How to integrate science, entrepreneurship, real-life challenges and co-creation in university? How to do this in such a way that the different parties can actually benefit from it?
EuroTeQ Collider, which started last academic year, will come again this fall. We are starting for the first time with a new open course, "Green Deal Collider: Sustainable Futures" (3 EAP), which is based on the principles of problem-based and project-based learning and is an essential output of EuroTeQ Collider* at TalTech.
The purpose of the subject is to support university employees and students in promoting science-based entrepreneurship and to develop technically feasible and economically viable products, services and business models for implementing the European Green Deal. The main lecturers are Ergo Pikas (Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, tenured assistant professor) and Kätlin Kangur (Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Programme Director of the master’s programme Design and Technology Futures). TalTech’s various research groups are involved as mentors for projects/challenges to be solved in the subject.
The subject is aimed primarily at master's and doctoral students and is not limited to any specific curriculum/field. In addition, adult learners via Open University are also very welcome. It is also a good opportunity for the students to continue with the project as part of the thesis and/or to diversify their own activity.
The subject culminates with the Waste Challenge final event, where student teams present projects/solved challenges in the “Green Deal Collider: Sustainable Futures” subject at TalTech's Mektory. The best teams are awarded monetary prizes and the opportunity to participate in the international competition EuroTeQaThon. The grand prize of the latter is a trip to Brussels.
The opening event, where the goals and the concept of the course and the projects/challenges of the research groups will be presented, will take place on September 7th from 17:00 to 19:00 at Mektory. Register for the event.
Further information: karl-erik.karu@taltech.ee and ethel.praks@taltech.ee
EuroTeQ Collider is a challenge-based learning activity in which students are presented with challenges (incl. by research groups/businesses) in the field of sustainability, for which they then need to find solutions as a team. In order to solve real-life problems, interdisciplinarity, which is based on the knowledge of different fields and the ability to link them to the needs of society and the industry, is essential. EuroTeQ Engineering University is a 3-year collaboration project between a number of universities across Europe, which aims to set up systematic and sustainable collaborations in teaching activities. The project will establish joint study programmes across different disciplines, sectors, and national borders.