The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design is delighted to announce that our Universal Design Grand Challenge (2014-present) has been awarded a Gold Award for Education and Enlightenment by the International Association for Universal Design (IAUD) in their International Design Awards 2025.
International Recognition
The International Association for Universal Design (IAUD) aims "to contribute to the healthy development of society, and improve the welfare of humanity as a whole, through further disseminating and actualizing of Universal Design."
The award ceremony, held in Japan, was attended virtually by CEUD colleagues on Friday 27 February 2026 where the impact of Ireland's Universal Design Grand Challenge was shared with an international audience.
11 years of UDGC
The Universal Design Grand Challenge (UDGC) is a competition that promotes and awards excellence in student projects that feature solutions that work for everyone. We invite third level students in their final two years of study to enter their best project which demonstrates the use of the Principles of Universal Design.
Each year we continue to be amazed at the creativity and commitment to inclusion and Universal Design demonstrated by the students who enter, and the academic tutors/supervisors who support them.
Huge thanks and congratulations to our esteemed panel of international expert judges, all the NDA and CEUD team-members who have worked on the event since 2014 and of course to all the students who have shared their creativity with us over the years.
UDGC 2026: Calling third-level students!
We have some exciting developments in store for 2026 which we hope will make the competition even more exciting and welcoming to an even wider variety of students and projects. Applications open in March.
Visit the UDGC webpage or follow us on social media to stay up to date!