MSM SDG-challenge: challenge today, improve tomorrow

Students from MSM’s Master in Management and Full-time MBA programme recently showcased their skills and creativity in the 2025 MSM SDG-Challenge, delivering innovative solutions to real-world sustainability challenges.

The mission of the challenge is to inspire and empower students and organisations to work together on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN). These goals are set to combat climate change and reduce inequalities in the world. Through intensive sprint days, teams of students collaborate with their partner companies to develop actionable solutions, enhancing their professional skills while contributing to impactful change.

This year MSM was honored to have the following companies on board: Weir Minerals, Social Hub, V-Label, EUROCONTROL and Walraven.

The challenges included:
Weir Minerals
How can Stirred Mill process circuit be promoted globally and adopted to enhance mining operations and overcome industry resistance to untraditional technology?
Social Hub
How to build a stronger Social Impact Community at The Social Hub?
V-Label
Creating a strategic approach to expanding the label’s visibility in the Netherlands
EUROCONTROL
Developing a comprehensive community engagement plan that aligns with the EUROCONTROL - Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC) values (responsibility), addresses local needs, and foster sustainable relationships with various stakeholders, including residents, local organisations, and public institutions.
Walraven
How can Walraven create a new business proposition with leasing of rooftop constructions instead of selling? 

During the finals all teams presented their solution to a jury. After thorough deliberation, the jury has chosen the EUROCONTROL team as the winner of the Jury Award. The V-Label team was the proud winner of the Audience Award. Below, both teams dive deeper into their challenge, their key learning outcomes and how the challenge improved their professional skills.

The V-Label team
The V-Label team was tasked with creating a strategic approach to expanding the label’s visibility in the Netherlands. Their solution focused on a new, inclusive marketing campaign driven by social media engagement.

“It was an exciting day, fueled with nervousness but a high sense of competence. We were prepared and glad to show our work to the jury and the audience,” the team shared. Their practical and actionable plan earned high praise from V-Label, who appreciated the campaign’s direct applicability.

The experience highlighted the team’s ability to work effectively across diverse backgrounds and sharpened their problem-solving, presentation, and teamwork skills. “We learned the importance of competence and collaboration, and the challenge gave us a real confidence boost,” they noted.

The EUROCONTROL team
The EUROCONTROL team tackled the challenge of building stronger community engagement aligned with EUROCONTROL’s sustainability values. Their solution, ReFlight: Art from Upcycled Aviation Materials, proposed a creative programme transforming decommissioned aircraft parts into public art and functional installations, co-created with local communities.

The programme was designed to strengthen partnerships, promote circular design, and make sustainability efforts visible through workshops, exhibitions, and educational activities, addressing SDGs 12, 13, and 17.

“The EUROCONTROL team was incredibly supportive throughout the process,” said Anshoo. “Their enthusiasm helped us refine our concept, and their offer to provide real aircraft parts through Collins Aerospace showed genuine commitment to making ReFlight a reality.

The SDG Challenge helped us strengthen several core professional skills. We improved our communication and collaboration skills by working in a multidisciplinary team and engaging with real stakeholders from EUROCONTROL. Preparing and delivering our final pitch enhanced our presentation skills and taught us how to communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively. We also developed stronger problem-solving and critical thinking abilities as we turned broad sustainability goals into a practical, real-world solution. Overall, the experience gave us valuable exposure to working in a professional, impact-driven environment.”

Have a look at the aftermovie here!

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MSM full-time MBA and Master in Management students compete in yearly MSM SDG-challenge