INNOVATION PROJECT
An in-company innovation project takes place within an organization itself and is carried out by one or two students. During the internship you will work on an innovative project in the (international) work environment of the organization, with an emphasis on the development and implementation of innovative products/processes.
You can choose from:
» One long project of an entire academic year within one company;
» Two short projects of one semester each within two different companies.
You can select a project from our available projects or nominate one yourself.
COURSES
In addition to your innovation project (40 ects.), the programme consists of courses for at least 20 credits. You put together your own programme in function of the competencies you want to develop further. You can choose from courses from all participating universities.
An important added value is that the range of courses goes further than just technical courses. Attention is also paid to more broadening disciplines. While the more in-depth courses enable you to specialise in a specific technical domain, the broader courses are aimed at developing your personal, entrepreneurial and innovation competencies.
Learning outcomes
The purpose of this programme is to teach students the necessary skills to take on innovative and entrepreneurial responsibilities in the field. For the postgraduate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship in engineering (and corresponding innovation project), four categories of learning outcomes have been defined. These four main learning outcomes can be filled in by a number of sub-learning outcomes, of which the choice depends on the innovation project. The possible sub-learning outcomes can be found below.
Entrepreneurship
1 Entrepreneurial attitude
2 Project management
3 Bear responsability
4 Economic conditions
5 Outline a follow-up trajectory
6 Change management
Design, development, and implementation of (bio)technological systems
7 Innovative
8 Realistic
9 Multidisciplinary
10 Creative
11 Systematical and holistic
12 Quality-focused
13 Socially (and ethically) responsible
Lifelong learning
14 Self-reflection
15 Self-regulation
16 Flexibility
17 Efficiency
18 Curiosity
19 Social awareness
Communication and cooperation
Communication
20 Persuasive, goal-oriented and efficient communication tuned to the stakeholder (written and spoken)
21 Meet and negotiate
22 Build a network
23 Organise PR activities
Collaboration
24 Collaborate in a multidisciplinary context
Career perspectives
Students, as well as people in the industry, experience an extra demand for communicative skills, project skills, work ethic, practical thinking and problem solving skills, negotiating skills and relations with customers and suppliers. Furthermore, there is an increasing demand for technical knowledge, although it is acknowledged by the industry that the root of the problem is located elsewhere. Namely, it relates to a type of company-specific technical knowledge that is notoriously hard to acquire at school. Moreover, work ethic and communication skills are additional aspects that often require improvement in graduates. This postgraduate programme seeks to address and improve those aspects and skills through the combination of an innovation project and a complementary curriculum.
Secondly, students often wish to gain a better overview of future career and growth options. During the innovation project, they come into contact with a number of responsibilities, positions and functions, allowing them to explore their strengths and weaknesses within the context of a real-life work environment. Eventually, their experience in the field will help them make the right career choices after graduation. It may also let them enter the job market at a higher level and grow at an accelerated pace.
Why choose this postgraduate certificate?
- You become acquainted with the industry through the unique experience of an innovation project.
- You can customise your training programme and tailor it to your own interests.
- You will receive intensive one-on-one coaching from professionals in the field.
- You will have the opportunity to develop and implement an innovation, either on your own or as part of a team.
- You will develop technical skills and improve innovative and personal competencies.
- You will be in a better position to make further career choices and you will be able to enter the job market at a higher level
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