The RSA Student Design Awards challenges emerging designers to tackle pressing social, environmental and economic issues through design thinking.
Our goal is to empower a generation of savvy, employable designers who understand the potential of design to benefit society. We do this by running a competition that challenges students and recent graduates to think differently about design, through tackling briefs focused on real-world problems.
The eight briefs address important social, environmental and economic issues. In addition to the major issues explored in each of the briefs, the common theme running through this year’s programme is the power of design to transition to a circular economy.
The eight creative briefs are:
• Tomorrow's Workplace
• Everyday Well-Being
• Improve Hygiene, Improve Lives
• Water Water, Everywhere
• Re-Invent The Toilet
• The Whole Package
• Innovation In Giving
• Collaborative Consumption
Submissions are accepted from both individuals and teams. Some projects may be more suited to teamwork than others. There is no set number of people that can be part of a team, but generally team entries comprise 2 or 3 people.
The intellectual property rights (patents, registered designs, unregistered design right, copyright, etc.) of all designs submitted in the competition remain with the candidate.
There is an entry fee of £35 (approx. 57 USD).
Eligibility
Entries are welcome from students and new graduates anywhere in the world.
Candidates may be undergraduate or postgraduate engaged on courses at a college or university, or those who graduated no earlier than March 2013.
Prize
We work closely with industry partners to develop the briefs, we help colleges and universities embed them in their curricula, and we support participants through workshops and mentoring.
Winners are rewarded with cash prizes, paid industry placements and complementary RSA Fellowship to kick-start their careers.