Application Deadline: 25 March 2020.
Map the System asks you to demonstrate a deep understanding of a pressing social or environmental issue by mapping out the landscape of current solutions and identifying missing opportunities for change.
Why enter?
You’ll have the opportunity to make connections with socially-conscious students, researchers and practitioners from within your school and the wider community.
You can compete with other teams from across your institution. You could also be selected to attend the Global Final at the University of Oxford, UK, and compete with teams from across the globe to win cash prizes.
But more importantly, you’ll get the chance to research a real-world problem, learn about organisations working the field, and contribute towards making a real difference in your chosen area.
This competition is ideally suited if any of the following apply:
% You have a passion for, or experience of, a pressing social or environmental challenge and you would like to investigate this problem fully
% You are preparing for a career with a social impact and want to understand where your skills could be applied to deliver lasting impact
% You are interested in an internship and want to find out more about the organisations working in your chosen area and potential opportunities
% You have an existing solution, product or business idea, but you would like to research the issue thoroughly to understand what has been tried and tested, and you are willing to pivot your idea based on your findings
Map the System is less well suited if your business idea or start-up enterprise is at an advanced stage of development and pivoting your model is no longer feasible.
Eligibility criteria
% You can apply for Map the System as an individual or in a team of up to five people.
% At least one member of the team must be a current student at a partner institution (enrolled on a course of 6 months or longer), OR a recent graduate of a partner institution (having completed studies within 12 months of the date you register for the competition).
% Students may be at undergraduate, diploma, postgraduate or doctoral level.
Prizes
At the Global Final in Oxford, teams from all over the world will compete to win cash prizes. In addition, partner universities may provide their own prizes to finalists. )
1st
£4,000 cash prize )
2nd
£3,000 cash prize )
3rd
£2,000 cash prize
How to Apply:
Stage 1
1. Check the eligibility criteria and key dates to make sure you are able to participate.
2. Form a team (or go it alone). You can enter the competition as an individual or team of up to five people.
3. Choose your topic. See our guidance page for advice on how to select an appropriate topic.
4. Register online. Tell us a bit about your topic, what you plan to research and who’s on your team. Registration is open from 16 September 2019 until 5 February 2020. The earlier you register, the longer you’ll have to work on your submission.
Stage 2
As soon as you’ve registered to take part, you can begin your research.
5. Use the resources to guide you. We have a list of recommended resources, including the Impact Gaps Canvas tool and videos of last year’s final presentations. Talk to your local institution contacts as they may have other resources to recommend.
6. Research thoroughly. The best submissions are those that draw upon a wide range of sources, such as journal articles, academic literature, policy documents, surveys and interviews. You can revise or refine your topic at this stage if required.
7. Create your visual systems map, analysis report and bibliography. The judges will be looking for a submission that is visually appealing, easy to understand, demonstrates thorough research, and draws out key insights and opportunities for change.
8. Submit. Upload your final documents via our online form no later than 25 March 2020.
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