Terms & Conditions IBM Z Student Ambassador Program
Facilitated by Your Big Year®
Last Updated: 23 September 2026
1. Introduction & Acceptance of Terms
BY VISITING, USING OR SUBMITTING CONTENT TO THIS WEBSITE, INCLUDING THE YOURBIGYEAR.COM, INTERNATIONALCONNECTOR.COM DOMAIN NAMES AND OTHER SITES OWNED, OPERATED OR CONTROLLED BY THE PARTNERS AND SPONSORS (COLLECTIVELY, THE “WEBSITE”), YOU AGREE TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH HEREIN (THE “OFFICIAL RULES”), WHICH APPLY TO ALL USERS OF THE WEBSITE (“USERS”). DO NOT USE THE WEBSITE IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THESE OFFICIAL RULES AND/OR THE PARTNER’S PRIVACY POLICY.
IBM Z Student Ambassador Program ("Program") is an opportunity provided by IBM Z and is managed by Your Big Year, an International Connector LLC program ("Manager"). Your participation in IBM Z Student Ambassador Program is subject to the following terms and conditions:
Participation in the Program constitutes your full and unconditional agreement and acceptance of: (I) these terms and conditions, (ii) the privacy policies of Your Big Year and our Partner, and (iii) the decisions of the Manager and the selectors which are final and binding.
2. Program Overview
The selected participants will join a virtually facilitated program from September 2026 - May 2027. The Program will provide access to a virtual curriculum that includes the IBM Z mainframe technology, leadership training, personal development skills, and professional development skills. In addition, there will be opportunities for networking and opportunities to hear from companies who hire for IBM Z technical skills.
Participants will be required to consistently undertake a variety of activities and demonstrate their advocacy, including earning badges, organizing events or workshops on IBM Z for their campus community, establishing a mainframe community on-campus, teaching mainframe to their peers, and showcasing their work within the program on social media. Ambassadors are required to maintain an ‘Active’ status according to set criteria in order to remain in the program.
3. Educational Nature of the Program
The Program is educational and developmental in nature and is intended to support skill-building, leadership development, and professional learning.
Participation in the Program does not guarantee employment, internships, income, job placement, or specific career outcomes. Outcomes depend on individual engagement, effort, and external factors beyond the control of the Manager or IBM.
4. Fees and Expenses
There is no fee charged to the applicant or selected participant to participate in the Program. Applicants acknowledge that the Manager or our Your Big Year partners and sponsors are not responsible for any fees the Participant may incur in addition to the advertised opportunity. Any additional fees are the sole responsibility of the participant.
5. Program Term, Application Period & Participation Requirements
The IBM Z Student Ambassador Program, Class of 2026-27 application process (the “Application”) opens in June 2026, with various intake periods until March 2027.
The main Program runs from September 9, 2026 - May 31, 2027. There is also a summer session for ambassadors continuing from the previous year that runs from June to August 2026.
Admissions are on rolling basis. (Manager reserves the right to make amendments to application periods as required.)
All accepted applicants must (1) attend one onboarding session and (2) complete the IBM Z Xplore Concepts Badge within two weeks of provisional acceptance into the program in order to be official IBM Z Student Ambassadors and take part in the program.
6. Eligibility Requirements
Current students of university or college. Apprenticeship programs not attached to a University or college are not eligible.
Aged 18 years or older
Must be registered on IBM Z Xplore platform
Have an intermediate level of English
Submit a complete Program application form.
Be registered on the IBM Z Xplore platform Note: all successful applicants will have to complete the IBM Z Xplore Concepts Badge within two weeks of acceptance.
Be residents of the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Peru, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand Turkey, United Kingdom and USA (including US territories),
IBM Z and International Connector reserve the right to remove any participant from the program at any time, at their sole discretion, if the participant is found to have engaged in behavior or actions
that do not align with the standards, values, or expectations set forth by either IBM Z or International Connector for program representation.
7. Application and Selection Process
To apply for the program:
Fill out the Program application
Register for the IBM Z Xplore platform
Attend an interview with a Your Big Year team member
If you are accepted into the program, this acceptance is provisional until you:
Complete the Concepts badge on the IBM Z Xplore platform within two weeks of advisement.
Attend an onboarding within two weeks of advisement.
Selection Determination
There is one application for Program participants. All applicants will be reviewed for compliance with the rules. Based on the data and information gathered, a shortlist of finalists will be delivered to our selectors. Each selector will have a list of criteria to make their decisions. The decisions of the selectors are final.
In the event that the selected participant to the Program cannot be traced or does not respond within three (3) days to a participant notification as required or refuses the participation spot, the position will be forfeited and the Manager, in its sole discretion, may choose whether to award the participation spot to another applicant.
8. Participant Representations
Submitting a Program application, the applicant represents warrants, and covenants that all information provided is truthful and accurate.
Any and all information submitted must be valid and must be yours.
Any website or blog links must not, in the sole and unfettered discretion of the Manager, contain obscene, provocative, defamatory, sexually explicit, or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate content.
9. Program Modifications and Termination
In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Program is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, or other technical problem, the Manager may, in its sole discretion, suspend the Program to address the impairment and then resume in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Terms and Conditions.
Participants may withdraw from the Program at any time.
10. Data Protection & Privacy (GDPR Compliance)
Applicants agree that personal data, especially name and email address, may be processed, shared, and otherwise used by the Manager or our Partners, located anywhere in the world (including across country borders), for the purposes and within the context of the selection and any other purposes outlined in the Official Rules. The data may also be used by the Manager to verify the applicant's identity or to otherwise verify the applicant's eligibility to participate in the Program. Applicants have the right to access, review, rectify, or cancel any personal data held by the Manager by writing to the Manager. Personal data will be used by the Manager, Program partners, and its affiliates exclusively for the purposes stated herein.
10.1 Data Controller
International Connector LLC and International Connector B.V., operating as Your Big Year®, act as data controllers for personal data processed in connection with the Program.
10.2 Personal Data Collected
Personal data may include:
Name and contact details
Educational affiliation
Application responses
Program participation data
Photos, videos, or content submitted as part of Program activities
10.3 Purpose & Legal Basis
Personal data is processed for:
Administering applications and participation
Verifying eligibility and identity
Program communication and support
Program reporting and improvement
Program-related promotion (where consent or legitimate interest applies) Processing is based on:
Performance of the Program
Legitimate interests
Consent (where required)
Legal obligations
10.4 Data Sharing & International Transfers
Data may be shared with Program partners (including IBM) and service providers. Where data is transferred internationally, appropriate safeguards (such as standard contractual clauses) are used.
10.5 Data Retention
Data is retained only as long as necessary for Program purposes or legal obligations.
10.6 Participant Rights
Participants have the right to:
Access, correct, or delete personal data
Restrict or object to processing
Withdraw consent (where applicable)
Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority
Requests should be made via the applicable privacy policy or Program contact channels.
11. License, Media & User Content
If accepted, throughout the program you will be asked to upload a profile photo, submit videos, share social posts, event and club/community photos and videos (collectively, “Likeness”), amongst other similar requests.
By entering the Program, all you hereby grant an irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive license to the Manager and their Partners (each an “Authorized Party”, and collectively, “Authorized Parties”), to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works of your Likeness and entries (along with a name credit) in connection with the conduct, commercialization, marketing, and promotion of the Program and promotion of the Program, in any media now or hereafter known, for no additional compensation, including, but not limited to: display at a potential exhibition of selected participants or online highlighting entries or selected participants of the Program or broadcasts of general video footage (the “License”). Applicants consent to the Manager doing or omitting to do any act that would otherwise infringe the applicant’s “moral rights” in their entries. Display or publication of any entry on an Authorized Party’s website does not indicate the applicant will be selected to participate. Authorized Parties will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such use as authorized by the License. Additionally, by entering, each applicant grants to Authorized Parties the unrestricted right to use all statements made in connection with the Program, and all Likeness, including but not limited to any and all pictures, audio/video recordings, or biographies, or likenesses of Program applicants, or choose not to do so, at their sole discretion, except where prohibited by law. Authorized Parties will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such use.
I agree as follows:
IBM Event or Asset: This marketing consent is given as being a student member of the IBM Z Student Ambassador Program. This consent extends to all aspects of being an ambassador including, but not limited to, hosting virtual and in person events, running virtual and in person workshops, posting on social media, participating in existing on campus events, and participating in IBM led events. This consent extends to any and all uses by IBM in promoting or amplifying IBM products, opportunities and events.
License: As part of the IBM Event or Asset described above, I have provided or will be providing International Business Machines Corporation (“IBM”), in its capacity as Controller, with written materials, presentations or other text, as well as my personal data including my name, employer, biography, photo, voice, personal likenesses or other images, (collectively, the “Information”). I
consent that this Information may be used by IBM without charge or compensation, and that IBM may make an audio or video recording (“Recording”) of me as part of the IBM Event or Asset. I grant to IBM a non-exclusive, royalty free, worldwide right to use, copy, display, exhibit, publish, perform and distribute the Information and Recording, as well as to prepare derivative works of the same in print, electronic media, on IBM or other web sites, social media or any other media now known or hereinafter developed for the purpose of promoting IBM’s goods and services. I understand that more information on IBM processing of my personal data can be found in the IBM Privacy Statement https://www.ibm.com/privacy/us/en/. I also understand I may withdraw my consent to the above processing of my personal data by reaching out by email to IBM at chiefprivacyoffice@ca.ibm.com.
Representation and Warranty: I represent and warrant that the Information provided herein is factually true, accurate and original.
Use and Ownership: IBM may reproduce, shorten, take excerpts from, combine or develop any part or all of the Information and Recording, provided that the nature of the content is not materially altered. I acknowledge that IBM shall own all rights, including copyrights, in the Information and Recording when used as part of other IBM materials. With respect to the foregoing, IBM can share the Information and Recording with its subsidiaries and affiliates each of which will have the same use and ownership rights as described above as well as with its agents in their capacity as IBM Processors.
Miscellaneous. I am at least 18 years of age and have full authority to furnish the Information to IBM. If any provision of this Consent is found to be unenforceable at law, the remaining provisions shall survive and remain in full force and effect. Except as otherwise required by mandatory law which cannot be waived by contract, this Consent shall be governed by the laws of the State of New Jersey.
12. Intellectual Property & Platform Use
All Program materials, Platform content, trademarks, and technology are the intellectual property of the Manager or IBM, as applicable.
Participants may not:
Copy, reproduce, distribute, scrape, or reverse engineer Program or IBM materials.
Use Program or IBM materials to train artificial intelligence systems
Use Program or IBM branding outside the scope of Program participation
Commercially exploit Program materials without permission
13. Third-Party Platforms
The Manager and Your Big Year are not responsible for the policies and practices of other websites that are accessible by hyperlink from our Site. Acknowledgment that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Medium, Discord, LinkedIn, TikTok, X, YouTube or similar platforms.
Participation may involve use of third-party platforms (e.g., social media, communication tools, learning platforms). Use of such platforms is governed by their respective terms and policies. The Manager is not responsible for third-party platform practices, moderation, or availability.
14. General Conditions
The Manager reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any applicant it finds to be tampering with the entry process, or the operation of the Program, or to be acting in violation of these Terms and Conditions, local, state, or federal law, or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Program may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Manager reserves the right to seek damages from any such applicant to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Manager's failure to enforce any term of these Terms and Conditions shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. The authorized account holder is defined as the applicant who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.
15. Disclaimer, Release & Limitation of Liability
Although we work very hard to provide you with the most current and accurate information on our Site, we can’t and don’t warrant that everything you see on this Site is up-to-date, error-free, or complete. While we may periodically add, modify, or delete any of the information on this Site, we don’t make any commitment or assume any obligation or duty to do so, and you should assume that the information is current and up-to-date only as of the date it is posted to this Site. Neither we nor any of our consultants for this Site will be liable for any direct, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of your access to or use of this Site. Everything on this Site is provided to you “as is” without warranty of any kind either expressed or implied, including but not limited to any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or noninfringement. Some jurisdictions may not allow the exclusion of implied warranties so this statement may not apply to you.
By participating in the Program, applicant irrevocably and perpetually agrees to release, discharge, and hold harmless the Manager, Your Big Year, the Partners, selectors, and their affiliates, parents, subsidiaries, sales representatives, agents, advertising, marketing and promotion agencies, consultants, contractors and prize providers, and each of their respective officers, directors, shareholders, employees, agents, and representatives, and each of these companies’ and individuals’ respective successors, representatives (collectively, “Released Parties”) from and against any and all claims or cause of action arising out of, or related to, participation in the Program or receipt or use of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) rights of publicity or privacy; (b) defamation; (c) copyright infringement or portrayal in a false light resulting from participation in the Program or acceptance of any prize; (d) unauthorized human intervention; (e) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone or network lines; (f) printing, email, or faxing errors; (g) errors in the administration of the Program or the processing of entries; or (h) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from applicant’s participation in the Program or receipt of any prize. Applicant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Released Parties’ liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating
in the Program, and in no event shall the Released Parties be liable for attorney’s fees. Applicant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.
16. Governing Law
Binding Individual Arbitration and Class Action Waiver
Any and all disputes, claims, or controversies arising out of or related to the Program must be brought before binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association before a single arbitrator located in New Jersey. Arbitration means that you waive your right to a judge or jury in court proceedings and your grounds to appeal are limited. Except where prohibited, Applicant agrees that any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of, or connected with the Program or any prize awarded shall be resolved in an individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class action or representative proceeding, including without limitation, Federal or State class actions, class arbitrations, or private attorney general actions. Accordingly, an Arbitrator shall not combine or consolidate more than one party’s claim without the written consent of all affected parties to an arbitration proceeding. individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in New Jersey, United States of America. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these Official Rules, Applicant's rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Manager in connection with the Program, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the state of New Jersey, United States of America, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether New Jersey, United States of America or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than in New Jersey, United States of America.
17. Contact Information
For questions regarding these Terms or data protection matters, please refer to the applicable privacy policy or Program contact details.