Competition for Students: "Innovations in Social and Healthcare - Society of Tomorrow"

Call to shape the future | MCI, Caritas & Land Tirol award best ideas

The Caritas of the Diocese of Innsbruck and the bachelor's degree program "Nonprofit, Social & Health Care Management" and the Center for Social & Health Innovation (CSHI) at MCI are jointly launching the idea competition supported by the Land Tirol on the topic "Innovations in Social and Healthcare - Society of Tomorrow."

In a globalized world, local challenges in the social and healthcare sectors are immense, with an aging society in Austria and Europe, crises and conflicts, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic persisting in recent years. Especially, young people face many uncertainties, yet it is the young generation upon whom the Caritas of the Diocese of Innsbruck, the Nonprofit, Social & Health Care Management program, the CSHI, and the state of Tyrol place great hopes.

"Through initiatives such as the MCI's ideas competition, we are able to arouse young people's interest in research and innovation as early as possible. This allows high school students to expand their knowledge in the areas of digitization and innovative thinking and apply it to the important areas of social and health care. It also gives them the opportunity to learn important skills for the workplace of tomorrow," explains Tyrolean Councilor of  Education and Science.

Therefore, we invite all students in the 11^th and 12^th grade in Austria to participate in an idea competition and contribute their ideas for innovations in the social and healthcare systems. What should a society of the future look like?

Here are some suggestions:

1. What ideas are there for a sustainable social society?
2. What approach could be taken to combat poverty?
3. What role can digitization play in the social and healthcare system (are there any concrete ideas)?
4. What should be considered in healthcare provision?
5. How do we want to interact with different groups in our society (e.g., people with disabilities, migrants, older/ younger people, etc.)?

In a first step, short texts of up to 2,600 characters (approximately 350 words) can be submitted online. This should briefly outline the idea to be introduced for the society of tomorrow. A panel of experts from the social and healthcare sectors will evaluate the submissions and invite up to ten of the most promising submissions to an online presentation, where the ideas can be presented in short 15-minute talks.

From this final round, three winning ideas will be nominated. The prize money for each of the three winning ideas is €600. An award ceremony for the winners will take place in early June at MCI, with travel expenses for the winners covered.

Submission is possible until March 22, 2024.
Terms of participation: Students in 11^th and 12^th grade in Austria

For participation, please follow the provided link.