In short
- Companies sometimes need a fresh look at certain issues
- Students work on challenges provided by companies (from Twente) during the International Project week
Global Goal
None other than André Kuipers took care of the inspiring kick-off yesterday during the opening of the project week in the Wilminktheater. Nearly 1,100 (international) students from various technical and economic courses take part in the Saxion International Project Week. Interdisciplinary teams consisting of international students and high school students work on dozens of business cases for a week, in collaboration with the companies.
The challenges range from coming up with sustainable energy sources, finding ways to switch electricity on and off faster and making a scooter turn on its spot to creating the ultimate holiday experience for those staying at home through technology. The challenging cases are provided by, among others, the following companies from Twente: Den Smart Home, IACT, Demcon, ROSEN Group and SoundEnergy. Continue reading some highlighted cases that students will work on this week:
A familiar problem: not being able to find your bike at the end of the day after you parked it in the morning. Demcon came up with a smart idea: the “Demcon pike”. Using GPS and an app, your bike can start beeping and flashing light, making it easy to find your bike. The first designs are ready, but students are asked to think of the next step. Marketing wise the app should have an attractive name and design, linked to Demcon. Technical challenges are present in the design, mounting, usability and sustainability of the device.
ROSEN Group is an international organization focused on inspecting pipelines, particularly in the oil and gas industry. One of the services they offer is the inspection of tanks, part of which is carried out with a TBIT: Tank Bottom Inspection Tool. This device weigs no less than 100 kg and must be transported to the tank in a delivery van. This complex operation is mainly executed using human power. The challenge provided to the International Project Week is, therefore, to find ways to reduce this human burden. During the week, interaction with ROSEN Group staff is paramount since they are needed to be able to choose the optimal implementation of an improved technique/procedure.
Just like previous years, there are awards for winning teams. The most innovative and entrepreneurial team wins the Serendipity Award. This award is made possible by the Saxion Centre for Entrepreneurship. On top of this, three projects are selected for continuation in the Saxion Smart Solutions Semester. In this semester, a project group continues working on the assignment for a period of 5 months.
Curious to see the students’ creative solutions? Then follow Saxion on social media this week and discover creative and sustainable solutions.
This year 1100 international students from various countries are participating: including from Germany, Switzerland, Poland and Scotland. Also, 30 students from 5th grade Higher General Secondary Education participate, as well as students from Germany. All participants will present their results during the "Project Week Fair" on Friday 8 February (12.00 - 14.30). A professional jury consisting of representatives of top companies chooses the winning solution.
