CO-CREATION
FUTURE
Topic 3
Other forms of collaboration
More specific examples
- In the Practice Enterprise (Thomas More), students substantiate projects relating to professional practice. In many cases, the professional field will act as a principal. The actual substantiation will vary, depending on the programme and the students’ advancement.
- Education Council (Antwerp Maritime Academy): the Education Council of Antwerp Maritime Academy is a consultative body in which the professional field partners hold prominent positions. Frequent contacts with the professional field and formal assessments within the Education Council ensure systematic evaluation of the AMA programmes. The Education Council supervises synergy between the professional field and the programmes. The professional field representatives in the Education Council can identify needs for the academy to consider in keeping its programmes up to date.
- Hotel take-over (Erasmus Brussels University of Applied Sciences and Arts): for one week, the Hotel Management students will take over the Crowne Plaza Brussels Airport Hotel. During this week, the students will perform a range of duties, from checking in guests to running the housekeeping department.
- Audition training in the Musical programme (Erasmus Brussels University of Applied Sciences and Arts): sustainable collaboration with ZAV (German government organisation responsible for the employment of artists), involving annual screening of final-year students at the Brussels campus. Suitable students will be included in the ZAV pool of artists, and the best students will additionally have the opportunity to participate in Private School Presentations. In the previous years, the Audition Training course prepares students for this screening, within the scope of their work placement.
- Project trends and innovation (Erasmus Brussels University of Applied Sciences and Arts): individual students explore a particular trend or innovation together with a partner from the professional field and produce a comprehensive plan of approach. Implementation of the project depends on its scope and the available budget.
Examples of co-creation visions and policies at the programme level
- Entrecomp model (Erasmus Brussels University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Applied Information Technology programme): the Entrecomp model is entwined throughout the curriculum, which ensures that students grow into genuine entrepreneurs who excel in their field. Businesses are involved in as many projects, assignments, and programme components as possible. In several programme components, entire sections of topics are taught by people from the professional field (often alumni), which goes beyond an external party giving a guest lecture. Companies that are involved in certain projects and subjects within the business IT field are also requested to evaluate the students as they would a staff member.
- Community-driven education (PXL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, PXL-Digital department) using the iSpace incubator: rather than building bridges between the world of education and the business world, the day-to-day practices of the business community and of the knowledge centres are being integrated into the programme. The programme structure revolves around collectively creating education for and by the community of junior colleagues, colleagues, businesses, and researchers. The programme offers a rich and challenging learning environment via realistic projects, fed from contextual queries from the professional field and from society. The projects are problem-driven, enrich previous learning experience, and offer the possibility of applying knowledge and skills in an authentic context.
Thomas More
Media and Entertainment Business Challenge Weeks
We are setting aside one week per semester to have a partner challenge us and our students to look for new insights regarding a particular issue. Quantity is more important than quality: we are using the plethora of ideas and insights contributed by large groups of people (120-180) without passing a value judgement.
PARTNERS: THOMAS MORE, Infrabel, Streamz, Sanoma, Kom op tegen Kanker, DPG Media, Telenet, Studio 100
In both the first and the second semester, we are interrupting the regular lessons after six weeks in the purview of a Challenge Week. During this week, all attention will be focused on a real case commissioned by an external principal. The students study the target group and work in a result-oriented manner on the goals defined by the principal. Here, the process is more important than the product.
We are looking for assignments that are socially relevant and render students aware of the role played by the media in societal issues. In this respect it is important for the issues to be topical, concrete, authentic, and meaningful.
In addition to the assignment, the students are provided with supporting information and methods delivered on a just-in-time basis. The students also apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes acquired previously, in an integrated manner. All this must take place within a timeframe of 1 work week, which inevitably has the students working against the clock.
The selection of a relevant context and issue gives students an incentive and inspires them. This is enhanced by additional presentations and an efficient use of space and place.
The win-win outcome is that the principal is genuinely interested in the opinions of the 18-24-year-olds and harbours a genuine expectation of what can be delivered within such a limited timeframe. The week is rounded off with a jury session in which both the principal and the students select the top 3 entries, which are awarded a nice prize.
The ideas are collected and submitted to the principal. Not uncommonly, the principals will build on the ideas within their own companies.
Added value
Students
- Quickly delving into new issues and learning to work under pressure of time;
- Stepping out of their comfort zone;
- Collaboration between teachers and a team of students;
- Networking with businesses;
Teaching staff
- Being and remaining alert;
- Connection with Partners in Education;
- Networking;
Researchers
- Submitting relevant research to students and teachers, enabling them to take account of the latest insights;
The programme
- Firm connection with partners;
- Learning from one another;
- Focus on what is going on;
The professional field
- Being and remaining alert;
- Getting to know the programme and the dynamics of collective learning;
- We set great store by substantiating our programmes in co-creation with the professional field. That is why we have structural collaboration agreements in place with several media and entertainment companies such as DPG Media, Roularta, and Telenet as “Partner in Education”.
Challenges & opportunities
- Expanding good partner network;
- It takes power of persuasion to have companies work with first-year students;
- Emphasising to the principal that students operate as a shadow cabinet; importance of proper expectation management;
- Selection of a case that can be handled within a single week;
- Very strict timing;
- Teacher competencies: project management, coordinating project set-up / good briefing, providing students with proper inspiration;
- Coaching;
- Guiding rather than judging; the public and the principal decide.
Contact
Media & Entertainment Business
Mechelen
Pascale Aerts, Programme Manager, pascale.aerts@thomasmore.be
