Research Image Competition

1.1 By participating in Western’s Research Image Competition (Competition), the person who is participating in the Competition (You) agrees to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

1.2 The Competition is organised by Western Sydney University (ABN 53 014 069 881) of Cnr Victoria Road and James Ruse Drive Parramatta South Campus, Rydalmere NSW 2116 (WSU or University).

1.3 Submissions that do not comply with these Terms and Conditions are deemed to be invalid.

1.4 WSU reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual who WSU believes has breached any of these Terms and Conditions or engaged in any unlawful or other improper misconduct calculated to jeopardise the fair and proper conduct of the Competition.

2.1 The Competition opens on 14 April 2025 and closes at 11:59 pm on 21 May 2025.

2.2 Entry into the Competition is free of charge.

2.3 The Competition is a game of skill and not a game of chance.

2.4 To enter, staff and students must visit and complete the Western Research Image Competition Submission Form located at https://forms.office.com/r/BU3njdQ6n5 (staff only) and https://forms.office.com/r/3DdufKGxwV (students only),  by uploading a single photograph that meets the conditions set out in part 3 (Submission).

2.5 If you wish to withdraw your Submission or your consent to the use of your Submission, you can do so by contacting OSDVCREG@westernsydney.edu.au. WSU will make every effort to cease using the Submission in any future publications after your consent is withdrawn but is not obliged to remove the Submission from any publications published in any format prior to your consent being withdrawn.

3.1 In order to submit a Submission, you must:

(a) be a current WSU member of staff or currently enrolled as a WSU student;

(b) have created the Submission yourself and you must hold copyright in the Submission; and

(c) if you are under 18, obtain parental/guardian approval to enter this Competition. Your parent/guardian must read and consent to these Terms and Conditions and the University may require you to provide proof of such consent.

3.2 For a Submission to be valid it must:

(a) be entered in one of the following categories:

(i) Open Category: for photographs taken without the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), including but not limited to DeepArt.io, Runway ML, DALL-E, DeepDream, Remini in their creation.

(ii) AI Category: for photographs generated entirely or in part by AI. The AI category includes images where AI tools have been used for significant image generation or manipulation, excluding standard photo-editing software such as Photoshop for minor enhancements.

Submissions to the AI Category must clearly state the AI tools or programs used in the creation of the image.

(b) be entered in one of the following sub-categories:

(i) Responding to Digital Futures (Innovation for inclusive societies; AI and the Cyber World; Human-Centred AI), underpinned by First Nations Knowledge & Knowledge Systems;

(ii) Supporting a Sustainable Future (Water and Food Security; Climate, Environment Energy; Agri-Tech Technologies, Cultures and Economics), underpinned by First Nations Knowledge & Knowledge Systems;

(iii) Contributing to Fairer Societies (Equity, Social Justice, Belonging & A Sense of Place; Housing Security; Equitable Infrastructure; Gender, difference and power), underpinned by First Nations Knowledge & Knowledge Systems;

(iv) Creating Liveable Environments (Smart Cities; Liveable Communities; Arts and Society; Creative Placemaking), underpinned by First Nations Knowledge & Knowledge Systems;

(v) Fostering Healthy Communities (Innovations in Wellbeing; Health Equity; Whole of Life Care; Tackling Chronic Conditions), underpinned by First Nations Knowledge & Knowledge Systems; or

(vi) Leading Future Industries (Advanced Manufacturing; Industrial Innovation & Technologies; Skilled and Inclusive Workforce; Sovereign Capabilities), underpinned by First Nations Knowledge & Knowledge Systems.

(together, the Global Challenges)

(c) be saved as either a .jpg or .tif;

(d) be accompanied with a caption and with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Country name on which the photograph was taken;

(e) not identify any person or their property (such as their home, address or licence plate) without that person’s express written permission. If your Submission identifies a person or their property, you must attach a copy their express written permission at the time of submission of the Submission;

(f) not be watermarked;

(g) not contain any material which infringes the rights of any third party (including third party brands or logos);

(h) not include any content that is obscene, offensive, potentially defamatory, discriminatory, indecent, prejudicial or inconsistent with prevailing community standards; and

(i) comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

3.3 Only one Submission is allowed per person. If more than one Submission is received from you, only one Submission (selected by the University) will be considered for judging and all other Submissions will be deemed invalid.

3.4 WSU reserves the right to require you to provide evidence that your Submission is your original work and that all necessary consents have been obtained. If you are unable to provide evidence that is satisfactory to WSU, the Submission will be deemed invalid. This evidence may be required in the format of a statutory declaration.

4.1 The shortlist judging panel is made up of Global Challenge Leads (Shortlist Judging Panel).

4.2 The Competition judges (the Judges) will be made up of the University Photographer, the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, Enterprise & Global, and the Pro Vice-Chancellor Research.

4.3 All Submissions in the Open Category will be judged on the following criteria:

(a) creativity;

(b) quality of photograph; and

(c) communication of the chosen theme.

4.4 All Submissions in the AI Category will be judged on the following criteria:

(a) creativity;

(b) visual appeal; and

(c) communication of the chosen theme.

4.5 If Judges suspect that AI has been used in photos submitted to the Open Category, entrants will be contacted. If it is confirmed that AI is used, their entry will be swapped to the AI Category.

4.6 Between 22 May 2025 and 11 June 2025, the Shortlist Judging Panel will shortlist the Submissions.

4.7 The Judges will select the finalists from the shortlisted Submissions (Finalists) at their discretion.

4.8 WSU will publish the Finalists before the research celebration event on 27 August 2025 (Research Celebration Event).

4.9 The Judges will determine the winner (Winner) and runner-up (Runner-Up) for Open Category and winner (AI Winner) for AI Category.

4.10 If there is a tie in votes for any of the Winner, Runner-Up, AI Winner or Finalist positions, the University Photographer will have the deciding vote.

4.11 The people’s choice winner will be decided via public voting at the Research Celebration Event (People’s Choice Winner). The attendees of the Research Celebration Event will each be able to cast one vote into a voting box. The Finalist with the most votes will be the People’s Choice Winner. The People’s Choice Winner can be from either the Open Category or the AI Category.

4.12 WSU will announce the Winner, Runner-Up and People’s Choice Winner at the Research Celebration Event. If the Winners are not in attendance, they will be informed the following working day.

4.13 The decision of the Judges is final, and no communication regarding the deliberations or outcomes will occur. The Judges reserve the right not to award a Winner or Runner-Up at their discretion if the Submissions are not of reasonable quality or are not relevant to the Global Challenges.

5.1 The total value of the prizes is approximately $3350

5.2 The Winner’s prize is:

(a) a $300 gift voucher; and

(b) a framed picture of their Submission.

5.3 The Runner-Up’s prize is:

(a) a $250 gift voucher; and

(b) a framed picture of their Submission.

5.4 The AI Winner’s prize is:

(a) a $300 gift voucher; and

(b) a framed picture of their Submission.

5.5 The People’s Choice Winner’s prize is:

(a) a $200 gift voucher; and

(b) a framed picture of their Submission.

5.6 All Finalists will be given the poster size print of their photo which will be displayed during the Research Celebration Event.

5.7 All prizes must be claimed before 12 September 2025. Prizes cannot be claimed after that date. If not claimed:

(a) gift cards and corporate prizes will be returned to the Engagement and Advancement division of WSU; and

(b) framed photographs will be kept by WSU.

5.8 No prize can be transferred, exchanged or redeemed for cash. In the event that any prize becomes unavailable for reasons beyond the WSU’s control, WSU may substitute a prize with a prize of similar value.

5.9 If you are awarded a prize, and your Submission is subsequently found to have breached these Terms and Conditions, you must return the prize.

5.10 WSU is not responsible for prizes once they have left WSU’s or its agent’s premises. This includes responsibility for prizes damaged, delayed or lost in transit.

6.1 By entering the Competition, you:

(a) grant to WSU a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free licence to copy, publish, communicate, perform, play, re-broadcast, adapt and modify the whole or parts of your Submission in any format, platform, server, database, or communication channel, that is currently available and those which may be available in the future, for any use or purpose that WSU deems appropriate; and

(b) consent to WSU dealing with your Submission in any way that may otherwise infringe your moral rights and you agree not to assert your moral rights (wherever such rights are recognised) in respect of your Submission against the WSU or its assigns, licensees or successors. In particular, you consent to WSU changing the caption that accompanies your Submission.

(c) if your Submission includes any AI-generated elements, you must ensure that you hold the necessary rights to license these elements to WSU as described in clause 6.1.

6.2 WSU is under no obligation to use your Submission, including those of Finalists.

7.1 You indemnify WSU against all losses, damages, claims and costs by third parties arising out of, connected to, or resulting from, a breach by you of these Terms and Conditions.

8.1 WSU assumes no responsibility for any failure to receive a Submission or for inaccurate information or for any loss, damage or injury as a result of technical or telecommunications problems, including security breaches. If such problems arise, WSU may modify, cancel, terminate or suspend the Competition.

8.2 WSU is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information or other errors (whether technical or otherwise) that may occur in this Competition. The University accepts no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorised access to or alteration of entries.

8.3 To the full extent permitted by law, WSU will not be liable for any injury, damages, expenses, or loss whatsoever (whether direct or inconsequential) to persons or property as a result of any person entering into the Competition or accepting or using the prize.

8.4 WSU’s right to recover damages or other compensation is reserved.

9.1 By entering this Competition, you warrant that:

(a) you have complied with all requirements set out in part 3 (Conditions of Entry) above; and

(b) all information provided by you in connection with your Submission is correct and true in all parts.

10.1 WSU may, for an indefinite period, unless otherwise advised by you, use the personal information you provide in the course of the Competition for publicity in connection with the Competition.

10.2 In particular, you agree that if you are selected as a Winner, Runner-Up or Finalist, your name, likeness and Submission may be used for promotional and publicity purposes in connection with the Competition.

10.3 For more information about how the University collects, uses and discloses your personal information, please refer to the University’s Privacy Policy and Privacy Management Plan located at https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/footer/privacy

10.4 If you have any questions in relation to your privacy, or wish to access, update and/or change your personal information, please contact OSDVCREG@westernsydney.edu.au