Deadline: 30 March 2011
Open to: participants and teams all around the world
Award: 20 000EUR and, participation in the Challenge:Future Summit 2012 with an all-expense-paid trip
What if fun was taken seriously? What if creativity and joy were approached with as much care as finance and physics? What if entertainment was to double-up on meaning?
It is hardly any debate that the first decade of the 21st century has been a decade of change. Among the many winds and turns is the immense growth of all industries focused on fun and joy – media, theater, print, games, music, movies, phone apps, and web solutions – and well beyond. Together, these powerful forces penetrate and shape every aspect of our life. Yet, the ever-exploding list of TV channels does not always mean explosion in meaning and positive change around the world. In contrast, often, our fun is separated from meaning, and entertainment has little to do with learning, impact, and real development. Our work and learning continues to be less and less joyful, while our entertainment and free time continues to be less and less meaningful. What is our alternative?
Ours is the new era – the time for skillful blend of the best of media, creative expression, gaming, and technology – and using its power as a force for good. Now, the questions are:
– How do we harvest the power of creative expression, global media, and entertainment for the good of the world?
– What are the new products, services, platforms, organizations, networks, regulations, education programs and other solutions that can help us address the most pressing challenges of the human kind while having fun at the same time?
– What are the new ways of using existing solutions and innovations for the new level of positive impact?
Challenge:Future Competition 2011/12 dares to re-envision the Future where MEANING and POSITIVE CHANGE go hand-in-hand with FUN. What would it take to make sure there is:
– Fun@learning
– Fun@working
– Fun@volunteering
– Fun@creating
– Fun@discovering
– Fun@preserving
First Round
In the First Round of the Competition, your job is to go “out of the mind” to envision the world where FUN+MEANING2 significantly contribute to the Future that works for all.
As part of your team’s submission for the First Round, you are required to submit :
1. Title (visible to community and expert judges)
2. A Slide presentation (PowerPoint) of maximum 5 slides, including the title page (visible to community and expert judges)
3. Abstract in maximum 1.000 characters with spaces, plain text (visible to expert judges only)
4. Description in maximum 5.000 characters with spaces, plain text (visible to expert judges only).
Eligibility
The Challenge:Future Competition 2011/12 is free and open to all participants and teams that are in compliance with the specific rules listed below. The competition organizers reserve the right to disqualify any team or individual team members that violate the rules, regulations or the spirit of the competition. For special circumstances, eligibility is subject to individual review. Competition void where prohibited by law.
Teams Eligibility and Regulations
*Teams may consist of 1 to 3 members per team.
* Each team must have at least one student, currently enrolled at a higher education institution (will graduate not earlier than February 23, 2011 from any accredited university, college or other educational institution).
* If qualified as Grand Award Contenders, all team members will be invited to the C:F Summit 2012.
* All team members are considered with equal share for the payment of Grand Award.
* For any other awards or benefits, the team creator will be the first one to be invited.
* Team members do not have to be affiliated with the same institution or country.
* The competition is open to an unlimited number of teams per university, school or youth organization.
* Each team can have only one mentor
* Having a mentor is advised but not compulsory.
Team Members Eligibility
*Only born after February 22, 1980 and before February 23, 1993 are eligible to compete.
* Proof of ID (for all team members) and enrollment (for student team members) will be requested of all finalists.
* Each person can compete only in one team.
Mentors Eligibility
*Full-time or part-time faculty members (professors, lecturers, teaching assistants, researchers, and alike) of any accredited university, college or other higher educational institution are eligible to become mentors.
* Proof of affiliation with an educational institution will be requested from mentors of the finalist teams.
* A mentor can work with more than one competing team.
* A mentor cannot switch teams during the competition.
* A mentor cannot be a judge at the same time.
Award
Grand Award: One team with the most ingenious idea and solution for sustainable future will win The Grand Challenge:Future Award of 20.000 EUR (or approximately 26.000 USD as of 23.2.2011, gross) and one seat in the Challenge:Future Advisory Board of the next competition. The award may be subject to local taxes.
Grand Award Contenders: Members of the Grand Award Contenders teams will be awarded with fully covered travel and living costs to attend the Challenge:Future Summit in March 2012.
Trip to Hollywood Award: Participants that advance to the Semi-Fifinals have a chance to win a special bonus award – a trip to Hollywood awarded to one winner. Exact rules, regulations, and requirements for this bonus award will be announced at the launch of Semi-Finals.
Mentors: The mentor of the winning team will receive a 3.000 EUR award (gross, can be subject to local taxes), free participation in all Challenge:Future Summit 2012 events, and an invitation to join the Challenge:Future Advisory Board of the next competition.
For more information about awards click here .
Timeline
First Round
Feb 23 at 10am CET, 2011: Full brief, resources, and entry details announced
Feb 23 at 10am CET – Mar 24 at 10am CET, 2011: Create your team
Mar 24 at 6pm CET- 30 at 6pm CET, 2011: Submit your solution
Mar 31 at 10am CET – Apr 14 at 10am CET, 2011: VOTE!
Apr 20 at 6pm CET, 2011: Semi-Finalists announced
Semi Finals
Apr 21 at 6pm CET – June 15 at 6pm CET, 2011: Submit your solution
Jun 16 at 6pm CET – Jul 21 at 10am CET, 2011: VOTE!
Aug 1 at 6pm CET, 2011: Finalists announced
Finals
Nov 15 at 6pm CET, 2011: Submit your solution
Nov 21 at 10am CET – Dec 20 at 10am CET, 2011: VOTE!
Jan 6 at 10am CET 2012: Grand Prize Contenders announced
C:F Summit 2012 Mar 2012: Winner Announced
Challenge:Future Summit with Grand Award Winner Announced March 2012
This challenge is exciting and timely. I am a graduate student completing my Master's Degree in creativity studies with a focus on the role of joy in activating creative potential. My concern with your contest is the age limitation. Does the world need positive change only from a certain age group? Isn't the idea of a team challenge to bring together people of diverse backgrounds and strengths to push past old paradigms? Why on earth would you exclude any graduate student? What does age have to do with co-creating more fun and meaning? In the spirit of diversity and inclusion and ethical standards – I respectfully request you re-think and creatively re-state the guidelines related to age.
Marta,
I haven't set the rules because: Mladiinfo does not give scholarships or any financial support, but only informs about different opportunities. Click on the direct link to the official page above to apply for the program.
Cheers,
Kristina,
Mladiinfo
Dear Marta,
Thanks for your comment and suggestion. Also, we appreciate your interest for the competition.
We understand your concern about the age limitation of the competition. I am sure that students older than 30 can contribute to integrating fun and meaning in the word as much as the younger ones. However, every competition has some times of established. We are youth competition and the age limitation is set up to preserve the mission of C:F as "global youth think tank creating a community of talent and ideas for the world that works for all."
However, you have many chances to be involved. YOu can mentor a group in the competition. YOu can also establish a C:F Chapter in your school. Please look at our website. I would be also glad to assist you. Please contact me at zhikica[at]challengefuture.org
Best wishes,
Zhikica