Mobile Awards 2015

I wrote about the Mobile World Congress 2015 in my post of 9 February 2015. It took place in March in Barcelona, and on 3 March the winners were chosen.



Website of the Mobile World Congress: http://www.mobileworldcongress.com/

The winners: http://www.globalmobileawards.com/winners-2015/


The awards are given in 9 main categories:

1. The Connected Life Awards
2. Best Mobile Services
3. Social & Economic Development
4. Apps of the Year
5. Best Mobile Handsets & Devices
6. Best Mobile Technology
7. Government Mobile Excellence Awards
8. GSMA Chairman's Award 2015
9. Special Awards at Mobile World Congress 2015

Within each category there are 6 to 7 sub-categories. For example, the sub-categories for 3. Social & Economic Development are:

• 3a Best Mobile Product, Initiative or Service in Emerging Markets
• 3b Best Mobile Product or Service for Women in Emerging Markets
• 3c Best Use of Mobile in Emergency or Humanitarian Situations
• 3d Best Mobile App, Service or Initiative for Accessibility & Inclusion
• 3e Best Mobile Device for Accessibility & Inclusion
• 3f  The Green Mobile Award

In Category 4 (Apps of the Year) the final sub-category is "Judges Choice - Best Overall App."

Students can choose a category related to their engineering field (or area of interest) and can be "judges" by reading about the different winners in one category, and then choose "the best overall" of that category. They have to "defend" their choice with the other student groups in a discussion or by giving a short presentation. Or the groups can come together in a negotiation to choose the overall winner.

This activity would practice skills of reading, speaking, negotiation, persuasion and presenting.

In Category 9 there is a new award sub-category for 2015 - the 20th anniversary of the Mobile World Congress: The Young Mobile Innovator of the Year. 

This category is open to 18- to 25-year-olds who are working independently or in an organization, or are currently studying. This category might be most interesting to our students, since they probably fit the profile. There is not much information about the innovations of the 3 nominees this year, but a full list of the nominees is at: http://www.globalmobileawards.com/nominees-2015/.

Unfortunately, there are no links for more information. However, the awards brochure - with short descriptions of every innovation in each category - is available on the website:
http://www.globalmobileawards.com/awards-brochure-2015/ .