Hello everyone,
This is Ouro Preto calling. It’s time for the votes of the … Oh no, wrong topic. It’s just another update from the MNEXT professor on exchange. Far, far away.
Today I will tell you a bit more about my teaching activities here in Ouro Preto. As I told you in the first update, I’m teaching a course on biobased technology & business development. The course is a condensed version of the 30EC minor that we have been running at Avans for more that 10 years already. In the Avans minor we have students from different study programmes working for a company that wants to become more circular / biobased and can use a bit of help with that. The assignments from the minor often have a link with projects from MNEXT. What is very good about the minor is not only that the students work for a real company but especially that they not only have to look at the technological possibilities / challenges, but also address marketing, business, sustainability etc. So, look at many different angles as is usually the case in real life. So, a multidisciplinary minor. This multidisciplinary set-up is not known here at UFOP (or Brazil more in general). Students only focus on the topic of their own study programme and are not familiar with doing an assignment for a company.
I wanted to introduce our way of working here at UFOP and see if the students would like it. The problem was that I could not offer a 30EC course. The maximum allowed for a non-compulsory course was 9EC. This meant that I had to reduce the workload a lot. The course lasts 14 weeks instead of 20 weeks, and instead of having several courses besides the project I give crash workshops on topics like how to deal with a client, how to make a business plan, sustainability, marketing, and finances. This is done during the work sessions the students have on Monday and Friday morning. I also found 3 start-up companies here in Brazil that were willing to offer an assignment for the course. Companies that I met in previous years during visits to Brazil. I’m happy that maintaining contacts pays off. After creating the set-up and approval from UFOP, it was nervous recking for me so find out if there would be students interested in a non-compulsory course from a Dutch professor teaching in English.
Fortunately, 11 students subscribed for the course with a nice mixed background. So, Friday 29 August I started with the help of Professor Leandro Gurgel from UFOP who wants to take over the course when successful. I was a bit nervous, but the students were more nervous. About their English level, about meeting the client, about working with a foreign professor etc. But after a few meet & greet games to break the ice, the atmosphere had changed for the better a lot. There was a lively discussion about the different assignments and which one they would prefer, and about which questions they should ask the client. This week they had their first meeting with the client. I have the feeling that some students did not get a good night sleep because they were so nervous. As always, the clients did not turn out to be a bogeyman but actually are friendly human beings that can use their help. So, a lot of happy faces at the end 😊.
The next step for the students is to prepare a project proposal for their client. What are they going to do for the client? Next week they will present this proposal to the Avans students that are currently doing the minor in The Netherlands. A week later the Avans students will present to my students here in Ouro Preto. This way we hope to enhance international cooperation and exchange of knowledge.
For the work sessions on Monday and Friday a special room is reserved for me which has a screen that we can use for online meetings and to present my workshop power points. Why? Well because most teaching here is still done on a Blackboard. Not the digital one that most Avans teachers will still remember, but a real one using crayons in different colors. Quite a difference from Avans where we seem to get new smartboards every year while the old ones are working fine. Also, having an internet connection is not a done deal. I do not have WIFI on campus but make use of an old-fashioned cable. It works fine except for the fact that the Avans Privacy & Security Team keeps warning me that this is not completely safe. Well, I have no other choice I’m afraid.
As you have read, so far so good. I’m enjoying teaching the course a lot and like solving the problems and issues that pop-up along the way. The students are enthusiastic. That makes up for a lot. Mission already partially completed.
Until next time,
Jappe
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