Student team “Hexacor” won first place in the national stage of the international student competition Global HackAtom 2026 with its concept aimed at promoting nuclear energy and raising awareness of its role in the future energy development of Serbia.
The team consists of students from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, School of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, and the Faculty of Mathematics of the University of Belgrade. Their winning concept is based on education and building public trust in the nuclear industry, while highlighting the economic and environmental benefits of nuclear energy. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and their contribution to reducing carbon dioxide emissions and strengthening the country’s energy independence.
By winning the national competition, Team “Hexacor” secured a place in the international final of the Global HackAtom competition, which will take place from September 11 to 17 in Yekaterinburg as part of the International Youth Festival. This marks the first time that Serbia has qualified for the final, joining seven new countries participating in the competition this year.
Second place was awarded to the team “Unstable Isotopes” from the Faculty of Chemistry. Their proposal focused on a phased plan for introducing nuclear energy in Serbia, with a strong emphasis on education, school programmes and digital tools, including a mobile application featuring quizzes and rewards. Their plan also envisages the refurbishment of the reactor at the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences for training purposes, as well as the potential deployment of SMRs in Bor to help reduce pollution.
Third place went to team “QNG” from the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy in Belgrade. Their project focuses on changing public perceptions of nuclear energy through youth education, including workshops, science events, school fairs and active communication on social media in cooperation with science communicators.
The award ceremony was attended by Professor Dr Dragoslava Stojiljković, Vice-Dean for Research at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. She congratulated the students on their knowledge, enthusiasm and hard work, placing particular emphasis on their creativity.
The student teams were given 24 hours to develop their concepts and present them publicly. An expert jury comprising Professor Dr Sanja Milivojević, Dr Predrag Škobalj, Viktoriya Sheshukova, Roman Fomin and Elizaveta Zatsepa evaluated the projects based on the originality of the ideas and the quality of the presentations. The jury members noted that all teams demonstrated a high level of knowledge, while the concept developed by Team Hexacor was recognized as the most comprehensive and innovative.
HackAtom is an international competition that brings together students from more than 17 countries and over 1,300 participants worldwide. This year marked the first national stage of the Global HackAtom competition in Serbia. The event was organized by Rosatom and National Research Nuclear University MEPhl in cooperation with the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Belgrade and the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences.