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The RSA has always demonstrated an interest in and commitment to the encouragement of invention, design and young designers. Today, it expresses this commitment in a major area of the Society's work: the Student Design Awards.

The scheme, which has been in place since 1924, exists to encourage young designers and to bring together industry and education to work towards achieving the highest standards in design and innovation. The scope of the scheme is wide covering many areas of design from graphics and product design to textiles and fashion. It also strives to maintain a commitment to the ever-growing significance of design in today's changing world encouraging students — and industry — to use their skills and influence to effect change and benefit in a variety of areas. Pioneering work in designing for an ageing population, for instance, is reflected in a number of projects; issues of accessibility and how design can be used to reduce crime are themes the scheme encourages as a way of underpinning an overall approach to design.

Each year nearly 2500 students from the UK — and increasingly EU countries too — submit entries to the scheme with over 100 of them being awarded funding either to support study tours or prestigious work placements around the world, making the Student Design Awards among the biggest and most prestigious schemes of its kind.