A brief guide to bringing Student Competitions

to your course

by Natasha Angelopoulou

I believer that in any discipline there are student competitions, which are
highly regarded in the relevant industry and that encourage young people
to apply their imagination, creative and talent to new technological
innovations. From my experience, Aany course leader who would like to
involve the students to such competitions should be aware of the
following:

Criteria for selectingAbout the competition

• How relevant the competition is to the current degree.

• Is it a team competition or individual.

• Who is behind the competition (sponsors, for example, Microsoft,

RealTime Worlds, IEEE, etc.,).

• How long will it take? Is it a moth competition, a year long, etc.

• Publicity.

• The need to exchange lLots of emails with the organisers and, if

possible, the need to arrange a class session for them towhere they
come to present the competition to the students.

Criteria for selecting About the student’s selection and

motivationstudents

Selection should be carefully done based on students':

• records Evidence of prior achievements (best students).

• Motivation and passion to compete.

• Flexibleility to spend additional time (such as their summer) working

on the project here in the UK or in another country.

• Ability and willingness to Ddeliver against deadlines.

themselvesteeto commitable and .

Motivating the students

• Participation in competition helps toward the CV.

 • Networking with people from the industry. Career opportunities.

• If it is a team competition, to work as part of a team for a real-life

experience project .

• If it is an individual competition the outcome after negotiation with

the supervisor it can be part of the basis of the final year project.

Benefits for the course

• Very good marketing and exposure, usually on other people's

websites.

• The course and the students are exposed to the non-academic world
and create direct links with the industry.

• Students get more confident dealing with industry and to compete.

to expose themselves which can motivate them to participate in
other events and competitions, on their own initiative.

• Students Improvementimprove of practical and presentation skills.,

participation in other events, take up initiative

• Most competitions have free entrance and there is always a prize

award.

• The finished prototypes can be used in open days.