SDGs Design International Awards 2022: Change the future of education with design

The SDGs Design International Awards are calling for students worldwide to submit their original ideas for using design to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4, Quality Education. Now in their fourth year, the awards include cash prizes of up to 300,000 JPY for three top entries chosen in the main category and three corporate awards of 50,000 JPY under this year’s theme of “Let's Design High-Quality Educational Experiences.” Entries are due by the end of September 30, 2022 (Japanese Standard Time).

First organized in 2019 by the SDGs Design Unit of the Faculty of Design and the Center for Designed Futures of Kyushu University, the awards aim to demonstrate the solving of social problems through design and to elevate society's expectations for design. This year’s theme was chosen with the intention to create educational experiences that promote hope for the future, valuing of life, and peace and consideration of others among young people, who are responsible for our future.

“Education is at the core of nurturing people and society. In this era of rapid change, education must also evolve, and the ideas of students are critical,” says Shigeki Inoue, professor of Kyushu University’s Faculty of Design and chairperson of the awards.

“Through these awards, we hope to show everyone just how much ‘Design’ and the creativity of younger generations can do to help save the world, and we hope to give students around the world the opportunity to see that they too can contribute to solving complex social issues with their amazing ideas.”

The SDGs Design International Awards 2021 received a total of 83 proposals created by students from 11 countries and regions worldwide in response to the challenge of “Let's Create a Carbon Neutral Society.” The proposals submitted to the past three awards have demonstrated the potential of the power of “Design” to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs, a set of Sustainable Development Goals put forth by the United Nations as part of a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.”

Details of this year’s awards are as follows.

Application deadline

Friday, September 30, 2022 (Japanese Standard Time)

Online Award Ceremony

Saturday, November 12, 2022

Application method

Submit through the SDGs Design International Awards 2022 website

Eligibility

Any students in universities, graduate schools, vocational institutions, or high schools in Japan or overseas interested in design may apply (including working students). Students not majoring in design are also welcome to apply.

Theme 1: Let’s Design “High-Quality Educational Experiences!”

Design ideas for “High-Quality Education” in the world and in Asia with the intention to create an educational experience that promote hope for the future, valuing of life, and peace and consideration of others among young people, who are responsible for our future. Three entries will be chosen for awards with accompanying cash prizes as follows.

Theme 2: Let’s Design “High-Quality Educational Experiences!” with the Companies!

For each of the awards below sponsored by corporate partners, one entry will be chosen based on its ability to meet the proposed challenge. Each awards comes with a 50,000 JPY cash prize.

Organizer

Kyushu University, Faculty of Design, SDGs Design Unit; Center for Designed Futures of Kyushu University

Co-Organizer

Kyushu Shiawase Kyoso Labo (KYUSHU HAKUHODO); Dongseo University ASIA DESIGN CENTER FOR FUTURE

Cooperation

Cumulus Association; International Office, Faculty of Design; Beijing Institute of Technology

Further information can be found at the SDGs Design International Awards 2022 website.