Accessible by design
Participation is planned to be free. Four divisions welcome secondary-school students, college and polytechnic students, university students and eligible recent graduates.
LINUX ASSOCIATION OF CANADA · OPEN SOURCE WEEK 2027
Rules & Judging
Fair, accessible and open.
September 3–4, 2027 · Prairieland Park, Saskatoon
AN OPEN AND FAIR CHALLENGE
Clear principles. Room to innovate.
The Student Innovation Challenge celebrates creativity, practical learning and collaboration. We want participants from different backgrounds to have the opportunity to build meaningful projects using free and open-source technologies.
Individuals and small teams
You may enter individually or with a team of up to four students. Projects are entered in the appropriate division according to the eligibility rules.
Meaningfully open technology
Projects must meaningfully use or advance open-source software or open technologies. Licensing choices, documentation and the ability to share what was learned matter.
Your work remains yours
Participants retain their intellectual property rights. Final terms will clarify permissions needed to display projects and submitted materials publicly.
HOW PROJECTS ARE EVALUATED
A transparent 100-point scoring rubric
Judges review the work using five shared criteria. The aim is to recognize the strength of the idea, its execution, its usefulness and how clearly the project is explained.
Innovation & originality
25 pointsHow creatively the project addresses a problem and what makes its approach distinctive.
Open-source contribution & licensing
25 pointsMeaningful use of open technologies, responsible licensing and knowledge sharing.
Technical execution
20 pointsImplementation quality, reliability and sound technical decisions.
Impact & usefulness
20 pointsWho could benefit from the project and how useful it could be in practice.
Presentation & documentation
10 pointsClear explanations, useful documentation and how easily others can understand the work.
Maximum score100 / 100
FROM SUBMISSION TO SHOWCASE
A thoughtful and fair review process
Submit your project
Explain your idea, your approach and the resources reviewers need to understand or explore your work.
Independent evaluation
Assigned judges evaluate projects against the same scoring rubric and declare any conflicts of interest.
Finalists and showcase
Results are reviewed before finalists are formally selected. Showcase arrangements in Saskatoon will be communicated to selected participants.
Important: final rules are being prepared. Final eligibility criteria, deadlines, consent requirements (including for minors), submission requirements and detailed judging procedures will be published before registration opens. The information above describes the planned program and current scoring rubric.
INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING?
Your idea deserves to be shared.
Explore the four divisions and learn how to prepare for the Student Innovation Challenge.
Land Acknowledgement
The Linux Association of Canada respectfully acknowledges that our home in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is located on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis. These lands have been home to First Nations peoples for thousands of years, including the Cree, Dakota, Nakota, and Saulteaux, who maintain deep and enduring relationships with the land and the South Saskatchewan River.
We are grateful to the First Nations and Métis peoples who have cared for these lands for generations. We honour their enduring relationship with the land, their cultures, histories, and contributions, and we offer our respect and sincere gratitude as we live, work, learn, and build community here.