An Algonquin College learner has won an international competition hosted by World Design Organization (WDO), earning admission to the 34th World Design Congress in London, UK. Laura Avila, a Level 02 student in the Interdisciplinary Studies in Human-Centred Design program, partnered with three other students in North Macedonia, the United States and India to compete in the WDO design sprint under the theme Heritage in Motion: Defining the Future by Design.
Human-Centred Design Lab
The Human-Centred Design Lab at Algonquin College’s Applied Research has been named one of 10 finalists at the InnoServe Awards for their project, Building Hurricane Resiliency in the Commonwealth of Dominica.
The InnoServe Awards is an annual ICT application competition held for university and college students that promotes academic-industry collaboration by integrating academic training and practical experience. The awards will be held on Nov. 4 in Taipei, Taiwan, with teams worldwide competing for a top prize of US$4,000 per team. Being named a finalist and the only Canadian team highlights the innovative and impactful work being done through the Human-Centred Design Lab.
Led by Algonquin College, the applied research project is being implemented in partnership with Dominica State College (DSC) and their team, with funding from Global Affairs Canada. The goal of the project is to increase economic opportunities for graduates of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Dominica by focusing on climate-smart construction and carpentry skills for the green economy.
Algonquin College, UPES University in India and the World Design Organization (WDO) have partnered to host an international competition launching March 6, 2023. The World Design Challenge includes learners from Algonquin College’s School of Media and Design and the UPES School of Design. Participating programs include Graphic Design, Interior Design, Interactive Media Design and Interdisciplinary Studies in Human-Centred Design.
The WDO supports over 180-member organizations worldwide, representing designers and their contributions to economic, social, cultural, and environmental development. Both Algonquin College and UPES University are WDO members.
Jed Looker, Principal Investigator of the Human-Centred Design Lab, created the event in collaboration with UPES University after connecting with a UPES colleague at a WDO networking event.
“The first week of the challenge is in-person at Algonquin College and UPES respectively, where students come together to form teams, define expectations and learn about the challenge themes. From there, students collaborate virtually over Zoom to develop their projects before making their final pitch to the panel of industry judges in week three,” said Looker. Continue reading