Young Academics
The Innovation journey
The Young Academic journey focus on turning concrete sustainability challenges, brought forward by partners, into inclusive and sustainable solutions that will be showcased at the UIA World Congress 2023. Participants will be engaged in a 3-week hybrid innovation journey, 1-22 of June, with joint virtual activities and local development work. Three members of each team will be invited to the UIA World Congress of Architects Copenhagen 2023, to exhibit and pitch their ideas.
Congress tickets are included in the program, and so are travel and accommodation for students outside of Denmark, enabled through partners and sponsorships.
Sign-up
The sign-up process differs from country to country and is further detailed below.
The final deadline for applying is the 24th of April.
Selected teams will be announced, latest the 1st of May.
20-25 teams of students from bachelor to PhD level.
Kick-off
On the 31st of May, we will gather all participants across the three tracks locally in their countries. We will then virtually connect all the hubs for a joint Kick-off of Next Generation City Action.
Scoping
The first phase of the Young Academics journey will focus on challenging the challenge brief and further scoping it to each teams context and background. At the end of this phase, the teams will hand in a Design Specification, describing what part of the problem they will focus on.
Ideation
The second stage moves the teams from looking at the problem to begin searching for solutions. At the end of this stage, each team will hand in an Idea Catalogue of potential solutions.
Execution
The third phase focuses on taking the ideas and specifying them into holistic concepts. At the end of this phase, the teams will hand in a Concept Description of their concept.
Delivery
This phase focuses on taking the concepts and turning them into solution proposals, which not only describe the functionality of the solutions but also their societal context, business plan and implementation strategy.
This is the final stage of the development work, and each team will deliver their final solution in the form of a Blog Post by the 22nd of June. You can see the blog posts from 2022 iteration of Next Generation here.
Arrival
After developing solutions to the posed challenges, we invite up to 3 members from each participating team, to Copenhagen and into the UIA World Congress of Architects 2023 to share their ideas on a global stage.
In addition to the congress itself, there will be a prior program in Copenhagen to prepare the teams for fruitful congress participation.
Participants will arrive in Copenhagen on the 28th of June.
Congress
As part of our youth delegation, student teams will enter the UIA World Congress, with a defined congress strategy, ready to take part in defining the future of sustainable and inclusive cities.
The students will be provided with time-slots to exhibit their solutions and will be brought on stage to pitch their ideas.
challenge-based learning
The initiative focuses on challenge-based learning, where partners propose open-ended challenges and student groups develop sustainable and inclusive solutions inspired by those challenges.
Next Generation City Action 2023 is part of the UIA World Congress of Architects Copenhagen 2023, but it is not only about architecture. It is rather about cities as a whole. The proposed challenges tackle a variety of aspects relevant to urban life and can be solved from different angles. Inviting participants from different fields of study and different cultures to propose their unique solutions.
what we offer
- Unique international innovation initiative which takes you from a given challenge to a presentable business concept.
- Grow your international network with leading experts, business mentors, and like-minded innovators.
- Develop interdisciplinary competencies.
- Learn to work with sustainability, inclusion and Universal Design.
- Collaborate with stakeholders from across the world.
- Social events with the startup and student entrepreneurial community
- An opportunity to present your ideas on a global stage.
- Fully sponsored travel, stay and participation at the UIA World Congress of Architects Copenhagen 2023 for three team members.
Selection criteria
- University student (Ba, Ma or PhD) at any university in Korea, India, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Denmark Columbia or Mexico. We encourage students of any study line to apply, innovation benefits from diversity.
- Able to participate virtually 1-22 of June and physically in Copenhagen from the 28th of June to 6th of July.
- English proficiency.
what you commit to
- Participating in a hybrid innovation journey, including joint BootCamp sessions and Keynotes as well as individual mentoring sessions.
- We expect that you are able to dedicate working 30+ hrs/week from 1-22 June by integrating the journery at your university i.e. as a course, summer school, internship or similar.
- Participating in the UIA World Congress and our preparation program leading up to it. Full-time from 28th of June to 6th of July.
- Openly engage in the program, supporting the other participants with your unique insights and knowledge.
how to apply
The application process differs among partner countries, and it’s recommended to consult your country/university representative. Note that the deadline is on the 24th of April.
You can apply through a local nomination or open application using the same process linked below. A local nomination is a direct selection by us or a local partner, which is to be referenced in the application.
The application form will inquire about the following:
- General personal information.
- That you hold a valid passport.
- Short description of your motivation to participate.
- Short description of what you would like to get out of participating.
- Short description of prior experiences with similar initiatives, if any.
- Optional additional information such as CV, portfolio, recommendations etc.
Young entrepreneurs
The ACCELERATION Journey
The Young Entrepreneurs journey focuses on preparing startup team for active and fruitful congress participation and equips them with a clearly defined congress strategy. Each startup participates with two team members, one of which needs to be a founder. The startup teams will be engaged in a virtual acceleration journey from the 1st of June until their arrival to Copenhagen for the UIA World Congress of Architects 2023. The acceleration journey focuses on building presentation and communication competencies, preparing the startup teams to exhibit and pitch their solution at the UIA World Congress. It further has a strong focus on aiding the startup in using the visit to Copenhagen and the congress to build international partnerships.
Congress tickets are included in the program, and so are travel and accommodation for startups outside of Denmark, enabled through partners and sponsorships.
Sign-up
The sign-up process differs from country to country and is further detailed below.
The final deadline for applying is the 24th of April and up to 15 teams (2-3 startups from each partnering countries) will be announced on the 1st of May.
Kick-off
On the 31st of May, all participants across the three tracks will be gathered locally in their countries. We will then virtually connect all the hubs for a joint Kick-off.
Acceleration
The startup teams will from the 1st of June and leading up to the congress, be engaged in a virtual acceleration process focusing on preparing for a active and fruitful congress participation.
The acceleration journey is a part-time engagement which offers, collaborative Bootcamps with other participants, keynotes, mentoring sessions and more.
Arrival
Participants will arrive in Copenhagen on the 28th of June where we offer a pre-congress program including congress preparation sessions, visits to partners around Copenhagen and a celebratory reception.
Congress
As part of NGCA youth delegation, the startup teams will enter the UIA World Congress of Architects 2023, with a defined congress strategy, ready to take part in defining the future of sustainable and inclusive cities.
Each team will be allocated time to exhibit their solution at partner stands and put on stage to pitch their solution, competing for further acceleration.
what we offer
- Accelerate the outreach of your business.
- Grow your international network with leading experts, business mentors, and like-minded startups and innovators.
- Expose your solution on a global stage in front of relevant partners.
- Opportunity to connect with new end-users.
- Get concrete tools and sparring on how to work with inclusion and universal design as an innovation- and market opportunity.
- Social events with the startup and student entrepreneurial community.
- Fully covered travel, accommodation and participation at the UIA World Congress of Architects Copenhagen 2023 for two team members (min. one founder).
Selection criteria
- A registered company in Korea, India, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Denmark Columbia or Mexico.
- Your technology or service is relevant to one or more of the themes of the UIA congress; climate adaptation, rethinking resources, resilient communities, health, inclusivity, partnerships for change.
- Sustainability and inclusion are focus ares of interest within your startup.
- Started the business within the last 2-5 years.
- Minimum one founder is a young professional with a max-age of 35 years.
- Ideally coming out of university/academia (but not a requirement).
- Two members (minimum one founder) are able to participate in selected virtual meetings/sessions in June and physically in Copenhagen from the 28th of June to the 6th of July.
- Able to bring material that showcases the solution (e.g. small prototype/model or tech solution, and video/website).
- English proficiency.
what you commit to
- Participating in an acceleration journey over the month of June, including joint Bootcamp sessions, Keynotes and individual mentoring sessions. Approximately 5-10 hours a week.
- Participating in the UIA World Congress and our preparation program leading up to it. Full-time from the 28th of June to the 6th of July.
- Openly engage in the program, supporting the other participants with your unique insights and knowledge.
how to apply
The application process differs among partner countries, and it’s recommended to consult your country representative. Note that the deadline is on the 24th of April.
You can apply through a local nomination or open application, using the same process linked below. A local nomination means direct selection by us or a local partner, which is to referenced in the application.
We will select a total of 15 startups to join our programme.
The application form will inquire about the following:
- General personal information.
- That you hold a valid passport.
- Short description of your motivation to participate.
- Short description of what you would like to get out of participating.
- Short description of prior experiences with similar initiatives, if any.
- Abstract describing your startup and your solution.
- Startup information.
- Startup logo.
- Optional additional information such as CV, portfolio, recommendations etc.
- Information on additional team members.
on hold
Young Influencers
THE INFLUENCE JOURNEY
We are currently working to secure partners for the Young Influencers Track, and until we are able to do so, it is temporarily on hold.
15 young and passionate change-makers from youth organisations across the world are given a voice to bring forward insights and visions from their work into the UIA World Congress of Architects Copenhagen 2023 with a focus on creating sustainable inclusive futures.
The Young Influencers journey focuses on preparing the participants to actively engage with the congress activities and attendees. We will be offering Bootcamps on making a Congress strategy, networking and building partnerships as well as how to work with inclusion and universal design. Additionally, the program offers a series of keynotes and social events. Participants will first be involved in a virtual journey from the 1st of June up until arrival in Copenhagen on the 28th of June, followed by a pre-congress program in Copenhagen and the UIA World Congress the 2nd to 6th of July.
Congress tickets are included in the program, and so are travel and accommodation for participants outside of Denmark, enabled through partners and sponsorships.
Sign-up
The sign-up process differs from country to country and is further detailed below.
The final deadline for applying is the 24th of April and up to 15 participants (2-3 from each partnering countries) will be announced on the 1st of May.
Kick-off
On the 31st of May, all participants across the three tracks will be gathered locally in their countries. We will then virtually connect all the hubs for a joint Kick-off.
JOURNEY
We offer from the 1st of June a virtual journey to prepare participants for an active and fruitful congress participation.
The journey is a part-time engagement which offers, collaborative Bootcamps with other participants, keynotes and more, focused on preparing participants to involved into congress activities.
Arrival
Participants will arrive in Copenhagen on the 28th of June where we offer a pre-congress program including congress preparation sessions, visits to partners around Copenhagen and a celebratory reception.
Congress
As part of NGCA youth delegation, the participants will enter the UIA World Congress of Architects 2023, with a defined congress strategy, ready to take part in defining the future of sustainable and inclusive cities.
Together with the UIA World Congress, we aim to involve participants directly into congress activities by e.g. placing them on panels or on stage, where they become part of debate around sustainable and inclusive cities.
what we offer
- Opportunity to connect with other young influencers working to promote sustainable and inclusive cities around the world.
- Grow your international network with leading experts, academics and promising startups.
- Congress preparation bootcamps, building a strong congress strategy for meaningful engagement.
- Expose yourself on a global stage by being strategically placed into congress activities.
- Social events with other influencers from around the world and the startup and student entrepreneurial community.
- Fully covered travel, accommodation and participation in the UIA World Congress of Architects 2023.
Selection criteria
- You are a prominent or up-coming voice of change for sustainable and inclusive lives in cities.
- You are from or active in either Korea, India, Kenya, Denmark or Mexico.
- You are between 18 and 35 years old.
- You are able to participate virtually in June and physically in Copenhagen from the 28th of June to the 6th of July.
- English proficiency.
Each applicant must fulfil these criteria to be considered into the program. Selection between applicants is based on how well they meet the program criteria.
what you commit to
- Participating in a virtual journey over the month of June. Approximately 5-10 hours a week.
- Participating in the UIA World Congress and our preparation program leading up to it. Full-time from the 28th of June to the 6th of July.
- Promoting your participation in the initiative and the congress.
- Openly engage in the program, and co-create with the other participants.
