First round of intensive learning course about digital transformation has been concluded with Faculty of Organization and Informatics, University of Zagreb (FOI) and University of Pannonia Nagykanizsa (UP) students’ presentation of work they had done in the previous two weeks.
Intensive learning course about digital transformation, created in the scope of Intensive Courses for Higher Education Students (IC4HEDS) project, combined online learning and live streaming of the lectures with face-to-face learning. The course has been given in English so both Hungarian and Croatian students could follow it.
One of the main goals of IC4HEDS project is to prepare the students for the labor market by providing them with current and up to date knowledge and skills. Technology Innovation Centre Medimurje ltd. (TICM) as lead and other project partners – FOI, UP and Nagykanizsa Asset Management Plc. (NKVG) are working hard to achieve this goal. The main tools they are using are intensive learning courses and workshops aimed at boosting students’ competitive advantages and giving them insight into the world of business. Two intensive learning courses have been developed in the scope of the project, one about digital transformation on FOI (first round has just finished) and one about industry 4.0 that will be held on University of Pannonia, Nagykanizsa.
In the first week, students were introduced and welcomed to the course by lecturers from FOI, also responsible for their development: Full Prof. Vjeran Strahonje,Ph.D., Asst. Prof. Martine Tomičić Furjan, Ph.D. i Assoc. Prof. Katarine Tomičić-Pupek, Ph.D. Their introductory lecture has been live streamed to Croatian and Hungarian students. For the rest of the first week students have been working independently, using the materials available on IC4HEDS e-learning platform and solving short quizzes. They have been learning about approaches, methods and techniques for digital transformation (DIGITRANS method, DT compass), methods and techniques for creative analysis of digital transformation (Strategic Landscape map, Blue ocean, etc.) and creative methods and techniques for customer needs research (Persona, Customer Journey, etc.).
In the second week, students were learning about DIGITRANS Fast Forward (accelerated method of digital transformation, available here) and studying case studies from the industry. Students were then given team assignments. In the end of the second week, Hungarian students came to visit Croatia.
On Thursday, 14th October 2021, students participated in the workshop Stuff they don’t teach you in school: how to maximize your potential after college, organized by TICM. Ivan Plačko, director of TICM, welcomed students and introduced them to TICM and the IC4HEDS project.
Ivan Plačko, director of TICM
The workshop was held by Nikola Brežnjak, an experienced lecturer, who organized numerous meet ups and who currently has 30 engineers under his leadership as VP of Engineers in Teltech, a New York based communications company. Students had the chance to get a realistic picture of the business world and life after college.
Nikola Brežnjak, an experienced lecturer, who organized numerous meet ups and who currently has 30 engineers under his leadership shared his experience with students
After the workshop, students visited Development and Educational Centre for the Metal Industry – Metal Centre Čakovec, Ecomuseum Međimurje Malo and Museum of Intangible Heritage „Treasury of Međimurje“
There are plenty of opportunities to succeed, but they have to be recognized and seized and that always requires hard work and dedication. Perfect time to work hard and dedicate time to achieving your goals is right after finishing college. This was just one of the lessons students had the chance to learn. They were interested the most in topics like time management, personal development, how to stand out in the labor market and how modern organizations work, with a focus on the fast-growing organizations. Students have also been given some valuable advice about choosing their future employer, which signs to look for, when to run and when to stay. Students rarely get the chance to hear a story, followed with lots of smart advices, from an experienced entrepreneur and this kind of experience will surely help when they are making important career and life decisions.
On Friday, 15th October 2021, students spent their final day presenting the projects they had been working on. The assignment was to develop innovative digital business model using methods and techniques they have been learning about during the course. Every team had great ideas and some managed to elaborate them perfectly. The experience and knowledge they have gained will surely be valuable, not just as an interesting reference in their CV, but also as a guide for personal and professional development.
The learning will continue with joint participation of Hungarian and Croatian students in the course about industry 4.0, that will be held on University of Pannonia, Nagykanizsa Campus, in the last two weeks of October.
