Grand Challenges Week counts towards the Exeter Award.
Grand Challenges Week 2023
Grand Challenges Week details
Challenges
There are five Challenges taking place in 2023.
Climate and Environment Emergency - Challenge information - View projects from 2022
Future Food - Challenge information - View projects from 2022
Mental Health - Challenge information - View projects from 2022
Social Inequality - Challenge information - View projects from 2022
Tomorrow's World - Challenge information
Queries
For any queries prior to Grand Challenges Week, please email grandchallenges@exeter.ac.uk.
For any queries during Grand Challenges week:
- Streatham students: visit the Grand Challenges information point in the centre of the Forum Street, or contact us at grandchallenges@exeter.ac.uk or 01392 725957.
- Penryn students: speak to Ben/Rachel face to face during the week, or contact us at grandchallenges@exeter.ac.uk or 01392 725957.
Completing your Challenge
Everyone who completes Grand Challenges will receive a digital certificate and have participation recorded on their HEAR, which records details of all your non course-related engagement during your time at University. To have your participation in Grand Challenges recognised, you need to complete the following:
- Attend the whole of Grand Challenges Week from 5th-9th June, work on your project and outputs within your group, and present your work at the end of the week.
- Submit your output(s) by midnight on Thursday 8th June
- Complete a short online reflection on Handshake by midnight on Friday 16th June
You can submit your work and monitor your progress on your Grand Challenges page on Handshake.
Other Information
Monday-Thursday
- Grand Challenges will run from 9am-5pm each day.
- Each Challenge has its own timetable of events, which will generally be a mixture of external speakers and having time to work on your projects in your groups. Your personalised timetable for the week will be on iExeter prior to Grand Challenges Week.
- You will be assigned to a group when you arrive on Monday morning, and the aim of the week is to create a project that aims to a make a difference in the area of your Challenge topic. You will receive structured support throughout the week from facilitators and students who have done Grand Challenges in a previous year.
- On Tuesday, there will be some optional skills sessions, which you can book on to at this link.
- On Thursday, you will have the opportunity to get support from a presentation coach - there are appointments running throughout the day and you can book onto these by emailing grandchallenges@exeter.ac.uk on a 'first come first served' basis. On Thursday afternoon 14:00-16:00 there is also an optional drop-in Continuing Projects sessions to find out more about support available for continuing your project following the Grand Challenges Week. Penryn students can attend an online session 13:00-13:30.
Friday
07:00 -Coach leaves Penryn Campus to travel to Exeter
09:00-12:30 – Presentations in your Challenge groups
12:30-13:30 – Lunch break, and a couple of students from each group go to the Forum to set up for the showcase
13:30-16:30 - Grand Finale
13:30-14:30 - Presentations with all Challenges in the Forum Alumni Auditorium
14:30-16:00 – Showcase of projects in the Forum Street with drinks reception
This is a chance to showcase what you’ve done to other students, staff, members of the public and special guests, and to see what students on other Challenges have produced.
As well as being a great event for students to see what all the other Challenges have got up to during the week, it is also a celebration event: there is always a real buzz in the Forum each year at this event. It is also a great networking opportunity for students – there may be staff attending who are interested in working with students to develop their projects further.
16:30 - Coach departs Streatham Campus to return to Penryn
There are a series of open sessions running during the week that are designed to support you with the creation of your output. These sessions are optional – you can decide if they think any of these sessions will be useful in the creation of your group output(s) during the week. You may decide to send one or two members of your group to any sessions you think might be useful.
These sessions will be on your timetable and will show as clashes with your enquiry group work: if you are not going to these sessions, then go to your enquiry group work as normal.
Skills training sessions
There are optional skills session running on Tuesday morning which you can book on to via the links below:
Digital Marketing 8:30-10am Harrison Room 101 https://app.joinhandshake.co.uk/stu/events/28213
Digital Marketing 10-11:30am Harrison Room 101 https://app.joinhandshake.co.uk/stu/events/28214
Using video to make your point 8:30-10am Harrison Room 106 https://app.joinhandshake.co.uk/stu/events/28231
Using video to make your point 10:30-12am Harrison Room 106 https://app.joinhandshake.co.uk/stu/events/28232
Understanding Social Enterprise 9:30-11am Harrison Room 103 https://app.joinhandshake.co.uk/stu/events/28233
Online Survey Skills 10-11am Harrison Room 107 https://app.joinhandshake.co.uk/stu/events/28206
Storytelling 10:30-12:30am Harrison Room 102 https://app.joinhandshake.co.uk/edu/events/28400
Creative Spaces (Streatham only)
The Creative Spaces are spaces on campus that can allow you to make a more creative output during Grand Challenges Week. They have equipment available such as vinyl cutters, laser cutters, and a range of other things.
There is a Creative Spaces introduction session taking place on campus on Tuesday of Grand Challenges Week 11:00-12:00 in Queens LT1. There is no limit to the number of students from your group that can attend the introduction session.
Following this introduction session, there is a Creative Clinic drop-in session 13:00-16:30 on Tuesday afternoon for you to talk about ideas, find out more about different processes and get help with planning your outputs.
You can then book on to Creative Space workshops taking place on Wednesday and Thursday of Grand Challenges week - you can sign up anytime by coming to the Grand Challenges information desk in the Forum Street or by emailing grandchallenges@exeter.ac.uk. Each group can book up to two sessions each, and bookings will be limited to two students from each group.
Activities such as a T-shirt logos, vinyl cutting and laser cutting require you to attend a design session on Wednesday before producing your work on the Thursday.
Everyone using the space will be required to attend a compulsory safety briefing before the first session that you attend.
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Materials / activities available in Creative Spaces
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Equipment / materials provided
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What to bring
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Commitment from groups
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Vinyl for t-shirts & stickers
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vinyl, vinyl cutter
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t-shirts
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1 session Weds for designing, 1 session Thurs for producing
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Modelling making
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card, paper, plasticine, lego etc
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design ideas
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Any 2 sessions
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Stop frame animation
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phone tripods, materials
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your mobile phone
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Any 2 sessions (1 session using equipment, 1 for editing)
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Posters/zine making materials
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paper, card, scissors etc
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old newspapers/magazines, printer credit
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Any 2 sessions
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Lasercutting materials for small items - badges, keyrings, etc
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laptops, materials for lasercutting
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design ideas, your own laptop if you prefer
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1 session Weds, 1 session Thurs
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Storyboarding & app design
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paper, card, pens paper etc, laptops
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print credit
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Any 2 sessions
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Tuesday 06/06/23
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Wednesday 07/06/23
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Thursday 08/06/23
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9:30 -10:00
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Compulsory safety briefing: you should attend if this is your first session
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Compulsory safety briefing: you should attend if this is your first session
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10:00 - 11:00
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* 2D designs for vinyl on t-shirts : single colour branding
* 2D designs for stickers : 1-2 colours |
* vinyl cutting for t-shirts
*vinyl cutting for stickers |
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11:00 -12:00
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Creative Spaces Introduction:
Intro to space & on-boarding session - learn about the spaces, team and equipment |
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13:00 - 13:30
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Creative Clinic:
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Compulsory safety briefing: you should attend if this is your first session
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Compulsory safety briefing: you should attend if this is your first session
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13:30 - 16:30
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* 2D designs for vinyl on t-shirts : single colour branding
* 2D designs for stickers : 1-2 colours |
* vinyl cutting for t-shirts
*vinyl cutting for stickers |
Presentation Coaching
On the Thursday, you have the opportunity to recieve support and guidance on your presentation, ahead of Friday. You can gain support with any stage of your presentation, from bouncing around concept ideas, to forming a structure, to feedback on a final draft.
You can attend as a whole group or send some group members as representatives. Contact grandchallenges@exeter.ac.uk to book a 30 minute slot with a presentation coach. There are slots running throughout Thursday between 9am-5pm, places are limited and will be allocated on a first come - first served basis.
Instructions to follow when printing
Printing for the week is paid for by Grand Challenges. Each student group will be given a unique user account for logging in to and submitting their work on the Print Services online portal. You will need to ensure that you are logged in to this account when submitting your printing, to ensure that you are not charged for the printing themselves. Each student group will be given their unique user account on the Monday of Grand Challenges Week.
On the Print portal website, you will need to select the option ‘show advanced login options’ to login.
When submitting requests, you should ensure that you do the following:
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Select the ‘Grand Challenges’ option on the homepage list of product options. If you can’t see the Grand Challenges option, you should ensure that you are signed in with you group’s Grand Challenges print account.
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Make sure that ‘Grand Challenges’ is included in the job title and that the name of your Challenge is in the title of their document.
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Please select ‘pay at store’ as the payment option. The printing will be paid for by Grand Challenges.
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In the ‘special instructions’ box, you should put when you need the printing to be completed by (remembering that it needs to be at least 24 hours’ notice).
The print collection point is Northcote House, round the back of the University reception desk.
Large format printing (anything bigger than A3)
Print Services have produced a guidance document for printing posters. Submit requests via the Print Services online portal.
24 hours’ notice is required for all requests so:
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Anything needed for Friday morning presentations needs to be sent to Print Services by the end of Wednesday
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Anything needed for the Friday afternoon showcase needs to be sent to Print Services by 12:30 on Thursday.
If you are unable to give 24 hours’ notice, you should email Print Services on printservices@exeter.ac.uk to see if they can accommodate your request.
Smaller format printing (A3 or less)
Submit requests via the Print Services online portal. Throughout Monday-Wednesday, orders for smaller format printing can be turned around relatively quickly, however 24 hours’ notice is required for any printing towards the end of the week. So:
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Anything needed for Friday morning presentations needs to be sent to Print Services by the end of Wednesday
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Anything needed for the Friday afternoon showcase needs to be sent to Print Services by 12:30 on Thursday.
If you are unable to give 24 hours’ notice, you should email Print Services on printservices@exeter.ac.uk to see if they can accommodate their request.
Ethics process
- Make sure that your research porposal is within the ethical parameters of Grand Challenges and that your facilitator or academic approves your idea before you carry it out.
- If you are creating an online survey, you should use Microsoft Forms
- You must ensure that everyone who takes part in the research gives consent. See the section below for the correct procedure to follow and forms to use.
Consent from participants
At the start of the survey, you should write a paragraph that explains the purpose of your research. Underneath this, you should have a tick box, with the following text and link:
‘I have read the details of this research and information about how my data will be used, and I consent to taking part’ [add tick box]
Before carrying out your research, you should fill in the gaps and the empty box on the Word document template consent form by adding in details of your Challenge and your specific activity/survey. You must ensure that everyone who takes part in your research signs a consent form.
- Template consent form for online activities
- Template consent form for face to face activities
- If you want to photograph, video or audio record a participant, there is an additional photo/video consent form that you need to fill out.
For each consent form, one copy should be given to the participant for reference and the signed copy of the form should be kept by you. You need to give ALL completed consent forms to their Challenge Student Programme Assistant, so that the Grand Challenges Team can keep them on record.
For the photography and recording consent forms, you should make sure that your consenting participants are ‘traceable’ by either making a note, for example, of which order they are speaking in, what colour clothing they are wearing, time or date stamp on the video, or what they are doing/talking about etc. so that the Grand Challenges Team can identify that consent has been obtained for the photos/videos/audio clips of people included in the student outputs. This is important as bystanders who have not consented can be eliminated from any images and the participant has an option to become blurred or voice distorted if they wish.
Streatham Campus
We have a series of cameras, tripods and Dictaphones that are available to loan out from the Grand Challenges information desk in the centre of the Forum Street. We only have a limited number of each of these, and so you will only be able to borrow for a limited time, and may need to book in advance to ensure they are available. Book and collect equipment from the Grand Challenges information desk in the Forum.
Digital Makerspace
We also have equipment that can be loaned out from the Digital Makerspace (Level -1 of the Forum Library). There are a limited number of each thing available and you can loan these out of the library using your student card.
- Action cameras
- Point and shoot cameras
- Gimbals/tripods for smartphones
- Microphones (wired/wireless) for smartphones and cameras
- Microcontrollers, SBCs and electronic components
You can also go to the Digital Makerspace in the Forum Library to use DaVinci Resolve video editing software.
Penryn Campus
We have a series of cameras, tripods and Dictaphones that are available to loan out. We only have a limited number of each of these, and so you will only be able to borrow for a limited time, and may need to book in advance to ensure they are available. Book and collect equipment from your facilitator.
There are small funds available for students on each Challenge to purchase items for their outputs during the week. If you wish to purchase something, you need to:
- Speak to your academic/facilitator who will need to authorise the purchase
- For students based in Streatham, speak to the Grand Challenges team at the information point in the Forum Street, or for students based in Penryn, email the team at grandchallenges@exeter.ac.uk to discuss this. The purchase will either be made online or you will be given cash.
- If it is decided that the item needs to be purchased by cash, you will need to provide a receipt to the Grand Challenges Central Team in the Forum (or your facilitator in Penryn). Cash will be given in exchange for the receipt.
There is support and funding available for you to continue working on your projects after Grand Challenges Week. The details of various initiatives at the University that can provide this support are below.
For students on Streatham, there will be a drop-in session 14:00-16:00 on Thursday 8th June for you to network with representatives from these initatives and to find out more about how they could support you.
For students on the Penryn Challenges, there will be a short online session on Thursday 8th June 13:00-13:30 led by Anka, the Grand Challenges Programme Manager, who will talk to you about the different options and direct you to the support that is most relevant to you.
Support after Grand Challenges
Students as Change Agents/Partners
If the project is focused around change at the University or at the Guild, you can register it as a Students as Change Agents or Partners project. ‘Change Agents’ is for those taking a leading role in running the project, or ‘Partners’ is for those who are working with staff to deliver the project.
Students as Change Agents provides you with training and support, a framework for continuing your project, and their project will be recorded on your degree transcript.
For more information contact changeagents@exeter.ac.uk
Student Start-Ups
If you would like support in developing your project/product/idea or to start-up your own venture – a tech startup, social enterprise or anything in between - the University of Exeter’s Student Startup team can help you! The team offer regular programmes throughout the year that include workshops, advice, connections and access to Grant funding.
Visit www.exeter.ac.uk/studentstartups for further details or get in touch with the team at studentstartups@exeter.ac.uk
Be The Change
Does your project come under the topic of sustainability? If so, Be The Change will be happy to help you continue your project in any way they can. Be The Change are a society focused around campaigning for sustainability in Exeter, both on and off campus, and being student-led society, they are immensely approachable and friendly, and welcome anyone with an idea or passion to make change! Be The Change also have a focus on student's wellbeing, with climate anxiety, eco-grief and impacts of constant exposure of the climate crisis through the media.
For more information, contact them at bethechange@groups.exeterguild.com
Enactus
If your project is socially focused, it could become one of Enactus' official projects, providing students with the necessary support and guidance to take their idea forward. Enactus can help Grand Challenges students further their projects. Moreover, as a part of the global Enactus network, they can help connect students to resources and opportunities worldwide.
Enactus Exeter is part of a network of student societies in universities all over the world, supporting student-led projects that tackle pressing global issues such as poverty, waste, and homelessness, aiming to create viable, sustainable solutions that can make a real difference. Two examples of their active projects include:
- Biosmart – Fuel Poverty: Operating in Kadzinuni, Kenya, Biosmart aims to alleviate fuel poverty by creating furnaces that turn agricultural waste into Biochar, a sustainable fuel alternative to wood charcoal. This project not only offers a cheaper fuel alternative for locals, but it also counteracts local deforestation.
- The Urban Mushroom Co. – Food Waste: This initiative tackles food waste by using spent coffee grounds collected from local coffee shops to grow gourmet oyster mushrooms in an urban indoor farm. The mushrooms are then sold to local shops and restaurants, creating a circular economy solution to food waste.
Grand Challenges & the Undergraduate Research Showcase
If you are making a research poster during Grand Challenges, then it could be eligible to enter into the Undergraduate Research Showcase, an annual competition that gives you the opportunity to win funded places to present your work at the Houses of Parliament, or at the British Conference of Undergraduate Research.
If you are considering entering your poster in this competition in the next academic year, that take a look at the guidance and training and criteria for entry If you have any questions, please contact: UGresearch@exeter.ac.uk
Funding after Grand Challenges
Annual Fund
Our Alumni Annual Fund supports the extra-curricular activities that help to make Exeter such a fantastic place to study. Funded by thousands of alumni and supporters of the University, donations are used to enhance the student experience. Grants are given to sports clubs, societies, music groups, theatre productions, student conferences and community outreach projects, to name just a few. You can apply for funding for your project from the University’s Annual Fund. In your application, you would need to demonstrate how your project will impact on the student experience (which can include the personal development of themselves and their team).
Crowdfunding
The University has its own crowdfunding platform which is free for students to use, meaning that your project will receive 100% of donations. Our fundraising team are also on hand to provide help and advice along the way and we will claim Gift Aid on your behalf, giving your fundraising an extra boost.
During Grand Challenges Week, please spread the word about the exciting things that you are getting up to, by posting photos, videos and updates on social media using the hashtag #GCExeter.