Video Submission Instructions for Application
Your Mission: Show Us Why You're Our Next Cleantech Leader!
In a compelling 1–2 minute video, demonstrate why you are ready to join our transformative MCLT program. We are looking for future cleantech leaders helping ‘move the needle’ to meet net-zero goals through innovative, collaborative, and sustainable solutions.
Remember: We want to see the authentic you—your passion, your experiences, and your unique perspective. Consider that we want to hear about what you will bring to our learning community and what you will gain from the program to advance your impact.
Structure your Video Content Around These Four Core Prompts
How Videos Will Be Evaluated
Submission Details
Presentation Excellence Tips
Technical Requirements
Structure Your Video Around These Four Core Prompts
1. Your Net-Zero Vision (30-40 seconds)
Prompt: “What is your vision for achieving net-zero, and how does your career align with leading this transformation?”
What we want to understand:
- Your grasp of why cleantech leadership and transformation is essential in this moment
- How your career goals connect to driving sustainable change
- Your understanding of what transformative leadership looks like in practice
- The reciprocal value: how the program advances your vision AND how your vision enriches the program
What to avoid:
- Simply restating program objectives or course descriptions
- Generic statements about “helping the environment” without depth
- One-way thinking (what you want from the program without considering what you offer)
- Vague aspirations without connection to current sustainability challenges
2. Leading Sustainable Change (30-40 seconds)
Prompt: “Share a specific example of how you have led or collaborated on sustainable change initiatives.”
What we want to see:
- A concrete story from work, research, community involvement, or academic projects
- Your specific role in driving environmental or sustainability outcomes
- How you navigated collaboration in this context
- Evidence of your potential to accelerate cleantech transformation
What to avoid:
- Generic leadership examples unrelated to environmental or sustainability work
- Stories where your role or impact is unclear
- Examples that do not demonstrate collaboration or stakeholder engagement
- Abstract descriptions without specific actions or outcomes
3. Bridging Diverse Viewpoints (20-30 seconds)
Prompt: “How do you bridge different perspectives when considering wicked environmental challenges, and what viewpoint will you bring to our community”
What we want to see:
- Your ability to communicate across different audiences or disciplines
- Experience working with diverse stakeholders or knowledge systems
- Understanding of how policy, community values, or different worldviews shape environmental solutions
- Your authentic voice and what makes your perspective distinctive
What to avoid:
- Claims about being “good with people” or valuing “diverse perspectives” without specific examples
- Speaking in generalities rather than sharing your personal insights and concrete approach
4. What Sets you Apart (10-20 seconds)
Prompt: “What should we know about you that makes you distinctive as a future cleantech leader?”
This is your space to:
- Highlight something unique about your journey or skills
- Show your personality and creativity
- Share what excites you most about collaborative learning
- Leave us with a memorable impression of who you are
How We will Evaluate Your Video
Your video will be scored equally across five criteria:
- Alignment of career aspirations with sustainability and MCLT objectives (20%)
- Motivation and enthusiasm for the MCLT program (20%)
- Leadership and collaboration demonstration or potential (20%)
- Communication and advocacy skills (20%)
- Professionalism in presentation (20%)
Critical: Scoring a "1" (needs improvement) in any single category will result in automatic decline. We're looking for strength across all areas while recognizing that excellence can take many forms.
Here is the rubric that we will use to evaluate all candidates:
| Criteria | Excellent (4 points) | Proficient (3 points) | Developing (2 points | Needs improvement (1 point) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alignment of Career Aspirations with Sustainability and MCLT Program Objectives (20%) | Demonstrates deep understanding of cleantech transformation challenges and clearly connects career goals to advancing sustainability solutions, with specific examples showing strong program-candidate alignment. | Shows good understanding of sustainability challenges and connects career goals to cleantech transformation with relevant examples. | Career goals are somewhat stated but lack strong connections to MCLT objectives or have minimal supporting details. | Career goals are unclear or not connected to MCLT objectives; lacks supporting details. |
| Motivation and Enthusiasm to Join the MCLT Program (20%) | Demonstrates strong enthusiasm and a compelling motivation to join the program; passion and creativity evident. | Expresses motivation and interest clearly, with some enthusiasm and creativity. | Shows some motivation but lacks energy or strong reasons for joining. | Minimal or unclear motivation; lacks enthusiasm. |
| Leadership and Collaboration Demonstration or Potential (20%) | Provides compelling examples of leadership and collaboration specifically in sustainability, environmental, or cleantech contexts, demonstrating strong potential for driving transformative change. | Shows leadership and collaboration experience with some connection to sustainability or environmental work, with supporting examples. | Leadership and collaboration experiences are briefly mentioned but not well-developed. | Lacks mention of leadership or collaboration, or examples are weak. |
| Communication and Advocacy Skills, Demonstrated by Clarity of Responses (20%) | Communicates clearly, articulately, and effectively; demonstrates strong ability to advocate for ideas and engage diverse audiences. | Responses are clear and mostly articulate, with some persuasive elements. | Responses are somewhat clear but may lack depth or persuasiveness. | Responses are unclear, difficult to follow, or lack persuasion. |
| Professionalism in Presentation (20%) | Video is well-organized with confident, authentic delivery in a setting that supports clear communication and professional engagement. | Presentation is organized with good delivery; video quality and setting support effective communication. | Presentation is somewhat organized, but delivery or technical quality could be improved. | Presentation significantly hinders communication effectiveness due to organization, delivery, or technical issues. |
Scoring:
- Total possible points = 20
- Final score = (Total Points/20) × 100%
Considerations for Decision Making:
- If a candidate scores a 1 in any of the categories, then they are declined/rejected.
Submission Details
Submit directly through the UPEI Application portal. Your video remains confidential and will only be reviewed by the Registrar's Office and MCLT Admissions Review Committee. Please refer to the Privacy Statement on the application portal for more information.
Please note that providing false or misleading information at any stage of the application process—including during review, after an offer of admission has been extended, or following acceptance—may result in the immediate disqualification or revocation of your application and/or offer.
Questions? Contact the UPEI Graduate Studies office or visit our program website for additional information.
Ready to record? Take a moment to center yourself, reflect on your journey, and show us why you should join our learning community.
Presentation Excellence Tips
Authentic Presentation:
- Attire: Dress in a way that represents your professional self
- Setting: Choose a space that feels authentic to you while remaining appropriate for a professional context
- Eye contact: Look directly at the camera to connect with your audience
Environment Considerations:
What works well:
- Indoor or outdoor spaces where you feel comfortable and confident
- Locations that reflect your personality or interests (your office, a community space, outdoors if weather permits)
- Settings that are meaningful to your work or values
What to avoid:
- Spaces with distracting background noise or interruptions
- Locations that are difficult to see or hear you clearly
- Settings that might be considered inappropriate for professional communication
- Busy backgrounds that draw attention away from your message
Engagement Strategies:
- Energy: Let your genuine enthusiasm show through your voice and presence
- Pacing: Speak at a natural pace that allows your message to be clearly understood
- Communication style: Use your authentic voice to best represent who you are
Technical Requirements
Video Specifications:
- Length: 1-2 minutes (strictly enforced, we will not watch past the 2-minute mark)
- File size: Maximum 20 MB
- Format: MP4, MOV, or AVI
- Resolution: 720p or higher preferred
Quality Standards:
- Audio: Clear and easy to understand—test this before recording!
- Lighting: Ensure you are clearly visible
- Stability: Steady recording (use whatever support works for your setup)
