Build a complete, modern, and functional website from scratch that reimagines what a world-class university CS department’s web presence should look like.
02 - Eligibility & Team Formation
2.1 Who Can Participate
The hackathon is open to all currently registered students at any tertiary institution (university, university of technology, college, etc.).
There are no restrictions on faculty, year of study, or degree programme.
Both undergraduate and postgraduate students may participate.
2.2 Team Size & Composition
Teams may consist of 1 - 4 members.
Solo entries are allowed.
Teams may be a mix of students from different institutions - cross-institution collaboration is welcome.
Every team member must be individually eligible (see 2.1).
03 - Required Content
A strong submission should address at least the following areas.
Department overview & welcome / about page
Academic staff & faculty profiles
Professor & researcher publications / research output
Undergraduate & postgraduate programme information
Course catalogue / module listings per year of study
AI tools are fully allowed in this hackathon. You may use AI for coding, design, content generation, debugging, and ideation.
You do not need to declare which AI tools you used. There is no mandatory disclosure requirement; judging focuses on the quality of your final submitted website.
We recommend using GitHub Copilot via GitHub Education, where eligible students can access Copilot Pro/Premium benefits for free through the Student Developer Pack. See GitHub Education and GitHub Copilot.
09 - Code of Conduct & Fair Play
No plagiarism or theft of another team’s work.
No sabotage, harassment, discrimination, or abuse.
Respect all participants, judges, and organisers.
10 - Judging Panel & Criteria
Design
Functionality
Completeness
Responsiveness
Usability
Creativity
Drupal submissions receive bonus points. Stellenbosch University currently uses Drupal.
11 - Prizes
1st PlaceR5,000 cashCash prize
2nd PlaceR2,000 cashCash prize
3rd PlaceR1,000 cashCash prize
There may also be additional runner-up prizes such as sponsored merchandise, vouchers, partner giveaways, or other sponsor-supported rewards.
12 - Disputes & Disqualification
All dispute reports must be submitted to devsoc@sun.ac.zawith clear evidence (screenshots, links, timestamps, or logs where applicable).
Only written reports sent to the official email address will be considered.
DevSoc may request additional information from involved teams before ruling.
Teams found to be in breach of rules may be warned, suspended, or disqualified.
For severe misconduct, DevSoc may apply a ban from future events.
DevSoc rulings are final and binding.
13 - Amendments & Final Authority
DevSoc may amend, clarify, or expand these rules at any time where required for fairness, operational constraints, safety, or compliance.
Updates become effective once published on official DevSoc channels.
Any scenario not explicitly covered in this rulebook is resolved at DevSoc discretion.
Interpretation of all rules remains the sole authority of DevSoc organisers.
14 - Acceptance of Rules
By submitting, your team confirms acceptance of this entire rulebook and all final decisions made by DevSoc.
Teams are responsible for ensuring that every team member has read and agreed to these rules.
15 - Changes to Rules
Any updates to rules will be announced through official DevSoc channels and are considered part of this rulebook once communicated.
Continued participation after a rules update constitutes acceptance of the updated rules.