Innovation and Creativity for Complex Engineering

Systems – Experiences of an

Intensive Program

Tatjana Welzer, University of Maribor, Faculty of Electrical

Engineering and Computer Science, Maribor, Slovenia

João M.Fernandes, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal

PRAXIS 2014, Genova, September 25-26, 2014

Contents

Introduction Innovations in Practical Education Innovation and Creativity for Complex

Engineering Systems Experiences Conclusion

Introduction – Education - Teaching Transmition of accumulated

knowledge, skills and values from generation to generation

Teaching is the process in which students and teachers are involved

Teaching processes has changed significantly Technology Mobility Practical Education

Introduction – Education - Employability Having knowledge and skills to fulfil

employers needs and expectations Employability is the process in which

graduates and employers are involved

Employability processes has changed significantly

Introduction – Education - Internship University: Interesting internship

with added value for students. Industry: Real help from students,

fresh ideas and solutions. Students: Good and interesting

internships in which they would fill like equivalent partner and be rewarded for their work.

Innovations in Practical Education Innovations in Practical Education

Applied research Practical courses, seminars, project groups Involvement in real projects (DEMOLA, The

creative way to practical knowledge Students projects (Imagine Cup, World Design

Festival) Diploma work

Student motivation Practical experiences Useful examples and work Employability

Inovations in Practical Education Inovations in Practical Education

Scientific Research Formal research projects Involvement in real projects Students competitions and projects (Imagine Cup) Master and Ph.D. thesis (research and application)

Students motivation References, recognition of work for studying

purposes Some financial benefits Employability

Inovations in Practical Education Innovations in Practical Education

Students claims “Labour class” Not enough interesting Loosing of interest and motivation

Teachers contentment Enthusiastic Disappointed

ICCES

Erasmus IP – ICCES – Innovation and Creativity for Complex Engineering Systems, 2012-2014

http://icces.di.uminho.pt/ Coordination University do Minho, Braga Consortium – Universities

Universidade do Minho, Portugal Universidade de Vigo, Spain Aarhus Universitet, Denmark Newcastle University, United Kingdom Universiteit Twente, The Netherlands

ICCES

Erasmus IP – ICCES – Innovation and Creativity for Complex Engineering Systems, 2012-2014 Consortium – Universities

Univerza v Mariboru, Slovenia TUCS, Finland VŠB - TU Ostrava, Czech Republic Technische Universität Wien, Austria Universität Paderborn, Germany

Consortium – Companies Efacec - 2012 Bosch – 2013, 2014

ICCES

Erasmus IP – ICCES – Innovation and Creativity for Complex Engineering Systems, 2012-2014 Main objectives:

Ph.D. students in engineering and technology International multi-disciplinary Ph.D. student

teams Problems of high complexity in an innovative

and research-oriented perspective within industrial contexts

Preparing Ph.D. graduates for awareness of the industrial realities

ICCES

Erasmus IP – ICCES – Inovation and Creativity for Complex Engineering Systems, 2012-2014 Learning outcomes

Work within multidisciplinary teams, to promote creativity and innovation;

Adopt techniques like abstraction, modelling and simulation, to manage complexity;

Prepare applied research plans, to support a policy for patents and industrial property and to sustain industry development.

ICCES

Erasmus IP – ICCES – Innovation and Creativity for Complex Engineering Systems, 2012-2014 Deliverables of each edition of ICCES

Applied research plans, written by the students, for the considered engineering problems;

Position papers, written by the students, to explain their research plans to the scientific community;

Simulations and presentations, by the students, about their research plans;

Cross Cultural Communication Experiences.

Experiencies

Ph.D. graduates taking the ICCES Programme will be much better prepared for the challenges that they will face if they are hired in the future by an industrial company

The industrial participants will be better prepared to realize how Ph.D. graduates can be integrated in their system development process, mainly in the innovative and creativity tasks that may benefit from their research skills.

Experiencies

The academic partners will be able to gain experience from the real needs of the industry so that their doctoral programmes can incorporate the development of industry-relevant skills.

This experience will allow the production of publications that may influence the way European universities may deal with the employment of their Ph.D. students and, consequently, the sustainable development of the European economy.

Experiencies

As a student at the ICCES Erasmus IP 2012, I gained new knowledge on the fields that were not that familiar to me before. We have worked in groups where I got to know different approaches that other team members used for research as well as I have gained experience on how to work with the industrial partner and cope with problems proposed. The whole project was a wonderful experience and I would recommend it to all students (Lili Nemec Zlatolas, University of Maribor)

Experiencies

The ICCES 2013 program at Bosch in the lovely city of Braga was a great and unforgettable experience. Not only did we get to work on real industrial problems that Bosch is currently facing, we also had a lot of fun doing that. I think that in the end many of us gained a lot perspective on how to use our knowledge in the ‘real world’ and also gained many friends for life from all over the world.. (Bojan Butolen, University of Maribor

Experiencies

The ICCES 2014 was interested in many ways. Not that we just worked on real problems Bosch provided us, but we were treat as equal to other employees. Main director was very pleased with our solutions and he expressed high gratitude for our work. As a member of ICCES 2013 I had a chance to see our last year solutions in practice as well, what makes the whole experience in new perspective. Last but not least meeting new people and become friends with them is priceless and worth all hard work. (Jaka Polutnik, University of Maribor)

Conclusion

Education - teaching and practical education – Project Work and Internship should be tightly connected and integrated into each other

Interest of all parties, different possibilities, tools, platforms

Impacts on labour market and society New project, ideas and opportunities without

limits New technologies, Virtual environment Mobility, Living Labs Students with disabilities