The search for an answer to this question is the most frequent and loudest topic of discussion, especially during the winter months when the situation escalates. There is a lot of talk, but concrete steps toward real solutions are rarely taken.
If you want to be part of the change rather than just an observer, this is your opportunity. Strongly committed to sustainable development and investment in knowledge as the foundation of long-term change, ProCredit Bank is launching the ProImpact Challenge 2026, a competition that gives students the opportunity to turn their knowledge into measurable solutions and become real drivers of change.
The focus of the ProImpact Challenge is on proposals that clearly address the source of pollution, offer technically sound interventions, and enable verification of real-world impact in practice.
Speaking about the importance of the ProImpact Challenge, Srđan Ožegović, Member of the Management Board of ProCredit Bank, emphasizes that complex problems cannot be solved within familiar frameworks.
“If we keep thinking in the same way, we will get the same solutions—and they are clearly not enough. We need ideas that push boundaries, that are not afraid of testing, and that have the potential to change how we view the problem of air pollution. Young people need to be given space, trust, and the opportunity to show how applicable their knowledge can be in the real world,” Ožegović stresses.
The competition is open to final-year students of all faculties, as well as graduates who completed their studies in 2024 or later. Submissions may be individual or team-based, and interdisciplinary approaches are encouraged. Applications are open until 10 February 2026, while all detailed criteria, deadlines, and application instructions are available at the provided link. Submissions will be evaluated by an expert jury composed of representatives of the academic community, climate policy initiatives, practitioners, and ProCredit Bank representatives. The best projects will be invited to a public presentation before the jury, to be held on 17 February 2026, when the winners of the ProImpact Challenge 2026 will also be announced. The main prize for the most successful project amounts to 3,000 KM.
ProImpact Challenge 2026 is designed as a call to students to translate the knowledge gained at university into answers and solutions with the potential to bring real change to the communities in which they live.
