Leeds Trinity University have strengthened relations with key employers in the region ahead of the opening of its new City Campus in the heart of Leeds by taking part in global digital technology company UST’s Hackathon event, which provided students with an opportunity to apply skills and collaborate on learning-based tasks.

Staged at the Hilton Leeds City Hotel, a total of 20 first, second and third-year BSc Computer Science students were challenged to apply their skills and develop a data-driven solution to create a cleaner and healthier city. Based on a real-world challenge set by Leeds City Council, who provided air quality data, students were challenged to create a comprehensive system that would allow businesses to operate more sustainably, help the city mitigate air pollution effectively and keep the residents of Leeds informed and safe.

Leeds Trinity students claimed first and second place at the event, with Ben Martin, Joshua White and Oliver Long earning the top spot, and Harry Martin, Alzira Smythe and Aiden Irwin being the runners-up. Both teams produced web-based solutions and successfully demonstrated their knowledge and understanding of design and software development.

Located at 1 Trevelyan Square, Leeds Trinity is set to open the doors to its new campus for the 2024/25 academic year. The University’s Business School, School of Computer Science, School of Construction and the Built Environment, School of Criminology, Investigation and Policing and Law School will offer courses in the building.

Work is ongoing to maximise opportunities for existing and future students to engage with key employers, building on the University’s emphasis on careers and employability. A two-year pilot programme to create strategic partnerships with a particular focus on Technology and Law is also underway.

Charlotte Rainey, Employer Partnerships Manager at Leeds Trinity University, said: “We were thrilled that UST invited our Computer Science students to take part in the hackathon event. Activities like these not only give our students the opportunity to put in to practice what they learn on their course but also speak with professionals who are already working in the industry they aspire to go into after graduation.

“I was so pleased that a large number of students in the room were from Leeds Trinity and proud of how they engaged with one another to generate some great ideas and concepts from the data they had been given access to.”

Patrick Marren, Client Executive – Public Sector at UST, said: “We had brilliant engagement from Leeds Trinity University students at the Hackathon, both in terms of numbers and their enthusiasm to tackling the Clean Air Challenge. The solutions created by the students were innovative and showed a deep understanding of both the challenge and the technology proposed to find a solution.

“With Leeds Trinity students taking both first and second place, we can comfortably say their approach was successful. They did the University proud, and we look forward to engaging with the University for future Hackathons.” 

Details of Leeds Trinity University’s approach to real-world experience and professional placements can be found online.

For more information on Leeds Trinity Computer Science degrees, visit the University website.