Application deadline

Applicants from Nordic countries: 1 June for the autumn semester and 1 December for the spring semester.

Exchange students and Fulbright students: 1 October for the spring semester and 15 April for the autumn semester. 

Type of course

Admission requirements

Admission requirements:

Nordic applicants: Generell studiekompetanse. Admission procedures for foreign applicants, please read: https://en.uit.no/education/art?p_document_id=351800

Admission code: 9199

Course content

Core of this learning-by-developing course is practical innovation work cooperating with a real-life case (SME, public organization etc.) Students are provided with theoretical topics and methodological tools to support their practical work.

Student teams will learn to compete for best ideas, but also to cooperate with each other as possible stakeholders. Teams have to determine potential (business) partners for the firm / organization and undertake other practical efforts in order to develop their idea to a sustainable solution for the client: a competitive advantage, entering a new market, designing new products, services, change processes etc.

Theory basics

Entrepreneurial effectuation, networking, lean start-up, business model generation, service design, interview methods

Methodological tools

Business model canvas and lean canvas, service design thinking, innovation type combinations Work journal writing, individual and team presentations

Objectives of the course

Knowledge

The candidate

• can use interpendent business model elements and main types of innovation in a business innovation process
• can adapt methods of case investigation to different case assignment

Skills

The candidate

• can apply selected methods of creating ideas, determine value of new ideas, and engage customers in the innovation process
• can work in teams
• can establish and use informative networks
• can manage projects

Competencies

The candidate

• can recognize innovation/business opportunities
• can respect and learn from small-step failures
• can assess feasibility of a project
• can use self-reflection and self-assessment in project work

Language of instruction

Teaching methods

Learning by developing - a three stage process, team work and (cross-border) communication with firms. The course is primarily based on teamwork, guided by a teacher who acts as a coach/mentor.

The three stages of learning by developing involve:

Stage 1 - Introduction into the case

Introductory lectures / seminars on theories and methods. Exemplary video lectures, video conferences with firm representatives and team members. Group work, -discussions, brainstorming. Use of online learning environments and social media

Stage 2 - Regular team communication and with company representatives; Case background research. Building international teams. This part might be realised outside Alta in Finnmark or abroad in Russia or Finland

Stage 3 - Idea presentation to firms 

Upon completion, the course will be anonymously evaluated by students

Assessment

Coursework:

The following requirements must be completed and approved in order to take the final exam:

• Reliable individual contribution to teamwork (peer evaluation), wherein attendance is mandatory
• Attendance is obligatory (at least 85%)
• Application of tool and techniques in idea development
• Short individual presentations
• Final team presentation of business idea(s) and tentative implementation plan(s)
• Regular updates, in each student's work journal

Exam:

The overall grade is composed of:

• Final team presentation incl. written material (40%)
• Individual oral exam (60%)

The overall assesment is based on an A-F grade scale. Grades are A-e for passed and F for failed.

In case of grade F a re-sit exam is offered in the beginning of the following semester.