Briefs revealed for RSA Student Design Awards 2018

The Royal Society of Arts (RSA) has announced the briefs for this year’s edition of its Student Design Awards.

Now in its 94th year, the charity’s annual design competition asks design students and recent graduates to tackle social, environmental and economic issues around the world through design and innovation. It is open to undergraduate, postgraduate and other higher education students from all over the world.

The briefs for this year’s competition are based on subjects linked to the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals, which include sustainable cities and climate action.

There are eight briefs in total this year, including one that focuses on promoting greater wellbeing at work, another that asks entrants to redesign a consumer toy product and its packaging in order to eliminate waste, and one that looks to encourage and enable better sleeping patterns in order to improve mental health.

£25,000 worth of cash prizes

Other briefs ask entrants to use a fabric that is enhanced by new technologies to improve people’s wellbeing, create a design solution to allow people from low income groups be better served by banks and other financial services, and design a cross-generational, multi-use kitchen and entertainment space.

Over £25,000 in total will be awarded to this year’s competition winners, along with a number of paid placements and fellowships to the RSA.

The RSA Student Design Awards will open for entries on 15 January 2018. The final deadline is on 14 March 2018, and the winners will be announced on 22 May.

See the full list of briefs and awards here.

Last year’s winners: