RSA Student Design Awards: Past, present and future

RSA Student Design Awards 2013-14 

The RSA Student Design Awards challenge emerging designers to tackle pressing social, environmental and economic issues through design thinking. We’ve just completed the first-stage of judging for the 2013/14 programme with a total of 66 short-listed projects selected from over 600 entries this year. This year’s briefs asked students to use their design skills to address a wide range of issues – from increasing mental well-being to envisaging how and where we’ll work in the future. The next stage consists of interviews with all short-listed candidates and the winners will be rewarded with cash prizes, paid industry placements and complimentary RSA Fellowship to kick-start their careers. 

The RSA Student Design Awards around the world

The RSA Student Design Awards were founded in the UK and the scheme continues to be headquartered in London, but entries are welcome from students and new graduates anywhere in the world. This year, we have short-listed entries from Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, Finland, and Hong Kong. Increased interest from other countries in sponsoring briefs and a rise in international entries means the RSA Student Design Awards is now expanding with licensed competitions in different countries. At present, we are running separate region-specific competitions in the United States and Malaysia, with a Finland programme in the pipeline for 2014-15.If you’re interested in running the RSA Student Design Awards in another country or region, or if you’d like to find out more about our international activity and how we can support you working on briefs outside the UK, please get in touch with Sevra Davis, Manager of the RSA Student Design Awards. 

Save the Date!

The RSA Student Design Awards were founded in 1924 and 2014 marks our 90th anniversary - and we are delighted to celebrate this momentous occasion with a series of events looking at how design can positively impact the world. On Thursday, 19th June, we’re hosting the 2014 RSA Student Design Awards Winners’ Celebration, including a presentation of this year’s Awards and a conversation with Richard Howarth, a past RSA Student Design Award winner and now a designer at Apple. More information and invitations to follow. 

Find out more about the Student Design Awards