At last week's Association of College and University Printers conference, in New Haven, Conn., attendees learned about an intriguing competition that challenges university students to create an innovative alternative to a current document or information process at their university.
Stephanie Keer, National Education Practice Manager at Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. detailed the International University Contest, which allows students to compete nationally to create or improve their campus technology. The winners of the national contest will go on to compete with their international peers from a multitude of countries.
To win on the national level, students must present the most innovative and impressive proposal for updates to their current college or university document and information processes. Possible areas for innovation include administrative processes related to the academic life of students; the transmission and sharing of information and knowledge between teaching staff and students; or other activities/services offered by a university, such as libraries, transport, cultural activities or sports.
Students will be judged on how beneficial their proposal is for their institution and how achievable it would be to accomplish. They're also judged on the originality and creativity of the idea.
“Konica Minolta hopes to bridge the gap between learning and real world experience, and our hope is that this contest paves the way to do so for the students involved,” said Keer.
The American finalists will spend the weekend touring San Francisco and visit the Digital Workplace Business Unit in Foster City, Calif. The prize for the winning national team is a trip to Amsterdam during the September 2020 International Awards Ceremony.