European Project Semester - Fachhochschule Kiel · European Project Semester Where and when? The Engineering College of Copenhagen (Elsinore) since 1995. Avans Hogeschool in ’s-Hertogenbosch,

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European Project Semester

Jørgen Hansen, EPS-coordinatorIngeniørhøjskolen i KøbenhavnCopenhagen University College of EngineeringFachhochschule KopenhagenÉcole Supérieur d’Ingénieurs de CopenhagueEscuela Superior de Ingeniería de CopenhagueIstituto Tecnico Superiore di QualificazioneProfessionale di Copenhaghen.

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European Project Semester.

We cannot predict the future, but:

International, global market, hard competition.Ever increasing amount of knowledge in scienceand in technology.

Nobody can cope with that alone.Engineers will have to cooperate in teams withpeople of different skills.Engineers will have to operate internationally.

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Subconclusion:In the future engineers must be able to:Work in interdisciplinary teams.Operate internationally.Speak foreign languages.Cooperate with people of different cultures.Communicate well.

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What is ”European Project Semester”?

A semester for engineering students and otherstudents who have completed at least 4 semesters.

A mixture of courses (5 ECTS) and project work (25 ECTS).

International and interdisciplinary teamwork.

Project work in cooperation with industry.

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Where and when?The Engineering College of Copenhagen(Elsinore) since 1995.Avans Hogeschool in ’s-Hertogenbosch,Netherlands, since 2002.Høgskolen i Oslo, Norway, since 2003.Technical University of Lodz, Poland, since 2005.Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Spain, since 2005.Fachhochschule Kiel, Germany, from 2008.Universtat Politécnica de Catalunya, Spain, from 2008.

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Formation of teams:Students choose projects (1st, 2nd and 3rdpriority).All teams are international (at least 3 nationalities).Students’ qualifications meet the demands of theprojects.Students know their projects before they arrive andshould be prepared for the project work.Belbin Test.

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The Belbin team roles:PlantCoordinatorShaperMonitor EvaluatorTeamworkerImplementerCompleter FinisherSpecialist.

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EPS-groups Autumn 2008:

1: Cooling of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell: ES, FI, PL, US.2: Development of a RF link: ES, FR, FR, PL.3: Development of a digital communication device: ES, ES, FR, UK, UK.4: Development of a digital communication device: CN, ES, FR, UK.5: Automation of industrial processes: CN, PL, PL, PL, PT.6: Automation of industrial processes: CN, DE, PL, PL, TW.7: Dimension of a scale model for the RUF: ES, ES, ES, KR, US.8: Development of an off-line station for the RUF system: EC, ES, ES, FI.9: Adding new functionalities to office machines, prototype: CN, DE, FR, NL.10: The same, market survey: DE, PL, PL, TW, TW,UK.11: Movement detection with wireless sensor network: CN, CN, ES, ES.12: System to move a window cleaning machine: CN, DK, FR, NL.13: Optimization of a wastewater treatment plant: CN, ES, FR, FR.14: Optimization of a wastewater treatment plant: ES, FR, FR, GA.

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Courses taught in the EPS (5 out of 30 ECTS):

Teambuilding, communication, international marketing: 1.5 ECTS.

Project management, project review, systematic innovation: 2.7 ECTS.

European law, environmental subjects: 0.8 ECTS.

Language: English, basic Danish (3+1 ECTS).

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Group project work must be well organized.Students must learn to prepare and chairmeetings and to write minutes of themeetings.Supervisors help with technical advice,follow the team-process closely and helpwith all kinds of problems including conflicts.

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Assessment:Peer and self assessment (twice).Exam:Oral presentation (individual).Technical content of the report (partly individual).Communication value of the report (partly individual).Teamwork: Average marks from supervisors,distributed by the students! Lazyness doesn’t pay!

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Challanges:Different cultures, nationalities and fields of study.Polychronic – Monochronic.Formal – Informal.Direct – Indirect.Expressive – Reserved.Relation-focus – Deal-focus.Conflicts caused by misunderstandings or differentopinions.

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Peer and self assessment:

Technical contribution in major field, quality.Technical contribution in major field, quantity.Willingness to build upon the ideas of others.Understanding of the team process.Leadership.Positive attitude.Initiative.

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Average marks for teamwork:Quantity of workQuality of workInitiativeCooperationPlanningAttitudeAbility to solve problems and conflicts.

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971 EPS-students so far from 32 countries:

AT: 12, AU: 5, BD: 2, BE: 11, BR: 1, CL: 8, CN: 29,CZ: 1, DE: 144, DK: 44, EC: 5, ES: 186, FI: 37, FR: 124, GA: 1, HU: 14, IE: 4, IT: 4, KR: 2, LV: 3, LT: 15,NL: 78, NO: 6, PK: 3, PL: 128, PT: 13, RO: 7, S: 3, SK: 1, TW: 5, UK: 39, US: 36.F: 282, M: 689.

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Benefits of European Project Semester:Students learn actively.Students become motivated and committed.Students become creative.Synergy, more ”we”, less ”you and I”.Students mature.Students get an international network and keep in touch.Students learn to appreciate diversity.An ”eye-opener”.Very positive statements.

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Conclusion:

Students are different, professors are different, subjects aredifferent.

All teaching will be boring if it is always done in the same way.

Teaching should be a mixture of good ingredients.An international semester with project-based teamworklike the EPS is a valuable ingredient.

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Eurorpean Project Semester.

Further questions?www.ihk.dk/internationalJørgen Hansen, [email protected]

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Thanks for your attention!Remerciement pour votre attention!Multumesc pentru atentia voastra!!Gracias por su atención!Li ringrazio della Loro attenzione!Ich danke Ihnen für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit!Tak for opmærksomheden!Kiitos huomiostanne!

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European Project Semester - Fachhochschule Kiel · European Project Semester Where and when? The Engineering College of Copenhagen (Elsinore) since 1995. Avans Hogeschool in ’s-Hertogenbosch,