The 20th Roger Hatchuel Academy Preselection: Destination Cannes, empowered by INVIZIBILII.RO

For the 20th year running, #TheAlternativeSchool announces the Roger Hatchuel Academy preselection, on a mission to discover, train, and showcase the best Romanian talent under 25 for a once-in-a-lifetime international learning and competition experience.

Invizibilii.ro, a platform addressing less privileged people, offering them the opportunity to transform their potential into reality by breaking the glass ceiling, is #TheAlternativeSchool’s official partner for the RHA 2025 competition. 

We’re calling on young talents aged 18-25, currently enrolled in higher education (college, master’s, PhD), with a passion for applied creativity in contemporary arts, tech, marketing, PR and communication at large to submit a CV and a 2-minute video in English showcasing their creative flair and the uniquely Romanian vision. The winner will launch into the #RHA orbit — a career-boosting fully paid experience, hosted annually in June, at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

FOR WHOM?

Enrolled students (18-25) in educational programs related to creative industries, from design and foto-video to music, marketing & PR, (from college level to master & PHD) are invited to apply for the selection.

The Ideal Student Profile

* 18-25 years’ old

* Interested in pursuing advertising and creative communications 

* Fluent English speaker: Able to confidently contribute to class discussions in English. This is a critical, mandatory requirement.

* Able to attend the full Academy program: a week in Cannes, during the Lions.

* Personality: Evidence of being a creative thinker, curious, a leader, entrepreneurial, a storyteller, culturally in tune with society, the industry and current affairs 

* Community impact or solving problems in the community, schools or families  

* Diversity: Our role is to recommend an emerging talent for a creative potential incubator coming from all walks of life. He / She / They is able to have a constructive, inclusive attitude towards diversity in thought, gender, experience, culture and socio-economic status. This is a critical, mandatory requirement.

Note: Aligned with our ERA (Equality, Representation & Access) values, If performant candidates with similar chances are qualified for the shortlist, the one(s) coming from a discriminated community or with a disadvantaged background will have prevalence.

HOW?

A youtube 2-minutes video, containing your full name, in which you talk about your creative self:

* Who are you, what’s your talent journey so far, your dreams

* What’s specific, juicy and relevant about #RomanianCreativity in your case

* What makes you an exceptional exponent for local Talent in an international context

* Why international exposure & RHA is a priceless ad-up for your career 

* How you intend to apply all the knowledge after coming back in the country

Note: the questions above serve as a guidance, they are not mandatory. Feel free to answer in your application the ones that talk to you the most.

EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR THE 2MIN VIDEO;

• Originality, Memorability, and Relevance to the #RomanianTalent hashtag: 30%

• Storytelling & Narrative: 30%

• Technical & Production Skills (editing, flow, respecting the 2 min length): 30%

• Unique Perspective (the "extra something" only you can tell): 10%

• Note: At #TheAlternativeSchool the selection will always be on MERIT FIRST kind of standard. Giving the fact that international specialisations are highly expensive for some socio-economic or minority categories, if the quality of the applications is equal in professional merit, we will offer an extra-chance to those less fortunate.

  
  

Application Pack:

Send your application, mentioning your name, via email to andra@thealternativeschool.com with the following:

• A YouTube link to your 2-minute video in English, clearly titled with your full name.

• A Google Drive link to your CV in English (please ensure view settings are correct).

• A photo labeled with your name and surname, to be used for communication if selected to represent Romania at The Roger Hatchuel Academy. The photo must be a JPG format in portrait layout, at least 480 x 600 pixels, passport-style (blank background).

DEADLINES / SCHOLARSHIPS / FEES:

1st Deadline: November 8th / 23.59  | final Deadline: January 22nd / 23:59

Until November 8th, applicants for the Roger Hatchuel Academy can also compete for one of 8 scholarships sponsored by Invizibilii.ro for the #FutureProofCreativity specialization.

For those simply looking to enter the Academy competition without additional feedback or school-related specializations, the entry is free, with Jan. 22nd as final deadline.

A dedicated workshop with feedback on the application draft will take place on Jan, 9th, 7 pm. Those interested will get the zoom link upon their email containing the intention to apply and the link to the application draft, send no later than Jan 8th.

For those under 25 who want to level up their skills, a €200 fee grants access to the #FutureProofCreativity module. This includes the chance to qualify for the Young Lions Competitions and two rounds 1 on 1 feedback on your video application in progress.

The 3 RHA finalists, selected by a reputed jury, will be announced by Feb. 3rd, 2025. The final selection for the one representing Romania in Cannes will be announced in late April, early May, upon an international jury evaluation.

Meet the Jurors

Elis Popescu - Founder Designist, Eduard Dica - RHA winner 2024, Doriana Marasoiu - arhitect & awarded illustrator, Silviu Buraga - Prof. George Enescu Art University Iasi, Adelina Butnaru - Graphic Desinger & Prof #UNARTE, Oana Nasui - Cultural Analyst #Modernism.ro, Bianca Cheregi - Prof FCRP / #SNSPA, Carmen Ion - founder #Boovie are the 2025 jurors for the Roger Hatchuel Academy local competition.

Visual Identity by Doriana Mărășoiu

The visual for the 2024 fall edition of the #FutureProofCreativity campaign & associated competitions is crafted by the talented illustrator Doriana Mărășoiu, an architect exploring graphic design and illustration, masterfully navigating between minimalism, positive-negative space play, vibrant colors, and visual metaphors.

#TheAlternativeSchool & #RHA local History

Since 2005, #TheAlternativeSchool Creative MBA & its programs have launched Romanian talents into leading roles across media, entertainment, design, and advertising, via trainings & international exposure, through the #YoungLions & #RHA competitions. In 2024, the Alternative Eduard Dică won Silver at #RHA alongside his international team from China, Ukraine, Nigeria and Colombia.

Eduard’s journey didn’t end there — he earned a fully paid trip to Saudi Arabia, along with his teammates and other winners. In past years, performing Romanian talents within #RHA, have also been rewarded with incredible experiences, including an all-expenses-paid week at Google headquarters in California, USA.

To be continued