The Innovative Design for Accessibility (IDeA) student competition is a national program administrated by Universities Canada and funded by the Government of Canada’s Employment and Social Development Canada. This contest is open to those students who are currently enrolled in any post-secondary program at a university which has recognized the provincial degree-granting power, or their affiliates.
The IDeA competition aims to inspire students to use their creativity to develop innovative, cost-effective and practical solutions to accessibility-related issues resulting in communities that are more accessible for persons with disabilities.
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Who May Eligible:
To eligible, the candidate must meet all the following criteria:
- Applicants currently enrolled in any post-secondary program at a university which has recognized the provincial degree-granting power, or their affiliates
- Any student from any Canadian Universities
- Students must be in all programs including architecture, arts, business, computer science, early childhood education, engineering, industrial design, medicine, nursing, political science, psychology, sociology, social work, etc. are welcome to apply
How to Apply & Competitions Rules:
To apply, the applicant must need to register. Students must present a solution that addresses one of the following accessibility barriers:
- Attitudinal barriers are behaviours, perceptions, and assumptions that discriminate against persons with disabilities.
- Organizational or systemic barriers are policies, procedures, or practices that unfairly discriminate against individuals with a disability and can prevent these individuals from participating fully in a situation.
- Architectural/physical barriers are elements of buildings or outdoor spaces that create barriers to persons with disabilities.
- Information or communication barriers occur when sensory disabilities, such as hearing, seeing or learning disabilities, have not been considered.
- Technological barriers occur when a device or technological platform is not accessible to its intended audience and cannot be used with an assistive device.
Rules:
Students must submit their concepts, programs, initiatives or designs in one of five categories addressing an accessibility barrier as outlined in Canadian provincial legislation.
To make a submission, the student(s) or student team(s) must be nominated by a member of the university faculty or administration (University Representative):
- Universities are limited to a maximum of ten (10) submissions to the competition;
- University Representatives can either be named by a university senior administrator or self-identify but will be required to secure the endorsement of the university’s senior administration once all submissions have been received;
- Students must have demonstrated they have consulted with a person(s) with a disability(ies) for feedback on their concepts, programs, initiative or design;
- Students must demonstrate that their submission adheres to accessibility standards. Students can find information on how to make their submission accessible on The Accessibility Hub website: www.theaccessibilityhub.ca/resources
- If students work as a team, they will be required to nominate one member to act as the team’s delegate. This person will be the official point of contact for the team.
Benefits:
There are three types of the prize will be awarded to winning candidates:
- First Place Prize – $2,000: One submission from each category will be awarded a first-place prize of $2000 CAD and will present their concept, program, initiative or design at the Canadian Innovative Exchange (CIX) Conference. All travel expenses and conference fees will be included in the prize.
- Second Place Prize – $1,500: One submission from each category will be awarded a second-place prize of $1500 CAD.
- Third Place Prize – $1,000: One submission from each category will be awarded a third-place prize of $1000 CAD.
- IDeA Alumni Network: As a finalist in the IDeA student competition, you will be invited to join the IDeA Alumni Network.
Application Deadline:
The deadline to enter the 2021 IDeA competition is April 30, 2021, at 5 p.m. ET.
Original Website
If you have questions about the IDeA student competition, please contact idea@univcan.ca.
