The Engineers Without Borders Australia Challenge (EWB Challenge) is a national design competition in which teams of first year engineering students work on sustainable development projects based on EWB programs.
Thiess Pty Ltd, one of Australias largest construction, mining and services providers is the founding sponsor of the EWB Challenge. The company has a long relationship in supporting engineering students gain experience in the industry by offering scholarships and the opportunity for involvement in worthwhile projects like those offered through EWB.
Each year, the competition design brief will be based on a sustainable development project from EWB's growing list of past and present programs. Students will work in teams of 4 - 6 to design solutions for projects ranging from water supply and quality to sanitation, waste management, energy supply, flood mitigation and infrastructure development.
This years Challenge finals will be contested in Melbourne at the 18th Annual Conference of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education on December 11.
Students involved in the 2007 EWB Challenge competition are competing for a place on an international study tour to India and up to $6,000 in prize money. The Challenge helps to ensure students are inspired and motivated by their first year engineering experience.
The EWB Challenge is also supported by the Australian Council of Engineering Deans (ACED), the Australasian Association for Engineering Education (AAEE), Engineering Australia (EA) and Speak Out.
- Semester One 2006 - A pilot project was undertaken in conjunction with The University of Queensland. EWB-UQ students developed a team-based design scenario for first-year engineering students enrolled in ENGG1000 An Introduction to Professional Engineering. The scenario was based on an EWB program in East Timor and was well received by the participating students.
- Semester Two 2006 - The concept of a national competition was developed by EWB -Tasmania and The University of Tasmania as a tool to help meet the perceived need for a national, team-based "first-year learning experience" that would inspire and motivate new engineering students. The success of the EWB-UQ project supported this concept.
- December 2006 - The EWB Challenge was launched at the 2006 Conference of the Australasian Association for Engineering Education in Auckland, New Zealand.
- February 2007 - The 2007 EWB Challenge competition commences in partnership with The East West Overseas Aid Foundation. Students work together on a range of single or integrated design projects that will assist the sustainable development of Uluru Children's Home, an orphanage in southern India. The competition in sponsored by Thiess.