Sustain our nation

Step by Step Timeline

Step 1 – Briefing & Resources

Following a Sustain our Nation Masterclass in June 2009, tutors have helped to shape the competition, which commences officially on 21 September with the distribution of a briefing pack and resources. Tutors will brief you on Sustain our Nation, explaining the aims of the initiative and the ideal outcomes.

Step 2 - The Challenge

1. 2.1: Community Research – Tutors will work with you, in consultation with local individuals and groups, to identify the key issue (out of five given ‘themes’), which you consider to be most important by hosting a community event.
2. 2.2: Project Creation – Working with your local community (either individually or as part of a team), a proposal is to be developed. This is to include key elements including a project overview, your approach, processes and methods as well as enterprise planning – please refer to the relevant sections and the official entry form. View tips on personal safety here.
3. 2.3: University Shortlisting – On completion of the proposals, universities will be responsible for selecting a maximum of the 20 entrants. Each of these will need to complete an official entry form with any supporting materials in an A4 PDF format with no more than three pages and no larger than 1MB. It is important that the financial projections spreadsheet is completed as fully as possible; this is a mandatory requirement of the entry.

Step 3 – Uploading of Initial Entries

Tutors will be provided with a log-in and password so that each of the 20 entries can be uploaded before the given deadline for each group. Download the group listing here for confirmation of your entry date

Step 4 – Shortlisting by the Audi Design Foundation

All initial entries will be considered by the Audi Design Foundation to provide 30 projects for each region (of which there are four) for the next stage.

Step 5: Regional Shortlisting by Experts

Each of the 30 entries per region will be considered by an expert judging panel to identify eight finalists for each area.

All eight finalists for each region (of which there will be a total of 32) will be notified by 4 December with a critique and go towards the next stage of regional finals. The remaining unsuccessful candidates will also receive feedback but shortly after this date.

Step 6 – Project Refinement

Following the experts’ critiques, regional finalists will be given the opportunity to improve their proposals, as necessary, during this period.

You will have the opportunity to upload information to further support your original entry, this could be an explanation of how you have responded to your expert critique or further research, design, materials etc, it is up to you. Your uploaded file must be in a PDF format and no larger than 3MB.

Once the proposal has been refined, you will also need to prepare a presentation (a maximum of 15 minutes with a maximum of three presenters) – possibly in the form of a Powerpoint (no larger than 1MB). If you intend to use a Powerpoint, you must email the presentation to us no later than 20 January 2010.

Step 7 – Regional Finals

All regional finalists will be expected to give a 15 minute overview of their project, followed by a 15 minute Q&A with the expert judging panel.

The task of the judges will be to select one winner from each region (of which there will be a total of four) to go towards the National Final. Further critiques will also be given at this stage.

The four regional winners will each receive up to £10,000 in prize money; although there will be one overall winner from each area, the judges may decide to award part of this sum to more than one project. Any money awarded is to be used as seed-funding to set up the relevant project.

Step 8 – National Final

If you have been chosen as a regional winner, you now have time to make further refinements to your project before the resubmission of your proposal and your presentation via email. Further details of this stage will be available nearer the time.

The four regional winners will present their proposals to an expert judging panel at the National Final.

One overall winner for the competition will be chosen and awarded further prize money – up to the maximum value of £10,000 to develop the winning proposition, together with mentoring opportunities.