Curious about the challenge?
Attend an online information session hosted by the organizers to answer any questions you may have about the challenge’s goals, activities and benefits.
Info Session: Monday, March 31st 2:00 - 3:00 PM
To sign up, or for more details, contact Emily Milne at milnee4@macewan.ca.
Registration Open!
The 2025 Community-College-University Exposition, or “C2UExpo”, invites young scholars
to take part in a Student Innovation Challenge on May 14th from 1:00pm-4:30pm
in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
The C2UExpo is Canada’s largest Community-Based Research Conference showcasing how community-campus partnerships are addressing local and global challenges.
The Student Innovation Challenge is an initiative that will provide youth grades 9 through 12 with hands-on learning experience in community engaged research to foster innovation, develop skills for post-secondary education, and generate solutions to real-world problems.
Students will work with teachers or mentors to develop a poster presentation on a topic that reflects the conference theme, “Partners in Place,” and responds to a problem in one of two areas aligned with conference streams:
1. Community Wellness
Place extends through our physical, social, political, and cultural environments. It impacts our access to resources (e.g., healthcare, housing, and social services), as well as our sense of identity and belonging. How can meaningful connections to place strengthen community wellness and vitality for diverse groups of beings (including non-human beings) and how can community wellness impact the wellness of place? We welcome submissions in this stream that explore community wellness across a variety of topics including, but not limited to, healthcare, politics, literature, arts, environment, sciences, Indigenous practices, service delivery, housing/houselessness, urban wellness, mental health, social determinants of health, and sustainable development goals.
2. Social Innovation
and Sustainability
The most effective social innovations emerge from local contexts, shaped by specific needs, histories, and cultures. Understanding place is crucial for developing sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems, and solutions to systemic social problems such as poverty, equity and equality, climate, and environment. We welcome submissions for this stream that include topics such as inclusive entrepreneurship, economic reconciliation, technological innovations, social enterprise, and workforce development. Our work at the nexus of social innovation, sustainability, and place will uncover strategies that foster resilient and empowered communities.
This event matches high school with postsecondary students to create meaningful mentoring connections. One of the challenges many high school and postsecondary students face is an overreliance on online communications and sources of information, yet we know that there is value in getting students to connect in person and develop face-to-face relationships with people they can turn to for support and guidance. This session aims to do just that, while also inviting high school students to campus to experience the C2UExpo and learn about the types of meaningful projects they might be able to seek out in a postsecondary environment.
Specifically, high school students who attend the Expo on May 14th and sign up for this event will be able to connect with one or more postsecondary students who have received mentoring guidance. Together, they can discuss questions relating to the university experience, potential majors, how to effectively prepare themselves for the transition to postsecondary, and other topics of interest. High school students will have a chance to tour the campus, have lunch with postsecondary students, and attend a session or two together.
Postsecondary student mentors will be encouraged to stay connected and available as a resource for high school students following the event, assuming mutual interest and availability.
Mentorship Program
Challenge Questions from our Partners
Flourish Alberta Sponsored
Challenge Questions
Social Innovation & Sustainability
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How can Artificial Intelligence be used in high schools to foster creativity and support equitable learning environments?
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How can innovation, policy reforms, and individual actions help tackle the dual challenge of rising food costs and food insecurity in Canada, while also reducing the staggering 50% of food that is wasted daily?
Community Wellness
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How can homes and public spaces be designed to create a stronger sense of belonging?
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Why do some people in Canada experience homelessness? What are some common myths about homelessness, and how can you challenge them?
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Imagine you have $1,000.00 to help people without homes in your community. How would you spend it?
Social Innovation & Sustainability
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How can we balance the need for housing development while protecting natural spaces?
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Imagine you’re designing a new housing project in your community. How could you make it affordable and
eco-friendly?
RDN Sponsored
Challenge Questions
Presentation Requirements
1. Community Engagement Component
Each presentation must demonstrate meaningful community engagement. Students are expected to consult with community members or organizations (e.g., government, non-profit, or industry) to guide their research and drive their solution. This should be prominently featured in the presentation materials.
2. Tangible and Actionable Solutions
Solutions should be practical and ready to implement. The judges will evaluate presentations based on their creativity and potential to have a meaningful impact. Presentations should identify clear and realistic steps or strategies that community members and/or organizations could adopt.
3. Poster
Each group must create a 36” x 48” (approx.) poster to support their presentation. A template file of the correct dimensions can be downloaded here. Digital version of final posters must be submitted with the registration form.
Team Prizes:
1st Place
$1000.00
2nd Place
$750.00
3rd Place
$500.00
Questions?
If you have any questions about the Student Innovation Challenge, contact c2uexpo2025@macewan.ca
Travel Grant:
Now Available!
Groups are eligible for a travel grant of up to $500.00 to cover expenses such as transportation and accommodations. Preference will be given to groups arriving from outside of the City of Edmonton. For those participating from within Edmonton, free ETS transit passes will be available for all participants.