PANAJI: The International Centre Goa (ICG) and the Goa University will organise the fourth edition of "Ideas Unleashed: ICG - Goa University Essay Competition 2020 on the topic “The challenges of urbanisation in Goa”. Ideas Unleashed 2020 is supported by Dattaraj Salgaocar, chairman of V M Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education and vice president of the Board of Trustees of ICG. The essay competition will be in both English and Konkani language categories; and will be open to students currently enrolled with Goa University and colleges affiliated to Goa University, Goa Institute of Management (GIM), Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS)-Goa, the National Institute of Technology (NIT)-Goa and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Goa, up to the age of 25 years. The last date for submission of essays is March 14, 2020. The top three ranked essays will receive cash prizes as follows: First Rs 25,000; second Rs 20,000 and third Rs 15,000. In the Konkani category, there is a cash prize of Rs 25,000 for the best entry. “The Challenges of Urbanisation in Goa” - is of immediate relevance to Goa, to its residents and all others who visit Goa. There are visible and less visible changes taking place across the State in the built environment, whether it is public infrastructure or housing; population flows/migration and growth; and growth and expansion of cities and suburbs. These changes will and are having both positive and negative consequences. Keeping that in mind, college students from across the State are invited to read, examine and write on what they understand to be the main challenges of urbanisation and how these can be negotiated and addressed. They will, after all, along with other young people, live through the consequences of the ongoing processes of urbanisation. Students may choose to focus on one or more of the challenges that Goa’s urbanisation has thrown up or deepened and how those are being addressed by the State/government, common people, civil society organisations and others. They may choose to write on whether and how specific social groups, as for example students themselves, business groups, migrants, or farmers, understand these challenges and their likely consequences for the lives of ordinary people. Given that the topic easily lends to a wide variety of specific themes, approaches and interpretations, it is hoped that students from across different disciplines will be encouraged to participate in the essay competition. More information about the essay competition is available on the website:www.internationalcentregoa.com