Application Deadline: 27 January 2017
The Royal Academy of Engineering are inviting university teams to participate in the Global Grand Challenges Competition 2017; a seven-month programme of challenge-led innovation, design and business development, culminating in the opportunity for five successful teams to attend the Global Grand Challenges Summit in Washington DC.
Nominated teams of undergraduate students will take part in the two-day interactive workshop in February, facilitated by UCL Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP), where they will be confronted with a global challenge and tasked to develop a solution that engineering expertise can address in an innovative and effective way.
Following this preparatory workshop, the university teams will work independently to develop focussed design solutions to their global challenges in preparation for a competition showcase hosted by the Academy in April 2017. During the Competition Showcase students will pitch their design solutions to a panel of experts, and five teams will be chosen to continue to the next round.
Teams
- Each team may have no more than six and no less than four undergraduate student members (not graduating before Spring 2017).
- Universities may nominate more than one team. It is up to the universities to decide the criteria for team selection.
- RAE are not expecting teams to have a strategy or prototype prepared prior to the competition.
- All applying teams must designate a team leader who is required to be from an engineering programme, but students from other disciplines are strongly encouraged to be part of the team.
- Universities are expected to support their teams academically during the pitch development phases.
Benefits:
- The winning teams will go on to develop full business proposals for their design solutions, supported by a Business Development Bootcamp in June, and then will have the opportunity to represent the United Kingdom at the Global Grand Challenges Summit in Washington DC in July, competing against teams from the United States and China.
Costs
February Workshop
- If not based in London, the Academy will cover the cost of economy travel from the team’s university location to London for the two-day workshop in February, and student accommodation for the night of the first day.
- If the team’s university location is more than 200 miles’ distance from London, the Academy will also cover student accommodation for the night prior to the workshop.
Competition Showcase in April
- If not based in London, the Academy will cover the cost of same-day economy travel from the team’s university location to the one-day Competition Showcase in April.
- If the team’s university location is more than 200 miles’ distance from London, the Academy will also cover student accommodation for the night prior to the workshop.
Business Development Bootcamp
- If not based in London, the Academy will cover the cost of same-day economy travel from the team’s university location to the one-day Business Development Bootcamp in June.
- If the team’s university location is more than 200 miles’ distance from London, the Academy will also cover student accommodation for the night prior to the workshop.
Global Grand Challenges 2017, Student Day and Summit
- For the five successful teams selected to represent the UK at the Global Grand Challenges Student Day Competition, the Academy will cover the cost of economy travel from the team’s university location to Washington DC, and student accommodation close to the venue for four nights to enable them attend the Summit.
- The Academy will also cover travel and accommodation costs for one mentor to travel with each team.
- Team members and mentors will be expected to organise their own visas if required.
- Any additional costs are to be covered by the universities or by the students and mentors.
Application Procedure:
- University
- Names, email addresses and disciplines of all team members
- A plan outlining an initial idea to address one of the Grand Challenges for Engineering
- Details of two team mentors from the university
- Please submit all applications by 27 January 2017 to rebecca.gaitch@raeng.org.uk
- Successful applicants will be notified by 30 January 2017
- Fill Out the Application form
For More Information: