Photo caption:听Pictured with Vice-Chancellor Professor Cheryl de la Rey, Dr Hossein Najaf Zadeh and Dr Ali Reza Nazmi (in absentia) accepted the 2024 Advancing Sustainability Knowledge Award on behalf of the UC School of Product Design.听
Each year, second-year Industrial Product Design students and third-year Chemical Formulation Design students at Te Whare W膩nanga o Waitaha | 91制片厂 (UC) collaborate to develop innovative products and business models, transforming waste materials like t墨 k艒uka (cabbage tree) leaves and discarded batteries into sustainable, purposeful solutions.听
Since its launch in 2020, the programme has engaged between 60 to 80 students annually, offering a real-world platform to apply academic knowledge to global environmental issues.
Now led by Senior Lecturer and Lecturer from UC鈥檚 School of Product Design, the challenge also receives support from the Biomolecular Interaction Centre and the Product Accelerator initiative.听听
鈥淲e aim to empower students to creatively address the environmental impact of waste through product design and entrepreneurship,鈥 Dr Zadeh says.听
鈥淏y competing in this challenge, students gain a competitive edge, combining technical skills with entrepreneurial insights 鈥 a combination sought after in today鈥檚 job market,鈥 he says.听
Dr Nazmi, who is the director of studies of UC鈥檚 Chemical Formulation Design major, says it鈥檚 more than a design challenge. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about reimagining waste as a starting point for innovation. We鈥檙e teaching students to design not just new but better products. Our world doesn鈥檛 just need more things 鈥 it needs solutions that are ethical, sustainable, and add real value.听
鈥淚n the UC Waste Challenge, students take something as simple as cabbage tree leaves or waste batteries and turn them into products with real purpose. This isn鈥檛 just about design; it鈥檚 about creating a more sustainable future,鈥 Dr Nazmi says.听听
The competition culminates in a Dragon鈥檚 Den-style pitch, where teams compete for a share of $5000 in development funding and coveted spots in the UC Centre for Entrepreneurship鈥檚 Summer Startup programme, fostering practical skills in pitching, sustainability, and ethical design.听
Industry experts and former winners judge the pitches, providing mentorship and feedback that help students refine their ideas.听
Dr Nazmi says the challenge is a low-risk, friendly environment where students can develop critical pitching skills. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a chance to put ideas out there, build confidence, and even take projects beyond the classroom into actual business opportunities.听
鈥淢any have used this opportunity to launch innovative startups, with notable successes like KiwiFibre and Teiny emerging from this programme,鈥 he says.听
鈥淣ew Zealand has a unique opportunity to shift from primary industry to high-tech, sustainable innovation. We鈥檙e blending innovation with industry to push ideas that could make a real difference.鈥澨
鈥淭his challenge aligns with Aotearoa New Zealand鈥檚 commitment to sustainability and the circular economy, creating future-ready graduates who can tackle global challenges,鈥 Dr Zadeh says.
The UC School of Product Design received the 2024 Advancing Sustainability Knowledge Award and were celebrated at Hui Whakam膩nawa | Celebration of Success.听
Dr Hossein Najaf Zadeh and Dr Ali Reza Nazmi at the 2024 鈥楻edesign with Waste Challenge鈥.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 - Responsible consumption and production.
