Applications are now open for Innovative Designs for Accessibility (IDeA) Student Competition 2020. Moreover, the Innovative Designs for Accessibility (IDeA) student competition challenges students across Canada to use their creativity to develop innovative, cost-effective and practical solutions to accessibility barriers for people with disabilities.

Innovative Designs for Accessibility (IDeA) Student Competition 2020 Objectives

The objectives of the program are:

• to contribute to the creation of a culture of accessibility in Canada
• likewise, to motivate students to think about accessibility issues and to include accessibility in their creation of social and technological innovations now and in the future
• also, to develop cost-effective, practical and innovative concepts, programs, initiatives or designs that address everyday accessibility issues

Prizes

• First place – Three prizes of $5,000. Also, students who finish in the first place will receive $5,000 and all expenses paid a trip to showcase their project at a national conference.
• Second place – Three prizes of $1,500
• Third place – Three prizes of $1,000

Eligibility

Eligible applicants must be:

• Currently enrolled in any post-secondary program at a university which has recognized provincial degree-granting power, or their affiliates
• Similarly, students 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 for Innovative Designs for Accessibility (IDeA) Student Competition 2020?

Students must be nominated by a university representative (faculty or administration) before submitting their project to the IDeA 2020 student competition.

1. To nominate a student or student team, the university representative must create an account at https://portal.scholarshippartners.ca/welcome/idea_en/; university representatives who have previously nominated a student will simply need to log into the system using their email address and password.
2. Likewise, university representatives must provide the student’s name and email address for each project endorsed. If a team is being nominated, one student will be named as the team delegate. The university representative will receive an email confirmation after the submission of the nomination. 
3. Once nominated, the student will receive an email inviting them to complete the submission form. Further, the student will receive a confirmation email after the successful completion.