MSB107 Innovation and Entrepreneurship in practice

Contents and structure

The main content of the course is a 10-week internship (full time workdays) in a startup firm or other relevant firm with R&D projects, entrepreneurial projects. During the internship, the student will interact closely with the entrepreneurial team/research team/manager. Furthermore, the student shall perform entrepreneurial tasks, such as market studies, investor analysis, pitching for investors, technology testing and prototyping, development of business models and other relevant tasks for the firm. Through practice-based learning, the student experience real entrepreneurial tasks and commercialization of technology and as such develop entrepreneurial competences and skills. We organize the internships in close collaboration with regional clusters and the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Student entrepreneurs with an own business idea, may work and have internship in their own student firm. Student entrepreneurs will be followed up closely, and mentors from the ecosystem and HVL will be assigned.

Exchange students will attend three introductory seminars about Norwegian society and economic life (three full days). These seminars will introduce: 1) Norwegian society, work-life and economic history, 2) Entrepreneurship and main industry clusters in Norway, characteristics and challenges, 3) Policies and programs promoting innovation and entrepreneurship (cluster programs, Incubators, entrepreneurship, regional innovation).

In parallel with the internships, students shall participate at three seminars with guest lecturers from industry and/or teachers. Here, we collaborate closely with the regional clusters and other regional actors, to organize the seminars.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge

The student…

• Has advanced knowledge of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial practice in a regional context (Western Norway)
• Has advanced knowledge of the regional Ecosystems, interactions, actors and dynamics

Skills

The student...

• Is able to identify important challenges among entrepreneurial firms in different sectors and in the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
• Is able to perform significant entrepreneurial tasks
• Is able to use own experiences with practice-based learning and to reflect critically of it

General competence

The student…

• Is able to analyze and reflect critically about the entrepreneurial practice in different industries, including entrepreneurial learning and strategies
• Has knowledge about critical challenges among entrepreneurial firms and can perform entrepreneurial tasks
• Is able to apply theoretical knowledge into practice, and apply multi-disciplinary knowledge in cross-disciplinary tasks
• Is able to reflect about own cross-cultural learning

Entry requirements

None

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Teaching methods

The course aims to provide students with practice-based learning in entrepreneurial firms and knowledge of the entrepreneurial processes in a regional context. Students will be assigned a mentor in the internship firm and the course coordinator will follow up the student closely. The learning is student active, action-oriented and interactive with the entrepreneur/manager and through performing entrepreneurial tasks. The learning arena is the internship firm and the regional ecosystem.

Students shall participate in seminars. At the seminars, students are expected to be active questioning, participating in discussions, and reflective. The entrepreneur/manager in the internship firm (mentor) shall give oral feedback on how the student is handling/performing the entrepreneurial tasks, the potential for improvement, personal mastery and development. At the end of the internship, the entrepreneur shall provide an evaluation note (1-2 pages) based on the dialogue.

Students are encouraged to write a log/diary during the internship about their experiences and reflections. Students shall write a reflection report about 1) own entrepreneurial learning and cross-cultural learning and 2) about entrepreneurial industry practice in western Norway

During the internship, students shall participate in reflection sessions. The first reflection session is an introductory seminar about reflection in practice-based learning, including theory-based analytic tools to strengthen the level of reflections and concrete guiding to reflective writing. The second reflection session will take place in the second part of the internship.

Compulsory learning activities

The student is required to complete the following work before taking the exam: :

- Mandatory practice in a company for a period of 10 weeks.

- A Mid-term report focusing on entrepreneurial learning and regional practice (3-5 pages)

Assessment

The student will write a written report (appx. 15 pages) about entrepreneurial learning and regional practice.

The grading scale is A-F, where F is fail.

Examination support material

All.

More about examination support material

Course reductions

• MOØ240 - Innovasjon og entreprenørskap i praksis - Reduction: 20 studypoints
• INN520 - Innovasjon og entreprenørskap i praksis i ein regional kontekst - Reduction: 20 studypoints