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CITIES FOR THE FUTURE
ABOUT GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT, IIT MADRAS
The Global Engagement Council of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IITM) focuses on establishing a world culture at IITM by creating an atmosphere conducive for the global exchange of ideas and cultures through initiatives that promote the integration of and interaction between the international student community and IITM’s general student body.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SUMMIT
The International Youth Summit is a dialogue involving students intended to promote discussions and innovative solutions to various socio-economic issues in developing countries. The dialogue will try to come up with solutions to these problems, and participants would be given recognition and rewards for taking their proposals forward. The aim of the event is to encourage the youth and inculcate in them a spirit and sense of thinking of creative solutions to the various problems facing their countries and the world today, by combining their concerns with the necessary skillset to generate effective solutions.
MODEL OF THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SUMMIT
Candidates or teams will submit a write-up of an idea pertaining to the problem statement. These will be evaluated and six entries will be shortlisted on the basis of merit for the final round in which they will have to present a more detailed 10-15 minute presentation of their proposal in a live event. For those facing time zone issues, video recordings of their presentation will be welcomed.
TIMELINE:
a) Stage 1 - Deadline: April 15, 2022.
Interested candidates/teams send in a write-up of an idea or proposal. These submissions will be evaluated, and the top 6 entries will be shortlisted for the final round.
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b) Stage 2 - Final Event: April 30, 2022.
The shortlisted candidates will have to make a presentation that is 15-20 minutes long, providing a more detailed version of their idea/proposal.
THEME
The theme for this year’s Youth Summit is “Cities For The Future”.
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Problem Statement:
More than 55% of the world's population lives in urban areas. All regions of the world are seeing a steady expansion of major cities, as well as the emergence of newer ones. Lower-income countries are expected to witness a massive spurt in urbanization, with the proportion of people living in urban areas expected to hit 50% by 2050. This expansion in urban settlements poses a host of serious challenges for governments across the world. While cities are characterized by an abundance of employment opportunities and ample resources, they often bear the brunt of overpopulation and extreme inequality, to say nothing of their impact on the environment. What do you think city authorities will have to do to ensure that cities become more sustainable, equal, and progressive emblems of a brighter future? As a policy consultant, how would you integrate tech/AI perspectives and social welfare concerns in providing solutions to an urban authority in the future in designing an 'ideal' city? We welcome proposals regarding technological aspects, particularly those related to development and integration, into this visualization of the cities for the future as well.
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS PER GROUP
Participants can register in groups of maximum 3 members. They are free to register individually as well.
ELIGIBILITY
Participants must be enrolled in an undergraduate or higher-level programme in any field of study.
COST OF PARTICIPATION
Participation in the event is free for all.
DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION
The deadline for registration through the submission of the writeup is April 15, 2022.
PRIZES
• First Prize - $1000
• Second Prize - $500
• Third Prize - $250
LINK FOR REGISTRATION AND SUBMISSION
Please register yourself or your group and submit your writeup here:
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Round 1: Written submissions
a. The idea writeup should be between 500 and 750 words.
b. The write-up must be written in English.
c.All sources must be referred to and cited properly in the write-up, following a consistent style of citation. Users may refer to the Chicago Manual of Style, for example.
d. The write-up must be the original work of the participant(s). No plagiarism will be allowed.
e. The originality of ideas and an analytical approach will be preferred over descriptive essays. Please avoid flamboyant language, and keep things to the point.
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ROUND 2: Presentations
a. The presentation should have a maximum of 20 slides (excluding slides for title and references).
b. The time limit for the presentation is 15-20 minutes.
c. The presentation must be in English.
d. All sources must be cited (in-text) and referred to properly at the end of the presentation.
e. The presentation must be the original work of the participant(s). No plagiarism will be allowed.
CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT
Relevance of the write-up and final presentation to the theme at hand - You are expected to avoid broad statements and generalizations. Make sure the content of your submission aligns with the given theme.
Arguments must be well-structured. There must be no ambiguity with regard to what you are arguing about, and each point must flow into the next. Provide arguments, possible counter-arguments, and your refutations to the same.
Wherever possible, back your claims with evidence. Make anecdotal references or use case studies to support your arguments.