Rules & Guidelines

Competition Format

ADC Goals

ADC 2025 invites you to propose solutions that break down barriers and improve the lives of people with disabilities. This year, ADC’s goals focus on two key areas:

Support businesses in creating greater job opportunities and fostering an inclusive environment for people with disabilities; and/or
Assist individuals with disabilities in enhancing their employability skills.

To participate, form a team of three students, whether from the same or different universities and embark on this journey together.

Types of Solutions

Participants will develop solutions in one or more of the following solution categories:

Attitudinal & Communication Solutions to build Holistic Workplace Inclusion Solutions

Focus: Comprehensive strategies to create inclusive workplace environments that integrates into the broader corporate wellness initiatives and internal policy.

Examples: Inclusive Hiring Practices => Comprehensive Training Programs => Mental Health Support

Physical Solutions assist Sustainable and Inclusive Design.

Focus: Creating physical spaces and products that are both sustainable and accessible.

Examples: Eco-Friendly Building Materials/ Sustainable materials used in constructing accessible buildings, Adjustable-Height Workstations, Universal Restroom Facilities with Water-Saving Fixtures

Technological Solutions Leverage advanced technologies to enhance work performance, such as AI & Automation for Workplace Accessibility, Remote & Hybrid Work Accessibility

Examples: Automated systems that adjust workplace environments (like lighting or desk height) based on individual needs. Accessible remote work platforms, hybrid office designs that consider the needs of both in-office and remote employees with disabilities

The communication and presentation in the competition will be in English. The final solution/prototype may be conceptualized in the team’s native language to solve local issues, but the delivery of the presentation must be in English.

Competition Journey & Judging Criteria

01 August 2025 - 24 August 2025

29 August 2025 – 14 September 2025

20 September 2025 – 4 October 2025

First Round - Online Application & Proposal

To participate in the competition, assemble a team of three students from any university in Vietnam. In the initial round,

Provide your team's information and a concise idea for the competition. The proposal must address a specific barrier happening in the workplace

Finalize your proposal and submit a written proposal (maximum 300 words) via the form on our website: [Here] by 24 August 2025.

In support of Round 1, we've organized various activities which we encourage you to participate in:

Opening Ceremony:

> Introduce the ADC 2025, go through Competition Rules and Guidelines, meet & greet our prestigious partners

> Panel Discussion on AI, Accessibility and Inclusion

Kick-off Bootcamp “Accessible by Design, Powered by AI"

> Workshop: “Understanding Accessibility and Universal Design”

> Workshop: “Overview about Artificial Intelligence & Innovation”

Date & Time: Wednesday, 13 August 2025 – 09:00 AM to 15:30 PM

Selections will be based on the following criteria:

Innovation & Impact: Assesses how original, creative, or groundbreaking the solution is. Priority is given to ideas that offer new perspectives or significantly improve workplace accessibility for people with disabilities.

User-Centered Design & Accessibility: Evaluates how well the solution addresses the real needs of individuals with disabilities. Strong entries are inclusive, practical, and accessible across a range of disability groups.

Diversity: Considers the team's regional, cultural, or institutional background. Diverse teams bring valuable perspectives that enrich the design and relevance of the solution.

The first proposal submission should use inclusive language. Refer to the Inclusive Language Guidelines available on the ADC 2025 website.

Second Round - Revise Proposal & Video Demonstration

If your team advances to the second round, you will need to:

Work with your appointed Industry Mentor and Accessibility Mentor who are either professionals from relevant sectors or experts experienced in working with people with disabilities. These mentors will offer advice on how to make your idea more relevant and feasible for individuals with disabilities. Following the mentor meetings, your team must refine the proposal and develop prototypes or implementation-ready solutions
Submit revised proposal and a 2–4-minute video demonstration by MP4 or YouTube link with caption and transcript by 14 September

To assist you in Round 2, we recommend attending the following masterclass:

Masterclass: Prototyping & Implementation - Tuesday, 9 September 2025, 15:30 – 16:30

Selections will be based on the following criteria:

User-Centered Design & Accessibility: While proposals are still evaluated on how well they address the needs of people with disabilities, priority is given to those that involve user input or demonstrate deeper research and understanding.
Feasibility & Scalability in Vietnam Workplaces: Assesses the practicality and cost-effectiveness of the solution. Strong proposals demonstrate clear potential for implementation and scalability within Vietnamese workplace settings.
Implementation Strategy: Evaluates the team’s ability to bring their idea to life through a clear and realistic roadmap, including development steps, partnerships, and workplace integration plans.
Utilisation of AI (Encouraged): While AI use is not required, teams are encouraged to demonstrate how AI has supported the development or refinement of their solution, even in basic or indirect use, such as for scriptwriting, video production or prototyping

Semi Final & Final Rounds - Pitching

If your team successfully advances to the Final Round, you will have the opportunity to present your idea for 10 minutes on the Final Day, which is scheduled for 4 October 2025. You will have time to prepare your pitch by participating in our workshops:

Masterclass: Presentation & Pitching Skill – Tuesday 23 September 2025

Additionally, from 24 Sep to 2 Oct, we will support you by arranging Online and Offline (at RMIT SGS Campus) Mock Pitching Sessions with professionals to refine your English and pitching skills.

The Judging Criteria for the Finale are as follows:

Presentation & Communication: Assesses how clearly and confidently the team presents their idea. Strong presentations are engaging, well-structured, and effectively convey the problem, solution, and intended impact.
Execution Readiness: Evaluates the team’s preparedness to move from concept to implementation, including clarity of next steps, resource planning, and potential for stakeholder collaboration.
Real-World Viability in Vietnam: Considers how practical, scalable, and relevant the solution is for implementation in Vietnamese workplaces.
Utilisation of AI (Encouraged): Assesses how AI has supported the team’s development and final presentation. While optional, thoughtful and ethical use of AI, such as in research, prototyping, or enhancing the pitch, is encouraged.

Eligibility

The competition is open to all students currently enrolled in full-time Bachelor or Master program at the time of application as well as during the competition (expectedly from August till October 2025) at all universities in Vietnam.
Please note that applications must be submitted as a team consisting of three students. We do not accept individual applications.
Each participant can only belong to one team. Individuals registered as members of multiple teams are not eligible.
Students’ major or campus will not have any bearing on the application, it is possible for a team to be composed of three members from different majors or universities. Only one member of the team fills in the online registration form and submits before the deadline. One group of students can submit ONLY once for every round.
The language of all submissions must be in English.

Disclaimer

Submission must ensure intellectual property rights, we do not accept copying in any form.
The competition’s organizers are not responsible for issues related to copyright disputes.
By participating in this competition, students also will consent and agree that RMIT University’s Communications Office, its employees, or agents have the right to take photographs of them during the event and to use these in any media, including social media, associated with RMIT University Vietnam, and their name and identity may be revealed therein or by descriptive text.

Terms & Conditions

1. Intellectual Property Warranties, Representations and Licenses. Eligible Entrants hereby warrant that your Submission is wholly original and that you are the copyright owner of the Submission. You warrant that your Submission does not infringe or violate any intellectual property rights including copyrights and trademarks, proprietary rights, privacy or publicity rights, or any other rights of any kind whatsoever including any federal, provincial or municipal laws. The Submission has not been created using any pirated or unlicensed content, or other materials that include copyrighted or trademarked material that the Competition Organizer would not be entitled to use without a further payment to the intellectual property owner.

2. You hereby acknowledge and understand that in case any Copycat and/or Seeking for Help is conducted in relation to your Submission; your Submission will be disqualified as per the sole decision of the Judges. Any awards will also be withdrawn, and you will not be eligible for the next competitions organized by the Competition Organizer. You are responsible for double checking and research to make sure that you have not and will not commit any Copycat, regardless of your intention or not, and try your best to avoid it. The Judges will not be obliged to check and research to confirm that any Copycat is conducted or not in your Submission.

3. Potential Finalists determined by the Competition Organizer to be ineligible, for reasons including but not limited to failure to comply with the Terms and Conditions, failure to be contacted or respond to contact attempts, might be disqualified from the Competition. The Competition Organizer reserves the right to award or not the potential Finalist spot to the Submission with the next highest score in accordance with the criteria in their sole discretion.

4. The Competition Organizer may, at their sole discretion, publish one or more of the confirmed Finalists and their Submissions in print, digital, electronic, mobile and social media formats of the Competition Organizer. All confirmed Finalists hereby consent to the profiling and publication of their Submissions in accordance with these Terms and Conditions and will use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Competition Organizer in the preparation of such profiles and publicity by the Competition Organizer.

5. You are obliged to keep your Submission confidential and private, not to share part of or all of the Submission to other Entrants and/or any third party/ media in any manner and in any perspective during the Competition and within six months after the Awards Ceremony. Any violation to this confidential obligation resulting in the damage or harm to the Competition Organizer, the Competition Sponsor, and/ or the other Entrants shall be subject to the disqualification and/or other legal acts of the Competition Organizer at its sole discretion.

6. By entering in this Competition, you will consent and agree that RMIT's Corporate Communications Office, its employees, or agents have the right to take photographs of them during the event and to use these in any media, including social media, associated with RMIT University Vietnam, and that their name and identity may be revealed therein or by descriptive text.

7. By participating in this Competition, you hereby consent to the Competition Organizer collecting and using your personal information and to receiving commercial electronic messages from the Competition Organizer for the purpose of administering this Competition. Entrants will receive no marketing communications other than from the Organizer unless they provide express consent.

8. This Competition will be run in accordance with these Terms and Conditions, subject to amendment by the Competition Organizer. The Competition Organizer, in its sole and absolute discretion, reserves the right to modify or terminate the Competition and amend the Terms and Conditions at any time, without individual notice, and for any reason.

Conducts

By participating in the Competition, you acknowledge that you have read and understood these Terms and Conditions and agree to abide and be bound by them and all decisions of the Competition Organizer, which shall be final and binding, without the right of appeal, in all matters relating to this Competition and the awarding of prizes. The Competition Organizer reserves the right, in their sole and absolute discretion, to disqualify any entrant that it finds to be:

(a) violating the Terms and Conditions;

(b) tampering or attempting to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Competition;

(d) attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Competition.

Caution: Any attempt by an entrant or any other individual to deliberately damage any website associated with this Competition or to undermine the legitimate operation of this Competition may be a violation of criminal and/or civil laws. Should any such attempt be made, the Competition Organizer reserves the right to seek remedies for this damage to the fullest extent permitted by law, and to ban or disqualify the entrant from this and future competitions.