Co-operaton with Haaga-Helia’s Krea students is a win-win concept

Combining RDI work and learning benefits both project and students. It refers to a well-functioning entity of research, development, innovation and teaching, in which learning and teaching take place in a working life context in order to solve real phenomena and problems. UPBEAT project team offered Haaga-Helia’s Krea marketing students possibilities to invent creative solutions for project and learn from “real life” case. In turn UPBEAT project team got fresh ideas and contents from students to be utilized in Start Smart courses. 

Senior Lecturer Johanna Mäkeläinen gave possibility for two student groups to familiarize with the UPBEAT project, which aims to upskill young newcomers in entrepreneurship using AI tools. Haaga-Helia’s marketing students, through the creative agency Krea, contributed by developing a name, visual identity, marketing copy, and social media post examples as part of their course. After evaluating nearly 50 student proposals, the winning design concept was chosen, featuring the name “Start Smart – be the next gen” and a vibrant visual identity for the course.

Another student group of Krea marketing course created suggestions for additional materials to be offered as a part of new Start Smart course. Six student teams, each focusing on different industries, developed Future Guides and demonstrative learning materials using AI tools like HeyGen, Google’s NotebookLM, and ThingLink.

The first Start Smart courses, co-designed with UPBEAT project partners Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, Startup Refugees and the Estonian Refugee Council are delivered in Helsinki and Tallinn during this Spring. Next round of trainings will be delivered during next autumn.

Read more about combining RDI with learning in blog article written by Senior Lecturer Johanna Mäkeläinen.