Implementation of a Business & Innovation module in Science Programs Erasmus Project

Project Title

Implementation of a Business & Innovation module in Science Programs

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Research and innovation; Open and distance learning

Project Summary

There are two fundamental challenges in converting scientific discovery into societal value. First the (European) knowledge paradox (EKP) stipulates that academia and knowledge institutes are generating high quality knowledge and basic discovery outputs, yet there is a relative inability to convert such knowledge into economic value and benefit (Dosi, 2006). Second, the Valley of Death (VOD), a phase in research and development defined by a lack of funds where government funding declines and private sector funds are not available, presents a serious innovation barrier (Markham et al., 2012). Aiming to address these challenges, a solution needs to cover a complex assembly of factors.

The project developed a Business and Innovation module for bachelor science programmes. In particular, 12 credits of the minor Business & Innovation which is available to all science students at the KU Leuven served as an initial model for the creation of this module. Workshops ‘Innovation in Practice’ have been developed as well as a MOOC ‘Principles of Economics for Scientists’ which both help bridge the gap between economics, business and entrepreneurship on the one hand and science on the other. The online course ‘Principles of Economics for Scientists’ is delivered on the MOOC platform, provided by IMC. The Learning Analytics Framework and the Evaluation Tool were developed to support the learning process and the assessment of the online course.

The IBIS project is a consortium of four organisations. The coordinating organisation is the Faculty of Science of the KU Leuven, Belgium. Partner organisations are the Faculty of Science of Stichting VU, Amsterdam, and the Faculty of Science of the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and a private partner, imc information multimedia communication AG.

Partners in this project have enhanced and developed cross disciplinary diversity and entrepreneurial skills in science and technology teaching and learning at the university level. University students majoring in various science disciplines are increasingly requesting the introduction of business context in their programmes. Traditionally, science study programmes tend to focus on domain specific subjects including some multidisciplinarity. By producing an online course Business and Innovation with emphasis on the role of curiosity driven fundamental research, this project tackles the challenges of how to convert fundamental knowledge into a business value and can thus improve the quality and the relevance of higher education science curricula. The entrepreneurial skills, acquired by the students who take the online course ‘Principles of Economics for Scientists’ or follow the Workshops: Innovation in Practice, will increase the relevance of these students on the labour market.

The pedagogy used allows openness and flexibility in learning space (blended learning), flexibility in time and place of learning including mobility of students. This gives students a full responsibility for their own learning process in which they experience creation of scientific knowledge and its capitalization in a triple helix of university, industry and government institutional sphere. To support students in learning and gaining insight into the online learning process, a learning analytics framework was developed to analyse learner behaviour data and enhance the learning process, for example by predicting success in learning (Ferguson, 2012, Verbert 2013).

References:
Dosi, G, et al., The relationship between science, technologies and their industrial exploitation: An illustration through the myths and realities of the so-called ‘European Paradox’., Research Policy, vol. 35, Issue 10, dec . 2006.
Ferguson, R. (2012) Learning analytics: drivers, developments and challenges. International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 4(5-6),304–317,
Markham, Stephen K. et al., The valley of death as context for role theory in product innovation. The Jrn of Product Innovation, Vol 27, Issue 3, May 2012.
Verbert, K., Duval, E., Klerkx, J., Govaerts, S., & Santos, J. L. (2013). Learning Analytics Dashboard Applications. American Behavioral Scientist, 57(10), 1500–1509.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 315984,28 Eur

Project Coordinator

KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN & Country: BE

Project Partners

• STICHTING VU
• UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
• IMC INFORMATION MULTIMEDIA COMMUNICATION AG