The SND Challenge 2027

First, check if you qualify by looking at our requirements.

Then you should begin putting together a group of at least two students, including one with a basic knowledge of visual production tools. You also need to find one instructor from your school who is willing to act as your team's advisor and give day-to-day feedback. Your professional mentor is there to provide guidance only.

You should also look for story ideas with high visual potential. Gather some data examples and discuss with your faculty advisor before pitching the project to SND.

Once you have been accepted into the challenge, you should download the template and install it.

Setting up and learning how to use the templates should take no more than 20 minutes following these video tutorials:

Here's a rough breakdown of the four-month process:

• Kickoff session: Meet journalists and designers from leading newsrooms and present your story topic to your mentor. Bring all the dreams and hopes to this meeting.
• Development phase: Build your visual story with your advisor's guidance. Share your draft link with SND.
• Midpoint review: Get feedback from an SND story mentor.
• Wrap-up phase: SND representatives will follow up on your progress through the group instructor. Mentors will provide final feedback and instructors will advise you to successfully finish your project.
• Final showcase: Publish your project online and celebrate your work in a virtual ceremony with certificates for all participants.

Mentors will be regularly checking up on your progress and offer guidance based on your and their time availability. SND representatives will follow up on your progress through the group instructor.

Because universities around the world operate on different academic calendars, the schedule will not be the same for all teams. But here's a rough timeline:

• Mentorship kick off: February/March 2027.
• Wrap-up phase, links gathering: April 2027.
• Closing ceremony: June 2027.

Your story should have high visual potential. That could mean many different things, from being a vehicle for illustrations, diagrams, strong photojournalism or having data that can be visualized creatively.

Topics may include, but are not limited to, anything from climate change to local and regional news. The Challenge is open to other topics or perspectives that have visual potential.

You will produce the piece with your visual production tools of choice. By using Visual Studio Code (VS Code) and the SND Challenge template, you will publish the finished project to GitHub Pages.

GitHub is a collaborative platform where teams can store versions of their code. This includes building and hosting websites.

Many professional newsrooms use GitHub to create, edit and ultimately power the publication of their stories.

The use of the Challenge's templates, GitHub and GitHub Pages are required to complete the Challenge. No exceptions are allowed.

SND requires students to include a brief methodology section at the end of their projects explaining how their project was made.

We encourage you to enter your work into the student portion of SND's annual Creative Competition. Your membership as a student entitles you to discounted entry fees.

Participating in the Challenge does not guarantee that your project will win an award.

You will track your students' progress and make recommendations to ensure the group successfully completes its work. SND representatives will follow up with you directly and support you throughout the Challenge.

SND mentors will not teach your students how to use different kinds of software. Instead, they will serve as guides for how your students may improve the storytelling experience of their project. Your students will still need your support in overcoming the hurdles that they will encounter while producing their stories.

You will also have the opportunity to meet other international instructors and exchange experiences regarding their programs, enriching your perspective.

SND encourages students to learn how to produce visuals without AI, just as professionals do currently. Working with or art directing illustrators, infographics designers, photographers and videographers who may disagree with you is, we believe, a fundamental skill for every visual storyteller. As you progress in the visual storytelling industry, your ability to collaborate and incorporate feedback from other skill experts will be directly proportional to what heights you can reach in your most ambitious projects.

AI agents, however, can help resolve technical issues during the production process and may be used for that purpose.

Images or videos that were created in whole or in part by generative artificial intelligence software or platforms are not allowed unless:

1. The subject matter of the project is about AI-generated visuals.
2. The team has petitioned the Challenge organizers in advance and explained why AI-generated visuals are a requirement for their project.

Students should explain any use of AI in their methodology. AI-generated visuals must be clearly labeled as being made by artificial intelligence.

The SND Challenge is an opportunity to learn from top-tier professionals. Students are expected to demonstrate a full commitment to the program.

If a group fails to make progress on its project, SND reserves the right to revoke the benefits offered to those students and cancel the project.