Engineers Without Borders UK has launched the 2022/23 cycle of its Engineering for People Design Challenge, in partnership with Engineers Without Borders South Africa and the Govan Community project. This competition focuses on the engineering challenges and opportunities affecting the Govan Community Project, founded as a community response to the needs of people seeking asylum in Glasgow, Scotland.

Eight challenge areas are included in the program:

• Built environment: This includes all human-made physical spaces where people live, work and enjoy leisure activities

• Food security: This occurs when all people have access to sufficient, safe, culturally appropriate and nutritious food that meets their requirements for an active and healthy life, and in a way that the planet can sustain into the future

• Energy: Reliable access to energy, in particular electricity, often reduces the time people spend on everyday tasks

• Waste: It is vital to address and responsibly manage shared resources through reducing, recycling and reducing waste, to prevent environmental damage, health risks and the development of unsightly and undesirable areas

• Water supply: Reliable supply of clean and safe drinking water supply is essential for people to lead healthy lives

• Sanitation: This involves the safe management, treatment and eventual safe end use or disposal of water that is contaminated, to prevent potential health problems

• Transport: Mobility and access to transport infrastructure allow people and goods to move around freely

• Digitalization: While many people benefit hugely from modern digital advances in information communications, some have not had the same opportunities

Now in its 12th year, the Design Challenge has reached over 60,000 undergraduate students across Cameroon, South Africa, the U.K., Ireland and the U.S., and the 2022/23 Challenge will be delivered to over 40 institutions in these areas.

Educators from each institution will review their students’ submissions with the top five from each university going forward to be judged by industry volunteers. The top teams will then be invited to present their solutions at the Grand Finals in a bid to win the Grand Prize of an educational bursary. The runner-up and the People’s Prize winners will also receive an educational bursary to share between them.