, state what each team member contributed. 5. Save your drafts as you go. Only the version submitted before the deadline will be reviewed. 6. An accessible form is available if your team cannot use the standard canvas.

Written entry up to 500 words in total.
Up to 1 page.
6 parts to fill in: Problem and People, Evidence, Solution and Alternative, Sketch / How it works, Feasibility and One Test, Sources, Roles and AI disclosure.
48 hours to raise a question about the result.

Entries close 13 Nov 2026, 17:00 GST.

AI tools may be used, and where they were used has to be declared.

An accessible alternative is available for this stage.

STAGE 3

LEAD — Semifinal

This stage will be conducted live, where teams present their SOLVE project and then tackle a new common case. Teams will present before judges in parallel rooms.

1. The team will have 30 minutes to prepare before its slot. The common case will be revealed at the start of preparation. 2. The team will have 12 minutes for the session: 3 minutes to present the SOLVE project, 3 minutes to respond to the new common case, 4 minutes for judges’ questions plus a standardised change to the case, and 2 minutes for transition and scoring. 3. AI tools and internet use are not allowed during preparation or the pitch. 4. Every team member should speak. Judges will not see the team’s earlier-round scores. 5. The team should arrive or log in at least 15 minutes before its room’s start time.

10 teams in a room.
30 minutes to prepare beforehand.
12 minutes in the session.
48 hours to raise a question about the result.

AI tools may not be used in this stage.

STAGE 4

LEAD — Grand final

This stage will be conducted live, where the top teams respond to a final challenge on one stage before the full judging panel.

1. The team will have 30 minutes to prepare once the final challenge is revealed. 2. The team will have 12 minutes for the session: 4 minutes for the team response, 6 minutes for judges’ questions and a common surprise, and 2 minutes for scoring and transition. 3. AI tools and internet use are not allowed during preparation or the pitch. 4. Every team member should take part. Judges will not see the team’s scores from earlier stages. 5. Results will be announced at the close of the final.

5 teams in a room.
30 minutes to prepare beforehand.
12 minutes in the session.
48 hours to raise a question about the result.

AI tools may not be used in this stage.

Questions teachers ask

1. What is Beyond Answers?

Beyond Answers: International Student Thinking Championship is an international thinking championship for school students. Teams choose a real world problem, examine evidence, develop a solution, and defend their thinking. The championship focuses on reasoning, evidence, decision making, and student owned thinking.

2. What is the team size and structure for the event?

Each team will consist of exactly three students from the same school and one teacher or adult mentor from the same school.

3. Who can take part?

Students aged 13 to 18 can participate. Each team must have exactly three students from the same school, and each student can be part of only one team. Teams must be mixed gender, unless the school is a verified single gender school.

4. Does our team need a mentor?

Yes. Each team will have one teacher or adult mentor from the school. The mentor will act as the main contact and can support the team with access, communication, and deadlines. The work and thinking must remain the students’ own.

5. Which countries can register?

Registration is open to schools in the countries listed on the registration form for this edition. If your country is not listed, it is not part of this edition yet.

6. How does the championship work?

The championship has three stages: THINK, SOLVE, and LEAD. THINK: Submit a video of up to 90 seconds responding to the required thinking questions. SOLVE: Complete a one page solution canvas of up to 500 words. LEAD: Participate in live online sessions, including a semifinal based on the team’s solution and a common case, followed by a Grand Final with a fresh challenge.

7. What topics can we choose?

Teams will work around the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A team will select one primary SDG and may include up to two supporting SDGs where the connection is clear. Teams can use the provided SDG Challenge Menu or develop a relevant real world problem within the event framework.

8. Is there a registration fee?

Yes. There will be one registration fee per team. The applicable fee and payment details will be shown during registration.

9. Do students need parent or guardian consent?

Yes. Guardian consent is required for participating students. An individual consent request will be sent to each guardian, and all required responses must be received before the registration is considered complete.

10. Can we use AI tools?

AI tools may be used in the THINK and SOLVE stages where permitted, but teams must disclose the tool used, its purpose, and the checks they made. Teams must not submit invented citations or results, and the reasoning must remain student owned. AI tools and internet access are not allowed during the live LEAD sessions.

11. How are entries judged?

Each stage will have its own published assessment criteria. Entries will be reviewed independently, with additional reviews used where required to support consistency and fairness. During LEAD, judges will not see the team's earlier scores.

12. What if we have a question about our score?

After provisional results are released, teams will have 48 hours to submit a score related query through the event dashboard.

13. Will we receive a certificate?

Recognition and certificates will be provided according to the team’s participation and progress through the championship, including recognition associated with the later stages and final awards.

14. What if a student cannot use the standard video or canvas format?

An accessible route will be available for students who cannot use the standard online format because of an accessibility need. The approved alternative will allow the student to participate without changing the purpose of the assessment.

15. Is the championship conducted online?

Yes. The championship will be conducted fully online. THINK and SOLVE will be completed through online submissions, while LEAD will take place through live online sessions.

16. Do we need to build a working prototype?

No. A working prototype or app is not required. Teams will be assessed on their thinking, evidence, proposed solution, feasibility, and ability to adapt their ideas. Teams should clearly explain how their solution would work and how they would test it.

Beyond Answers — International Student Thinking Championship

About this event

The essentials

Who can enter

Where this event runs

How the event runs

THINK

SOLVE

LEAD — Semifinal

LEAD — Grand final

Key dates

Accessibility

What teams receive

Participation

How registering works

Create the team

Ask the guardians

Pay the entry fee

The team is registered

Before you start

Questions teachers ask

YOUR TEAM.
YOUR NEXT BIG QUESTION.

Get notified when registration opens

About this event

The essentials

Who can enter

Where this event runs

How the event runs

THINK

SOLVE

LEAD — Semifinal

LEAD — Grand final

Key dates

Accessibility

What teams receive

Participation

How registering works

Create the team

Ask the guardians

Pay the entry fee

The team is registered

Before you start

Questions teachers ask

YOUR TEAM.YOUR NEXT BIG QUESTION.

Get notified when registration opens

YOUR TEAM.
YOUR NEXT BIG QUESTION.