MOØ224 Innovation in cross-disciplinary student teams

Contents and structure

The aim of this course is to give students knowledge about and practical experience with an innovation process. In the course, students will take as their starting point an industrial challenge or problem from a company or organization and develop a solution in the form of a new product, process, or service. The solution must address economic, environmental, and social issues. The development of the solution will take place through repeated interactions with stakeholders such as users, customers, investors, researchers, partners, and others. In the course, students will work in interdisciplinary teams to develop the solution.

Students take as a starting point a challenge related to i) a separate business idea of their own, ii) an idea from a regional research or business environment, or iii) an idea from a company, a public enterprise or voluntary organization in the region. HVL will work closely with key players in the region to mobilize relevant ideas

The course will be a combination of seminars and practical work in cross-disciplinary student teams. The students get a practical introduction to how they can make use of different innovation methodologies to develop innovations. The course gives students skills about work in interdisciplinary teams, such as creativity in teams, learning and team management. It will be emphasized that students will think critically about the use of innovation methodology, as well as reflection on their own learning and responsibility in innovation work.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge

The student ..

• has in-depth knowledge of the innovation process and the role of the interaction between different actors in the development and realization of an idea

• has advanced knowledge of various innovation methodologies and tools for developing and leading innovation processes.

• can reflect critical upon the use of innovation methodologies and responsibility in innovation work

Skills

Students ...

• can assess the relevance of different innovation methodologies and can apply these in the work of developing an innovation

• is familiar with prototyping as a methodology in business development, and can apply prototyping in the development of an innovation

• has the ability to reflect on what triggers and what hinders interdisciplinary collaboration in teams

• can communicate results from the innovation project to experts from the business community.

 

General competence

Students ...

• can understand challenges with interdisciplinary teamwork and can contribute to interdisciplinary teams by showing collaboration, creativity, and responsibility

• can understand the different phases that are part of an innovation process and can develop an innovation in practice in close interaction in a team and with other relevant actors and users

• can contribute to innovation and creativity in innovation processes

Entry requirements

Admission requirements for the master's programme.

Teaching methods

The teaching and learning methods include student-active start-up seminars, work with innovation projects through interdisciplinary student teams, student group presentations and participation in seminars. In the start-up seminars, students get a practical introduction to innovation methodologies, interdisciplinary teamwork and tools to lead innovation processes. Students also get a practical introduction to prototyping. Teamwork forms the main part of the course, and it is expected that the student teams work independently. Each student team will be offered supervision by internal and external supervisors.

Compulsory learning activities

The following compulsory work requirements must be approved for the candidate to take the exam: •Mandatory submission of mid-term report •Mandatory submission of final report Approved work requirements are valid in the examination semester and the following semester.

Assessment

Partial exams with 2 oral group presentations Grades are given individually. All parts must be passed to get a grade in the course. Each of the partial exams constitutes 50% of the final grade. The oral exams are based on the group-based compulsory submissions. Grade scale is A-F where F is not passed.