Ericsson is all about transformation and growth, having transformed itself from a small telegraph repair shop in 1876 to a tech industry leader in 2014.  With a vision of “a Networked Society, where every person and every industry is empowered to reach their full potential,” the company believes in a better world as people become continually more connected.

Recently the company announced its sixth annual innovation awards where students are given the opportunity to share their insights and innovations with the world.  The hope is to inspire change and to pave the way for future industry leaders by giving students the freedom to explore their visions.

This year’s challenge centers on learning and how to make it more accessible: what new tools and technologies would make “life-long learning” easier?  Ericsson is encouraging students to think about the future of education and to develop new and innovative technologies to help get there.

One major focus of this year’s topic is distance learning. In 2007-2008, roughly 20% of all undergraduates took one or more online courses, and 4% completed an entire degree program online.  This kind of distance learning is becoming increasingly popular, skyrocketing in 2010 with more than 6.1 million students enrolled in online courses.  Ericsson’s innovation awards recognizes the growing importance of online education and encourages students from all backgrounds to get involved.

Students in teams of 2-4 are encouraged to submit their initial plans up through November 26th.  In January, ten semi-finalists will be chosen to create and present an actual model and/or prototype of their designs.  Final award winners will be chosen in March, followed by a ceremony to tribute their designs.

For more details on this year’s competition, click here.