Student innovation labs – a way for sustainable and socially responsible growth

INNOLABS project partners included Stichting NHL (Netherlands), Aalborg University (Denmark), Cyprus University of Technology and Interfusion Services Ltd. (Cyprus), the Estonian Academy of Arts (Estonia) and Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre (Estonia), as well as Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (Latvia).

The project included the following activities:

• Getting to know and exchanging information on the innovation labs and the best practices of design education and action models in universities in Holland and Denmark.
• Analysis of the innovation and design activities of different countries. Creation of methodological guidance materials.
• Creating Innovation Labs in the universities participating in the project where design studies will be carried out in close collaboration with enterprises and scientists.
• Practical and project-based university courses created concentrating on the teaching of sustainable design skills in universities.
• Projects carried out as part of the course during which students receive knowledge and practical skills to carry through the different stages of product/service development starting with the generation of ideas and definition of problems to prototypes, testing and implementation.
• Dissemination of the project activities and results.

The project resulted in the creation of a innovation and design platform (Design Factory), at the Estonian Academy of Arts in 2016, a concept already existing in many leading universities around the world. The Design Factory link sproduct development and design studies with practice, bringing together scientists, students and entrepreneurs.

Also, in collaboration with SEI Tallinn and the researchers of the Estonian Academy of Arts (EEA), a new course (Sustainable Design) was developed in EEA allowing students to acquire knowledge about the functioning principles of sustainable entrepreneurship as well as the methods of sustainable product development and design. An important part of the study process was the implementation of product/service development projects. The course is open for students from different disciplines.

The project was supported by the Erasmus + programme.