This visit to Jamk was a part of the Higher Education Pedagogies for Teacher Education (HEP-TED) project, which has an aim to connect theory and practice through industrial engagement and school attachment in Rwanda. Six staff members from Rwanda came to gain insights into developing their approaches to industrial engagement.
A glimpse of Jamk’s Future Factory®
The visitors were introduced to Jamk’s Future Factory ®concept presented by Mari Hakkarainen. Rwandan colleagues were amazed to hear how this concept works that offers all Jamk students essential working life skills through studying and experiencing together in three compulsory courses: Jamk InnoFlash, Entrepreneurship, and Working Life Project (including sustainable development). During a reflective discussion, the visitors began to consider how entrepreneurial education could be integrated into their existing curriculum.
BioEconomy Institute
Another eye-opening experience to the Rwandans was the visit to Jamk’s BioEconomy Institute. We were welcomed and hosted by Annimari Lehtomäki, we learned about the institute’s role in connecting business with academic work. BioEconomy Institute serves as a competence centre and a real-life test bed, combining the sustainable use of natural resources and digitalization at Smart Farm Bioeconomy Campus.
The introduction to Jamk’s Business Accelerator, BioBoosters, sparked a lot of discussion and questions among the visitors. They were keen to understand how BioBoosters programme can strengthen startups and offer direct contacts with corporates, investors, and end users. Similarly, the concept of business-driven hackathons raised eyebrows and generated significant interest among the group.
