13 teams successfully completed the training and received their certificates. (photo: INACAP)
39 vocational teachers of INACAP, one of Chile`s biggest educational institutions, joined the training and formed 13 teams to tackle challenges from practice during the 6 month long training. "It was amazing to see them developing their entrepreneurial ideas", says Carsten Schröder, Vice-President for Cooperation, Innovation and Marketing at FH Münster. "Their commitment and creativity was truly an inspiration for our whole team". Schröder was joined by Rolf Laakmann, Director for International Projects at TAFH Münster GmbH, and Start-up Coach Mike Arnold. Together, the team supported the participants through various input and mentoring sessions for their final pitch at the end of the week.
"After months of joined remote work in ZOOM, MS Teams and our Digital Accelerator, it really was a moving experience to finally meet the teachers and the INACAP team in person", Laakmann looks back. "However, this project also showed that through new and powerful digital tools like our Design Thinking platform, we are now able to provide an easy access and yet powerful learning environment for the training activities within our `Higher Education Management Program'".
Key elements of the training were predefined challenges coming from Chilean industry: For example, new ways to save water in cherry farming or a blockchain based tracking system for a logistic company. The winning team developed an Augmented Reality app for the Chilean branch of German company FESTO, helping their sales engineers to layout control units on site. The six best groups will now travel to Münster in summer.
After that, the program will start all over with the second cohort in August.