Salford Business School recently collaborated with Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) and the University of Manchester’s Masood Entrepreneurship Centre to host a purpose-driven ‘Unhackathon.’
Taking place on 28 March 2025, at Sister, Manchester’s central innovation district, 25 Salford Business School students were invited to enhance their critical thinking skills as they tackled a series of complex challenges for social good, while hearing from industry experts.
Participants were able to engage with authoritative figures as they focused on a range of pressing issues across different sectors such as environment, health, food, migration and urbanisation. The challenges, presented by social entrepreneurs, charities and not-for-profit organisations, allowed students to gain valuable skills in leadership, collaboration and problem-solving while reimagining solutions for the greater good of people and planet.
The non-competitive hackathon was designed to foster systems thinking whilst tackling real-world social and environmental challenges. This invaluable learning opportunity equipped students with essential soft skills to help boost their employability and allowed them to build on their course knowledge with real-life scenarios.
Salford Business School’s Dr Ambarin Khan, one of the lead organisers of the event, commented: “The non-competitive nature of this Unhackathon created a unique experience, meaning that students could focus on building a successful collaborative environment, in contrast to the more competitive style hackathons that have been hosted previously.”
From breaking down legal barriers to drive climate action to bridging the digital divide for wheelchair users, the students created innovative, dynamic solutions to everyday problems within our current day and age.
Salford students joined forces with other business students from across Manchester, guiding each other through the challenges, whilst sharing unique viewpoints and tactics to collaboratively reach their end goal.
In addition to the Unhackathon, the event also featured an expert panel centred on solving global issues by driving social and environmental change, during which the students were given the opportunity to ask questions to those paving the way in purpose-driven business. Panellists included:
- Sustainable food and social impact expert, Corin Bell, Executive Director at Open Kitchen Manchester
- Ethical consumption and electronic waste expert, Lizzie Murray-Clark, Senior Creative Partner at Hubbub
- Women’s entrepreneurship and finance expert, Gulnaz Brennan, Co-founder of She Inspires Foundation
- Specialist in trauma-informed creative spaces for refugees, Magdalen Bartlett, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Afrocats
- Climate change and law expert, Dr Louise Smail, Corporate Risk Specialist at Fisher Scoggins Waters LLP
- Expert on sustainable food production and retail, Kellie Bubble, Director of Unicorn Grocery Coop
- Assistive technology specialist, Will Wade, ACE Centre
MSc Digital Marketing student at Salford, Vasiliki Pagkali, shared her experience of the event: “The Unhackathon was incredibly valuable for fostering collaboration and innovative thinking. My group was well-formed and the experience allowed me to work with students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, enriching our conversations and collaboration. This diversity made our discussions more insightful and our solutions more comprehensive.”
First year Business Management with Innovation and Technology student at Salford, Sania Yousaf, added: “Participating in this event was truly amazing and insightful! I loved networking with such a diverse group of passionate individuals – each conversation brought fresh perspectives. The activities were engaging and the connections made were invaluable. A highlight was the collaborative energy and shared enthusiasm. Truly an unforgettable experience!”
MSc Sustainability student, Saadan Hussain, continued: “Attending the Manchester Unhackathon was an inspiring experience – collaborating with diverse minds, tackling real-world challenges, and co-creating sustainable solutions in a high-energy, innovative environment truly broadened my perspective.”
Ambarin concluded: “This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to develop leadership and problem-solving skills, work in interdisciplinary, cross-university teams, and gain real-world experience in tackling societal challenges. They could home in on knowledge and skills that they have developed throughout their courses, tailoring them to suit the challenges that were presented.”
