TERMS & CONDITIONS

1. Scope
By applying for The Women’s Academy for Rural Innovation Programme (hereinafter referred to as the “Programme”), applicants expressly accept the conditions for participation outlined below.

2. Organiser
The organiser of the Competition is the Huawei EU Office, which is part of Huawei Technologies Belgium NV, Boulevard de la Woluwe 2b5, 1150 Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, with company number BE0550614956, (hereinafter referred to as the “Organiser”).

3. Prerequisites
3.1 The Programme can only be entered by persons who, on the date of entry:

• Are able to make a positive contribution to the Programme and are positioned to pass on the benefits derived from Programme participation to a prospective wide community, hence promoting positive change.
• Are at least 18 years old.
• Are a citizen (hold nationality) of the country for which one is applying. Participation is restricted to nationals of the 27 countries that are part of the European Union, Ukraine, Switzerland, Iceland, Türkiye or one of the ‘Western Balkans Six’ (North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo) on the date of entry;
• Will be able to take a flight or a train from a location within the European Union, Ukraine, Türkiye, Switzerland, Iceland or one of  the ‘Western Balkans Six’ (North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo) on Saturday 16 or Sunday 17 November 2024, as determined by the Organiser. Flights outside of this territory will not be covered by the Organiser. It is not possible to participate in the Programme if you are not physically within these areas on the days prior to the beginning of the Programme.
• Will be able to return to the departure location (departure and return locations need to coincide) on Friday 22 November 2024. Flights/transfers to other locations will not be covered by the Organiser. Any costs associated with extended stays will also not be covered and/or handled by the Organiser.
• Will agree that the Organiser decides on the most convenient travel scheme and flights for every participant, according to the evolving requirements of the Programme. Special requests will not be covered by the Organiser and are at your own expense, while requests that affect the structure and requirements of Programme participation, such as missing sessions, might not be accepted and can result in the candidate being disqualified at any time.
• Will be committed to attend the full Programme starting on Sunday 17 November 2024 and ending on Friday 22 November 2024. Both planned and unplanned absences can result in the candidate being disqualified, prior to the start of the Programme or throughout the course of the Programme.
• Are connected to rural areas and with an interest in harnessing the potential of technology within their communities. This includes women living in rural areas, but also for example those who grew up in a rural area but are now living in a city and can demonstrate how they would make a positive contribution to the Programme. 
• Applicants should meet at least 1 of the 5 criteria defined as being a ‘Rural Connection’ or their application will not be valid:
  1. Living and/or working in a rural area.
  2. Having a demonstrated passion for rural development.
  3. Following an academic itinerary whose outcome can be applied to rural areas.
  4. Planning to start a business that aims to dynamise a rural area and/or support rural communities.
  5. Being connected in any other substantial way with a rural area (e.g. family origins).
• Speak fluent English equivalent to a level B2 or higher according to the international standards of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The Organiser can request candidates to prove this level at any time.

3.2 Employees of the Organiser, their immediate families, and employees of partners with whom it is collaborating to set up or complete this Programme are excluded from participation. Alumnae who have attended other European Leadership Academy programmes are also excluded.
3.3 Submission is only possible in English, and joint participation is not allowed. 

4. Participation
4.1 Applying for the Programme is free, and no purchase of goods and/or services is required.
4.2 The period for applications starts on September 5, 2024, 09:00 CET and ends on September 30, 2024, 23:59 CET (hereinafter referred to as the “Submission Period”). Applications received outside of this Submission Period will not be considered for participation in the Programme.
4.3 During the Submission Period, it is possible to apply for the Programme by correctly and completely filling in and sending the application form on the website www.europeanleadershipacademy.eu.
4.4 The Organiser shall not be liable for incomplete, incorrectly completed, lost or delayed entries for the nomination of candidates or for any malfunction or defect in the software designed to store the entrant's data.
4.5  The Organiser reserves the right to exclude entrants who violate these Terms of Entry, the conditions and prerequisites for Participation, falsify their candidacy or any information provided in relation to the conditions and prerequisites for Participation, misrepresent or make representations that violate applicable law or infringe any rights of third parties. If a participant is excluded, all prizes and benefits awarded may subsequently be withdrawn or reclaimed. In this case, a new winner will be selected according to the procedure in Section 5.

5. Prizes, designation of, and notification of the winners
5.1 The Jury will consist of a panel of independent experts appointed by the Organiser.
5.2 The Jury of independent experts will give an individual score to the 5 applicants that they perceive as most deserving of the opportunity to benefit from this Programme, based on the online application files available for each of the applicants.
5.3 The decision of the Jury can always be revoked by the Organiser if after the selection it is determined that the candidate does not meet the Terms and Conditions.
5.4 Once the evaluation period has concluded, the Organiser will rank all candidates based on the sum of the individual scores provided by each Jury Member. The Programme will welcome the 20 top-ranked applicants representing 20 different countries. This implies that the 20 highest scores are the 20 winners unless there are several winners representing the same country. In that case, the following procedure applies:
1. The applicant with the highest score remains the winner of her country.
2. All other applicants that represent the same country as the winner but have a lower score go to the reserve list.
3. The applicant with the highest score representing any other country not in the list of winners yet, replaces the applicants that have made it to the reserve list.
This procedure will be repeated until the Organiser achieves a list of 20 winners representing 20 different countries. 
5.5 A number of the remaining shortlisted applicants from each country will enter into a reserve list and will be invited, in order of scoring, to substitute a winning candidate if this candidate is finally not able to participate in the Programme or has to be excluded for any of the reasons outlined in point 4.5., provided that there is not another candidate from a different country that has a higher score and whose country was not yet represented among those of the original 20 winners.
5.6 In case of an ex aequo, the applicant that received points from the largest number of Jury Members will be selected as the winner. If there is also an ex aequo in this matter, then the applicant that submitted their application first will be the winner.
5.7 The Organiser will announce the 20 winners at least two weeks ahead of the official starting date of the Programme: 17 November 2024.
5.8 The winners will be notified by email and/or via phone and, by entering, authorise their names to be released on the Programme website and social networks.
5.9 Notified winners must confirm to the Organiser within 2 working days of notification that they accept their selection for the Programme and return the Student Agreement, duly completed and signed, to the Organiser. If the candidate does not provide the necessary information within this period, their participation will be cancelled. In this case, a new winner will be designated according to the procedure in point 5.4.
5.10 The Organiser has the right to disqualify at any time winners who do not meet the requirements of the Student Agreement.
5.11 All candidates agree to participate in reasonable publicity following the disclosure and use of their name, image, biographical information, and submissions to promote the Programme, the European Leadership Academy and the Organiser.
5.12 Participation in the Programme is strictly personal and therefore not transferable to third parties and cannot be exchanged for money.

6. Usage rights
6.1 The entrant warrants that all materials submitted in support of their candidacy are free from any rights of third parties and that the entrant has the right to grant the Organiser the consent referred to in point 5.8.
6.2 The entrant agrees to release, discharge, indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Organiser (including its partners, officers, employees and agents) from any claim by any third party arising out of any violation of section 6.1.

7. Data protection
7.1 By submitting their entry, entrants authorise the registration of their personal data which will be used and released by the Organiser and its authorised representatives for the purpose of competition administration and prize-giving. Personal information collected by the Organiser is subject to the GDPR legislation in force within the European Union and the Organiser's privacy policy: www.europeanleadershipacademy.eu/rural-innovation/privacy-policy/
7.2 Except for any liability for death or personal injury caused by its negligence, or for fraud or any other liability of the Organiser which cannot be excluded by law, the Organiser (including its affiliates, officers, employees and representatives) disclaims all liability for any loss or damage (including a loss of opportunity), whether direct, indirect, special or consequential damages in any way arising out of the Contest, including but not limited to the following: theft, unauthorised access or interference from third parties.
7.3 No account will be given for decisions of the Organiser.
7.4 In the event of circumstances beyond the Organiser’s reasonable control, or in other cases where fraud, abuse and/or error (human or technical) has or could have consequences for the proper execution of this promotion or the distribution of prizes, the Organiser reserves the right to cancel or change these terms and conditions at any stage.
7.5 If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is declared invalid by any law, rule, standard or regulation of any authority, or by a final order of a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity shall not affect the enforceability of any other provision if not declared invalid.
7.6 All legal relationships created under or in connection with these Terms and Conditions and the Programme are subject to Belgian law, unless the binding law of the participant's place of residence provides otherwise.