Research Nest / Competitions
One question.
A plan to find the answer.
Choose a question. Explain why it matters and how you would investigate it.
Our collaborative research competition
The Next Question Research Proposal Competition
Propose an original study in any subject, supported by evidence.
No completed experiments or published paper needed.
First-place prize
Mentorship from a professor.
One overall first-place winner receives mentorship to develop their idea. Professor and session details will be announced separately. No separate category prizes are announced.
Entries: 28 October–24 November 2026. Check the submission form for eligibility and entry requirements.
Choose your field
Competition categories
- Science & Medicine
- Technology & Engineering
- Economics & Business
- Social Sciences & Humanities
- Environment & Sustainability
State your category below your proposal title. For a cross-subject idea, choose the closest fit.
Your proposal, step by step
Six sections. One clear plan.
Write up to 1,500 words, including an abstract of up to 150 words. The title and reference list are excluded; other prose, captions and tables count. Use the downloadable guidelines to prepare your entry.
- 01
Title & abstract
Add a title, category and abstract of up to 150 words: problem, question and approach.
- 02
Background & research gap
Summarise existing evidence, identify an unanswered question and cite your sources.
- 03
Research question & objectives
State one focused question and two or three objectives. Add a hypothesis if appropriate.
- 04
Methodology & analysis
Explain your design, data or sample, measurements and analysis plan.
- 05
Ethics, feasibility & limitations
Address permissions, consent, privacy, safety, resources and limitations.
- 06
Timeline & expected contribution
Outline your tasks and what the study could contribute. Include references and an AI-use disclosure.
A proposal, not a finished study
Think carefully.
Plan realistically.
Explain your plan. Do not invent results or present simulations as real observations.
Cite sources consistently and disclose any AI tools used and what they helped with. Your reasoning and writing must reflect your own understanding; AI assistance does not excuse plagiarism or fabricated citations.
No new experiments or personal-data collection are required for entry. Describe the approvals and supervision your proposed study would need before any practical work begins.
Submission hub
Submit through Google Forms.
Enter by 24 November 2026 using the Google Form below.
- Prepare your proposal. Follow the six-section structure and check the guidelines.
- Export one PDF. Use readable 11–12 pt text, page numbers and a file smaller than 10 MB. Name it
Proposal_ShortTitle.pdf. - Complete the Google Form. Provide entrant details, your proposal title, the PDF and the required declarations.
- Check the confirmation. Submit the form and keep any confirmation or response copy that Google Forms provides. Uploading a file alone does not complete an entry.
28 October–24 November 2026
Submit your proposal ↗Our competition partner
Meet The BU1LD.
The BU1LD is an independent machine-learning lab focused on reproducible research.
Explore The BU1LD ↗Build your foundation
A stronger proposal starts with practice.
Practice finding a research gap and planning a study.
Explore the research course →