AUPCC 2026 Information
About the AUPCC
The Atlantic Undergraduate Policy Case Competition (AUPCC) is an inter-university case competition designed to get students from across Atlantic Canada interested and involved in the policymaking process. Participants will spend their time researching policy options, developing clear recommendations, devising actionable implementation strategies, and delivering persuasive arguments to judges.
Date and Location
The 2026 AUPCC will take place on November 7, 2026, at Patterson Hall on the Acadia University campus.
Policy Theme
The theme of this year’s conference is as follows:
What policies can Atlantic Canada implement to ensure the protection of the environment, Indigenous lands, and waterways, in the age of AI development and industry?
Dates and Deadlines
SEPTEMBER 10 – Competition is launched on participating campuses, team registration
window opens, final competition schedule released
SEPTEMBER 25 – Team registration window closes
OCTOBER 14 – Participating teams announced
NOVEMBER 1 – Presentations must be submitted to organizer.
NOVEMBER 7 – In-person competition held at Acadia University
How it Works
The competition evaluates each team’s ability to bridge the gap between ideas and actionable policy through three primary deliverables:
- Policy Presentation (72% of score): A 15-minute live presentation followed by a 10-minute Q&A with judges, where teams will persuasively defend their ideas.
- Policy Poster (28% of score): A poster containing a team's policy proposal that draws on available data and academic literature. Proposals should also include relevant cost estimates for the stated policies and guidelines for policy implementation.
Each school may field a maximum of 2 teams of up to 3–4 people each on a first come, first served basis. The AUPCC is open to undergraduate students from all disciplines and creativity is encouraged.
For more information, download the complete 2026 AUPCC Rules and Rubrics.
Participating Schools
- Acadia University
- Mount Allison University
- StFX
Contact
For questions, please email the competition director (Cairo Hamilton), at cairo.hamilton@acadiau.ca.