University in Canada secures the 7th Airbus GEDC Diversity Award
York University's C4 Initiative Wins Airbus GEDC Diversity Award
The C4: Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom initiative at York University in Toronto has been named the winner of the 2019 Airbus GEDC Diversity Award. This prestigious accolade recognises initiatives that promote diversity and integration in engineering education and careers.
The C4 initiative stands out for its innovative approach to breaking down disciplinary barriers between students. By bringing together students from multiple disciplines, including engineering, communications, policy, and the arts, the programme encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and problem-solving.
In the past year, C4 received 41 project pitches covering 9 themes and selected 11 project teams to participate. The winning initiative was evaluated based on the impact of their work, evidence of results, and the potential to scale for growth.
Jennifer Ogle, Head of Inclusion & Diversity at Airbus France, and Amanda Simpson, Vice President for Research and Technology at Airbus Americas, were among the jury members. Yacob Astatke, Assistant Vice President for International Affairs at Morgan State University and 2016 GEDC Award Recipient, also served on the jury.
The 2019 Airbus GEDC Awards ceremony was attended by a globally diverse group, including members of the Awards Committee, GEDC Executive Committee, GEDC and IFEES members, jury members, and finalist teams. The winning C4 initiative was awarded a cash prize and will benefit from an opportunity to work with mentors from Airbus engineering and inclusion and diversity teams.
The Airbus and GEDC partnership, launched in 2012, aims to encourage diversity in engineering education and careers. Over 170,000 students worldwide have been directly impacted by the award-recognized projects in the first 7 years, who otherwise may not have considered an engineering career path.
In its first year, the C4 initiative involved 74 students from 23 programs and 8 faculties. The programme has grown since then, providing engineering students with broader exposure and teamwork experience beyond their core technical disciplines, encouraging innovative solutions through collaboration.
The C4: Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom initiative at York University is a prime example of how fostering collaborative learning and community-engaged projects can advance diversity and integration across academic disciplines, especially in engineering education.
For more information about the Airbus GEDC Diversity Award, visit Airbus GEDC Diversity Award.
The C4 initiative at York University, through its cross-disciplinary approach to education and self-development, fosters personal growth and learning, aligning with the Airbus GEDC Diversity Award's purpose of promoting diversity and integration in engineering education and careers. The award-winning C4 programme encourages students to collaborate and solve complex problems, ultimately contributing to their individual growth and engineering education's expansion.
