Expression of Interest

The UBC CIC supports student/staff teams tackling real-world issues and challenges, where application of novel and emerging technology or computing approaches are essential. Challenge projects may be proposed by UBC faculty, staff, students and community partners. Projects will generally take between 10-16 weeks.

Hearing from you is the first stage of the process. Send an email with your challenge, project proposal, or inquiry to cic.info@ubc.ca or fill out the form below.

If needed, we will collaborate with Challenge Sponsors to further develop the ideas, to assemble teams and/or to stream projects to other programs if this one is not suitable.

Criteria

Challenge proposals will be reviewed with respect to:

Scope and fit

What is the challenge aiming to address? Does it require the application of novel & emerging cloud-computing technologies?

Feasibility

How feasible are the challenge goals given time and resource constraints?

Partnerships & stakeholders

What connections within and beyond UBC does the challenge explore, create or strengthen?

Impact potential

What subsequent opportunities might the outcomes of this challenge lead to?

Expectations from Participating Organizations

  • One to two hours per week from key stakeholders for the duration of the project;
  • Initial half to full-day workshops or multiple 60-90 minute meetings; and,
  • Curiosity, inclusive leadership and openness.

Expectations from the Project

  • An opportunity to work with UBC students, staff & faculty;
  • A Proof of Concept (PoC) to demonstrate that the solution is viable; and,
  • Publication of the project outcomes under an open source license.

Expression of Interest Form

Expressions of Interest will be reviewed as they are submitted.

Note: In April 2024, the UBC CIC announced a new focus on Generative AI. Prior to that time, the UBC CIC largely focused on community health and wellbeing projects contributing to a variety of challenge themes in support of community access to water; better medical diagnostics; improved patient care; harm reduction for students; AI for analysis of curriculum; fostering research collaboration, and more. The UBC CIC takes challenges from the not-for-profit and public sector, and then through work integrated learning, with mentorship from AWS and UBC professionals, UBC students build a working prototype to address the challenge.