As a business coach, you experience how learning and practice merge in challenge-based learning. For the third time, I supported the challenge-based learning master course B2B marketing at the University of Twente. Great to see again how enthusiastic students are about learning by working on real challenges.
What is challenge-based learning?
In a challenge-based learning track, students experience what it is like to understand a real-world question, by seeking and understanding the underlying problems and causes, and then arriving at practical and pragmatic recommendations based on research in the company, their clients or environment, the literature and best practices, and, of course, their own creativity.
The challenges
This year's challenges were presented by 11 participating companies with very different backgrounds: AlfaLaval, EthosEnergy, Stahl Electromach, BTG Bioliquids, Jansen Metal Products, EuroPool System, ExplainIT, Flego, Tata Steel, Damen and Topicus. During the kick-off of the track, they presented their challenges in marketing and servitization. Students could apply to one of the issues, and then work on it in teams under the guidance of assistant professor lecturer Yasin Sahhar and two business coaches with years of practical experience.
Challenge business coach
As a business coach, the challenge is to let the students learn and experience, and make sure they bring actionable advice to the challenge provider (their client). So letting them experience how to analyze a real-world problem. How to gather the information you need. Reflecting with the teams how to make them listen carefully to their customer, dare to ask critical questions and test assumptions or ideas. Helping them to focus on what matters, to plan and organize, and to stretch yourself when you're almost there but could do just a little bit better. And thus arrive at useful advices to the participating companies.
For the students, sometimes quite an exciting and, for that very reason, an instructive path. From sometimes slight panic about what they have started to having confidence in the best possible result given the time and possibilities. And enjoying the appreciation of the client at the end of the process.
Business results
At the end, the student teams presented the results and recommendations from their research to the participating companies and to each other. The companies were also appreciative to hear what other participants are working on. Several teams were invited to present their final results one more time at the companies themselves.
Based on the students' feedback, challenge-based learning gives them a lot extra, especially because it motivates them to deliver a good result to the client.
With the University of Twente, we are going to take the concept to and next level with the master thesis track "Embrace the Service Revolution." More on that soon!