IRI35021 Mentoring for Innovation (Autumn 2023)

The course is connected to the following study programs

Elective course - Bachelor in Innovation and Project management. If there is less than 7 qualified students to this course, it will not be started

Absolute requirements

Passed a minimum of 90 ECTS of the study programme.
(Applicable for students starting on the programme in 2022 and later)

For exchange students: Passed a minimum of 90 ECTS related to the study programme

Lecture Semester

Fifth semester (autumn)

The student's learning outcomes after completing the course

Knowledge:

The student:

• will develop self insight and learn about their own drivers of behaviours.
• Will develop their individual soft skills

• will know how to mentor small teams engaging in entrepreneurship and innovation and gain a deeper understanding of the typical challenges that start up teams often face.

• will know how to communicate effectively with teams in order to communicate theory, and guide the actions of teams and support them in their start up activities. This course will have you practice mentoring teams and you receive feedback on your mentoring skills.

Skills: The student

• will learn to communicate clearly and effectively to students of entrepreneurship and help them to identify new opportunities

• will develop skills to analyse team dynamics, to intervene in key moments, to motivate and coach others.

General competence: The student

• is trained to contribute as a mentor

• is able to work independently, participate in team conflicts in an attempt to generate resolutions, and contribute as a mentor to the innovation challenges your team deals with

• has gained competence to absorb and reflect over practice-based learning

Content

Innovation and entrepreneurship often take place with small teams. Within these teams there is often interpersonal challenges due to differing personalities. These interpersonal challenges can disrupt projects, slow progress or even cause projects/start ups to fail.

Part of ensuring teams have the greatest chance of success is ensuring that they have effective mentors who can provide practical timely advice, and can play a role in building more constructive team dynamics.  

In this course you learn about team dynamics, communication, effective coaching techniques, how to motivate teams, how to de-escalation of conflict and how to effectively lead teams through the process of engaging in innovation/entrepreneurship.

Forms of teaching and learning

The learning activities will take place in cooperation with your start up team and other people in the entrepreneurship community; in reflection sessions with fellow students and teachers at the university, and in reflection logs with feedback from the teacher and in writing the project report and reflection report. As an important part of the course, you will contribute constructive reflections and share your practical experiences in the plenary sessions.

Practical delivery - based on an agreement with members of the entrepreneurship community you will be assigned a team to mentor. You will work closely with this team to provide regular mentoring sessions in order to help your mentees overcome their challenges.

Academic delivery - reflection report. You will write a reflection report where you are to link theory, methods and practice and reflect upon the internship as well as your practice-based learning. The reflection report shall show your ability to reflect based on learning in practice in close relationship with required and self-chosen literature. Further information about the report form and content will be provided during the course.

Forms of teaching and learningThe course is made up of practice mentoring sessions, individual feedback and group reflections. The course is aimed at those who want to improve their ‘soft skills’.

Teaching support: Canvas, reflection sessions and mentor in the entrepreneurship community.

Workload

250 hours

Coursework requirements - conditions for taking the exam

Coursework requirements - conditions for taking the exam

• Participate actively in 3 reflective practice sessions

• Students must arrange and lead a minimum of 3 mentoring sessions with a startup team

• Practical training

• Reflection logs (minimum 3 entries)

All coursework requirements must be approved to be able to sit for the exam.

Examination

Individually written reflection report.

Grading: Pass/ Fail 

Conditions for resit/rescheduled exams

If you do not pass the exam or you want to improve your grade, the course must be taken again.

Literature

The readings consist of required literature and self-selected literature. The required literature will be announced on Canvas before the course starts. The self -elected literature will consist of relevant theory and methods connected to your work tasks in the company. You will find and choose this literature yourself to enlighten the topics you work on. The chosen literature (scientific articles, book chapters etc.) is to be listed on the reference list in alphabetical order and shall contain at least 250 pages (equals about six to eight journal articles).