Terms of Use

Last Updated

These Terms of Use were last updated on 30 April 2026.

1. About SDGDC HL

SDGDC HL is the High Schooler's League of the SDG Design Challenge, powered by NextGenNav. It is a student-focused challenge where teams identify a real problem connected to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and build a working solution within the competition window.

SDGDC HL may be conducted through relevant NGN entities, including NGN India, NGN UK, NGN USA, and NGN International. The active IGCSE & O Level Edition is conducted by NGN India.

2. Eligibility

Participation is open to eligible school students according to the requirements of each edition. For the active IGCSE & O Level Edition, teams should meet the eligibility requirements stated on the website and registration form.

Participants must provide accurate information during registration. SDGDC HL may reject, pause, or remove a registration if information is incomplete, inaccurate, misleading, or does not meet the event requirements.

3. Student Participants and Consent

SDGDC HL is designed for high school students, so some participants may be under the age of 18. Where required, participation may need permission or involvement from a parent, lawful guardian, school, or teacher.

By registering or participating, you confirm that you have the required permission to participate and that the information submitted is accurate. If a parent, guardian, teacher, or school representative has questions, they may contact the SDGDC HL team at info@sdgdc.net.

4. Team Requirements

Unless stated otherwise for a specific edition, teams must have 4 to 6 members. Solo entries are not accepted, and teams exceeding the stated size may be asked to restructure or may be disqualified.

Each participant should normally be part of only one team per edition. Each team may submit only one main project or solution for that edition unless SDGDC HL provides different written instructions.

5. Registration

Registration for SDGDC HL is free unless a specific edition clearly states otherwise. Registering does not guarantee selection, recognition, advancement, or any specific outcome.

SDGDC HL may contact registered teams by email or other communication channels to share event instructions, training session details, deadlines, submission requirements, reminders, and results.

The official registration link is https://register.sdgdc.net.

6. Competition Format

SDGDC HL is structured around curriculum-based editions. Round 1 editions may be conducted separately by relevant NGN entities. Winners or selected teams may progress to Round 2, which is hosted by NGN International, and top teams may progress further to the International Final.

SDGDC HL may update timelines, deadlines, judging formats, event structure, training sessions, submission requirements, or progression rules when necessary. Registered teams will be informed of important updates through official communication channels.

7. Project and Submission Requirements

Teams must identify a specific, real-world problem connected to one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and build a working solution that addresses it. A concept-only presentation, without a functional output, may not qualify as a valid submission.

Submissions may include presentations, documents, links, prototypes, images, videos, code, product demos, or other supporting materials requested by SDGDC HL. Teams are responsible for ensuring that submitted links, files, demos, and materials are accessible during evaluation.

8. Original Work, AI Tools, and External Help

Teams may use tools such as AI, code, no-code platforms, hardware, design tools, online research, and other resources unless specific edition rules state otherwise. However, teams must understand and be able to explain the work they submit.

Plagiarism, copying another team's work, submitting a project built by someone outside the team, or misrepresenting the origin of a solution is not allowed. External guidance from teachers, mentors, or advisors may be allowed, but the core work and final submission must represent the team's own effort.

9. Intellectual Property

Teams retain ownership of their original ideas, materials, prototypes, designs, code, and submissions, subject to any rights held by third-party tools, datasets, libraries, platforms, or materials used by the team.

By submitting a project to SDGDC HL, you grant SDGDC HL, NextGenNav, and relevant NGN entities permission to review, evaluate, store, display, reference, and share your submission for event administration, judging, recognition, reporting, promotion, and archival purposes.

Teams should not submit confidential, proprietary, sensitive, or third-party-owned material unless they have permission to use it.

10. Judging and Results

Submissions may be evaluated based on criteria such as problem clarity, relevance to the SDGs, functionality, originality, feasibility, impact potential, presentation quality, and team understanding. The exact evaluation method may vary by edition.

Decisions made by judges, organisers, or the SDGDC HL team are final unless SDGDC HL chooses to review a matter due to a serious error, rule violation, or integrity concern.

SDGDC HL does not guarantee that every participant will receive a certificate, award, ranking, advancement, or public recognition unless clearly stated in official event communications.

11. Recognition, Certificates, and Publicity

SDGDC HL may issue certificates, recognition, rankings, finalist status, winner status, or other acknowledgements to selected participants or teams. The format and eligibility for recognition may vary by edition and event stage.

SDGDC HL may publicly share limited information about participating teams, selected teams, finalists, winners, schools, project titles, project summaries, photos, videos, and submitted materials for event-related communication, promotion, reporting, and archival purposes. Participants with concerns about public recognition or media use should contact SDGDC HL before final submissions or public announcements.

12. Code of Conduct

Participants must behave respectfully, honestly, and professionally during registration, communication, teamwork, submissions, presentations, training sessions, and any event-related activity.

Harassment, discrimination, bullying, abuse, cheating, plagiarism, impersonation, sabotage, misuse of event platforms, or disrespectful behaviour may lead to warnings, removal from the event, disqualification, or loss of recognition.

13. Disqualification

SDGDC HL may disqualify or remove a participant or team if they break these Terms, violate event rules, submit false information, miss required deadlines, behave inappropriately, misuse another person's work, or act in a way that harms the fairness, safety, or integrity of the event.

14. Event Changes, Postponement, or Cancellation

SDGDC HL may modify, postpone, suspend, or cancel any edition, round, training session, deadline, judging process, result announcement, or event activity if required due to operational, technical, safety, legal, organisational, or other reasonable circumstances.

SDGDC HL will try to communicate major changes clearly to registered teams, but it is not responsible for losses, inconvenience, or missed opportunities caused by changes outside its reasonable control.

15. Website and Third-Party Links

This website may include links to third-party websites, tools, forms, communication platforms, or services. SDGDC HL is not responsible for the content, security, availability, or privacy practices of third-party platforms.

Participants should review the terms and privacy policies of any third-party tools they use for registration, communication, project creation, file hosting, or submission.

16. Privacy

Personal information collected through SDGDC HL is handled according to our Privacy Policy. By registering or participating, you agree that SDGDC HL may use participant and team information for event administration, communication, judging, recognition, records, and related purposes.

17. No Warranty

SDGDC HL is provided on an "as available" basis. While we aim to run the event fairly and professionally, we do not guarantee that the website, registration system, communication channels, submission tools, or event activities will always be uninterrupted, error-free, or available at all times.

18. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, SDGDC HL, NextGenNav, relevant NGN entities, organisers, volunteers, judges, mentors, partners, and representatives will not be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive losses arising from participation in the event, use of this website, third-party tools, event changes, technical issues, or submission problems.

Nothing in these Terms is intended to exclude liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law.

19. Updates to These Terms

SDGDC HL may update these Terms from time to time as the event grows, new editions are launched, rules change, or operational requirements evolve. The latest version will be posted on this page with an updated date.

20. Contact

For questions about these Terms, participation, eligibility, submissions, or SDGDC HL rules, contact the SDGDC HL team at info@sdgdc.net.

You may also visit the Contact page for general enquiries.