Abstract:

This paper results from a second edition of an international intensive programme (IP) with the name “3 EYES - Intercultural Innovation Insight Workshop” held in Glasgow in February 2011. They were sponsored by the European Lifelong Learning programme. Students from Portugal, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland and the United Kingdom were placed in multi-cultural teams of five. This IP project had as aims, to develop innovative practices both in business and in education, improve awareness of current European business practice, to provide a credit rated teaching course giving an intercultural experience raising awareness of the real issues when working internationally and thereby improve the quality of discourse, to improve relations between participating and to stimulate enhanced exchange possibilities. This workshop lasted for two weeks and was attended by six students in each country and from different areas of teaching. Each team had two product designers, one graphic designer, one financial and one marketing student. They were set the task to devise new product ideas for a local company and they had two weeks within which to do it. These intensive workshops comprised lectures and practice session as well as ideation sessions for the new product ideas. The methodology used in this descriptive case study. In addition a questionnaire that integrated the Final Report for Students was used to ask students about motivation, information and support, accommodation and infrastructure, recognition, and evaluation of the IP. We also hope to contribute to the understanding of the benefits of programs of this kind of multidisciplinary and intercultural, providing the exchange of experiences among participants and reinforce the knowledge acquired throughout the academic life. Putting into practice the knowledge acquired is certainly an asset. This IP has put a challenge to all groups, which was to develop a product and to provide for series production in just two weeks and the possibility of coming to see your product is produced by the target of the study. This paper reports on the reactions to the second programme, which were generally favourable, and the lessons learned, which will be apply to the third workshop to hold in Cyprus in February 2012.

Keywords:

Innovation, Lifelong Learning, Intensive workshops, International students.