Creating institutional I/E commitment through engaging students

Part 1. Steps in creating student engagement in innovation and entrepreneurship

Internal assessments done at the outset of HEInnovaSport showed that our students were unfamiliar with basic innovation and entrepreneurial concepts, and the four HEInnovaSport HEI partners who were newcomers to innovation and entrepreneurship (I/E) placed a special emphasis on engaging with students. Due to structural and cultural differences as well as the project design, the approaches to engage with students differed among the partners. This is based on how HEInnovaSport coordinator NIH dealt with this challenge. (For reference, the specific actions that NIH took to spur student I/E engagement are described in further detail later.) We recommend the following steps in creating student engagement in I/E:

1. Establish a I/E change inducing team

Establish an institutional wide guiding coalition with staff representing all departments and relevant administrative units. Include an extrovert and creative student ambassador in the team to secure you understand your students and will be able to communicate properly with them.

2. Provide your students introductory I/E information

To create a sense of urgency regarding the importance of I/E, provide your students with basic insights into I/E concepts and why both hard and soft skills into these are important, regardless of what careers they seek.

3. Visualize a possible future result

To inspire the students to act with passion and purpose on the sense of urgency instilled in them, visualize bold and aspirational opportunities they can get hold of.  Build momentum that excites the students to pursue a compelling and clear vision of their future. This can be done through a meeting or and Innovation Day.

4. Provide inspiration from other HEI ecosystems for student driven innovation

Open your students’ eyes to how students at other HEIs have successfully managed to establish ecosystems for student driven innovation. Support them to motivational trips to attend several such campuses physically to feel the vibe and bring home options they can chose from in establishing their proprietary ecosystem for student driven innovation.

5. Urge students to organize

Identify and connect with a network of committed change agents among the students, both individuals and existing student bodies, such as the Student Union. Encourage these to build coalitions suitable for the interests and visions they would want to pursue. The students’ self-organization enables building group culture, coordination and facilitates communication with the HEI’s change inducing team.

6. Provide financial support

Be sure to provide your student initiatives with some financial support, for pizza-events, T-shirts, travels etc. If possible, provide them with a hub, a location dedicated to their I/E initiatives.

7. Keep in touch

Keep the door to your change inducing team open, for mentoring students in building their ecosystem. Give the students responsibility. Let them learn by doing, while at the same time induce progression in their level of ambition, activities, and skills. Help them when obstacles occur, but engaging too much in their schedule and plans might be overwhelming and may cause more damage than good. Therefore, subtle support may be a key factor to success.

Continuous evaluation of the actions taken, flexibility in the approach, as well as an ability to seize opportunities and handle obstacles swiftly are other important success factors.

 

Part 2. Actions to create student engagement in innovation and entrepreneurship

The specific actions taken to spur student I/E engagement at NIH were:

1. Hiring a student ambassador

The background for hiring a student ambassador was, among other things, that we needed to include the student’s perspective in the implementation of the project, to ensure that the project’s message was communicated comprehensibly to the students and to recruit students more easily to our activities. NIH employed a recently graduated alumni as the student ambassador in HEInnovaSport, experienced in organizing and creating commitment around various non-academic student activities. The student ambassador was the first person HEInnovaSport recruited to the local team at NIH and while she during the welcome week the first semester of 2022 got absolutely no attention from the students while managing the info booth on I/E and the project that we set up, she has been included – and instrumental – in the project’s success through all the further steps we took to get students involved:

2. NIH’s 1st I/E Day

Locally at NIH, the first HEInnovaSport institution-wide event was our first I/E Day ever January 2023, which offered numerous benefits, both for the students and the institution itself. Through designing a programme with contributions from internal and external innovators, especially showcasing alumni who had gone on to become entrepreneurs, the event achieved:

• Fostering Entrepreneurial Spirit: Encouraging I/E among students helped cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset, essential in today’s rapidly changing world. By providing a platform for students to explore their entrepreneurial ideas, the university inspired them to think creatively and take initiative.
• Networking Opportunities: The I/E Day brought together students, faculty members, alumni, and industry professionals, creating valuable networking opportunities. Students connected with mentors, potential collaborators, and investors who can help them turn their ideas into reality. A couple of our students went as far as being recruited by one of the companies who came to present their business.
• Need for Skill Development: The event’s collective exercise worked as an eye-opener on the importance of I/E for the students. Participating in a small entrepreneurship challenge helped students see the need for a wide range of skills, including critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and teamwork.
• Encouraging Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Innovation often thrives at the intersection of different disciplines. By making the event interdisciplinary, NIH encouraged collaboration between students from various studies, departments, academic backgrounds – fostering creativity and innovation.

Overall, hosting these I/E Days has helped NIH foster creativity, collaboration, and entrepreneurship among our students, while also contributing to economic growth and societal development. The other HEInnovaSport HEI partners in the project have had similar success in strengthening student engagement in I/E.

Also at the Innovation Day, the change inducing team suggested to the students that they formed “Start NIH”, and that they through this new organisation was to host next year’s Innovation Day. In January 2024 NIH students alone organized NIH’s 2^nd I/E Day, to great acclaim.

3. Inspirational trips

Building on the momentum gained at the NIH 1^st I/E Day, HEInnovaSport decided to organize inspirational trips for our students to other universities (NTNU, Karolinska Institutet, University of Luxembourg, NMBU) that excel in ecosystems for student-driven innovation. While visiting these universities, our students participated actively in activities and gained valuable insights into the significance of student-driven innovation and ecosystems. Through the trips, we aimed for several valuable benefits:

• Exposure to Best Practices: Visiting universities known for their excellence in student-driven innovation allowed our students to witness firsthand the best practices, strategies, and programs implemented by these institutions. They observed innovative teaching methods, entrepreneurial support systems, and student-led initiatives, providing them with valuable insights to be adapted and implemented at our own university.
• Inspiration and Motivation: Experiencing the vibrant innovation culture of other universities inspired and motivated our students to pursue their own entrepreneurial ideas and innovative projects. Seeing successful examples of student-led startups, research endeavors, and collaborative initiatives instilled a sense of possibility and ambition among our students, encouraging them to aim higher and think outside the box.
• Networking Opportunities: The Inspirational trips have provided our students with the opportunity to network with peers from other universities who share similar needs, challenges, interests, and aspirations. They exchange ideas, collaborate on projects, and build relationships that may lead to future partnerships and collaborations. Additionally, the students may have the chance to interact with faculty members, alumni, and industry professionals from outside our own campus, expanding their professional networks and opening doors to potential mentorship and support.
• Cultural Exchange: Visiting other universities allowed the students to experience different campus cultures, environments, and perspectives. This exposure to diversity broadened their horizons, challenged their assumptions, and fostered cultural competence and empathy. They learn from the unique approaches and practices of other institutions, enriching their own educational experience and I/E understanding.
• Hands-on Learning: The inspirational trips have included several hands-on learning experiences such as workshops, seminars, and interactive sessions. These activities have provided students with practical skills, tools, and resources they to be applied to their own entrepreneurial endeavors. Travelling, the students have gained valuable insights and experiences enhancing their entrepreneurial capabilities, learning about design thinking, prototyping, or pitching ideas.
• Building Community: Traveling together as a group have fostered a sense of community and camaraderie among students, faculty, and staff members. Shared experiences during the trip have strengthened bonds, promoted teamwork, and created a supportive environment for innovation and collaboration back on campus. Building a strong community of aspiring innovators and entrepreneurs has sustained momentum and engagement long after the trips.

Overall, arranging inspirational trips to universities known for their excellence in student-driven innovation has provided our students with valuable learning experiences, inspiration, networking opportunities, and cultural enrichment. Our students made impressive contributions and left an impact on other participants, and more importantly, our students returned with a newfound enthusiasm. Now, I/E has become a trending topic in our hallways, and students are more eager than ever to step into the world of I/E. Thus, these trips have played a crucial role in fostering an entrepreneurial mindset, nurturing talent, and empowering our students to make a positive impact in their communities and beyond.

4. Innovation competition

While NIH’s 1^st I/E Day for many students provided a first encounter with the I/E concepts and the inspirational trips showcased how students at other universities approach I/E, the first NIH Innovation Competition was held for the students to showcase their own innovative projects and entrepreneurial ventures, offering several significant benefits:

• Fostering Creativity and Innovation: The innovation competition provided our students with a platform to unleash their creativity and explore new ideas. By participating in the competition, the students were encouraged to think outside the box, identify problems, and develop innovative solutions. This fostered their entrepreneurial mindset and strengthened the culture of innovation within the university community.
• Hands-on Learning Experience: The innovation competition offered our students hands-on learning experience in applying theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges. Through the process of ideation, prototyping, and presentation, students gained practical skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork, and project management. These experiences complement classroom learning and prepared our students for their future careers.
• Encouraging Collaboration and Networking: Innovation competitions require interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together students from different academic backgrounds to work on multidisciplinary projects. This encourages teamwork, communication, and the exchange of diverse perspectives. Additionally, competitions provide students with opportunities to network with mentors, industry experts, and potential investors, expanding their professional connections and opening doors to future opportunities.
• Recognition and Validation: Winning or even participating in innovation competitions provide students with recognition and validation for their innovative ideas and hard work. This boosts their confidence, motivation, and self-esteem, encouraging them to continue pursuing their entrepreneurial aspirations. Moreover, recognition from prestigious competitions can enhance students’ resumes and academic portfolios, making them more attractive to potential employers or investors.

Overall, arranging the student innovation competition at our university stimulated creativity, provided valuable learning experiences, facilitated collaboration and networking, validated innovative ideas, and supported student entrepreneurship.

5. Supporting student initiatives and organisations

The student focused HEInnovaSport activities described above attracted students to step forward, both those fascinated by I/E and especially those who already had expressed concerns about the lack of introduction to real-world problems and a perceived low work life relevance of their studies. The initial I/E capacity building efforts spurred by HEInnovaSport had given our students inspiration, ideas, and tools to work with, in enhancing the relevance of the educational programs they were dissatisfied with and wished to initiate i.e., collaboration with private or public sectors.

However, HEInnovaSport connected to the Student Union and expressed a wish that further support of such student initiatives would benefit from the students focusing and organizing their efforts. We needed the students to structure their engagement so that sustainable change could be obtained. Consequently, the Student Union aided in identifying proactive students and encouraged them to establish an umbrella organization for student initiatives (StartNIH), a vital link and central hub connecting all initiatives in the student driven I/E ecosystem at NIH.

Now, NIH has an early-stage ecosystem consisting of one umbrella organization, as well as three initiatives, each targeting a specific sport sector (marketing, physiological testing, and fitness). Together these initiatives aim to enhance student-driven I/E and provide valuable work-life experience for NIH students, thereby increasing the overall value of the education NIH offers.

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In conclusion, this showcases how HEInnovaSport increased student engagement in I/E at NIH. Through strengthening the student engagement, the project has led to significant changes in the institution’s approach to I/E, with students now playing a central role in driving I/E. Recognizing that students are less bound by tradition and possess significant potential to transform universities, this underlines the importance of tapping into students’ passion, which – if ignited – can have a huge impact in building sustainable institutional I/E culture. HEInnovaSport played a crucial role in sparking this enthusiasm by placing I/E at the forefront and facilitating the events and trips mentioned earlier. With students expressing concerns about the lack of work-life relevance in their education and uncertainty about future possibilities, they are now more open to exploring the world of I/E. The student engagement has risen gradually, and the process started in HEInnovaSport will continue post-project.