TECHNOVATION HUB: THE CHALLENGE OF (GLOBAL) NETWORKED ENGINEERING COMMUNITIES

NIEUWS VAN DE FACULTEIT

On May 6, 2021, Technovation Hub organised its third Innovation & Networking Evening, for the first time entirely online. For the student teams, it was a ‘moment de gloire’ to show off their achievements and to share expertise with the participants and with each other. Ellen Demarsin made her widely acclaimed entrance as the new Executive Committee member of Technovation Hub.

Ellen inherits one of the faculty’s showpieces from her predecessor Chrisje Haenen. Since 2016, Technovation Hub has been the breeding ground in which engineering talent and entrepreneurship merge and result in innovative projects set up by ambitious student teams. These teams in turn attract other students, take part in international competitions and have themselves become examples of networked engineering communities.

Ellen Demarsin

©Julie Feyaerts

Excellent mix

“The COVID-19 restrictions and lack of direct contact did not negatively affect attendance”, Ellen noted. “With more than 100 participants we remained at the same level of the previous live editions. In terms of audience diversity, we are doing even better: 21% students, 42% professionals from companies and 37% professors and researchers. An excellent mix of profiles and backgrounds for cross-fertilisation and networking”.

The programme contained the by now classic ingredients: a welcome by the dean, a prominent guest speaker, a panel discussion, workshops by the student teams and a networking moment at the end. Prof. Bert Lauwers, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Technology opened the event with a comparison: “Our multicampus faculty in itself is a model of a networked engineering community. The cooperation between seven campuses has led to a new engineering curriculum, intense involvement of the business world, participation in the international Design Factory Global Network, joining the Siemens Industry Academy and much more. Technovation Hub can be called the emanation of the profile of our education and the mission of our faculty”.

T-shaped engineers

Further in his speech, Prof. Lauwers called interdisciplinary cooperation the engine of innovation. “The increasing complexity of engineering has torn down the fences between disciplines. Therefore, engineers are required to master knowledge, skills and attitudes outside their traditional comfort zone. This has led to the rise of what is known as the ‘T-shaped engineer’. Essentially, the T-shaped concept is a metaphor for the depth and the breadth that a professional needs in his/her competence. The vertical bar represents the depth of related skills and expertise in a single field, whereas the horizontal bar represents the breadth of skills and the ability to collaborate across disciplines with experts in other areas. For engineers, this means not only possessing deep technical skills, but also having broader attitudes such as empathy, entrepreneurial and communication skills, team spirit and the ability to collaborate. Characteristic of the T-shaped engineers is their dynamic versatility: the continuous alternation of deepening and broadening. The T-shaped concept is the success formula of each of our student teams”.

Enabling breakthrough

Koen Verhaert, CEO of Verhaert Masters in Innovation, was the keynote speaker. He runs a group of product innovation companies helping other companies and entrepreneurs to innovate, creating new products, business and services. According to Koen Verhaert, innovation must meet the following criteria: user-centred, business-driven, multidisciplinary and enabled by technology. Only an integrated approach allows you to align products, markets and investments in the most optimal way. “Innovation is possible on different levels and in different phases. To start with, you can inject innovation into your core business by attracting specialists or calling in external experts. When it comes to adjacent innovation, you move into other areas and have to introduce new technologies. A third option is the disruptive approach, in which you resolutely take a completely different path. Each of these formulas has its own approach and methodology”.

After the innovative workshops traditionally provided by the student teams, Prof. Gerard Govers, Vice Rector Science, Engineering and Technology of KU Leuven, pronounced the closing words. He emphasised the educational added value of the student projects and the exemplary role of Technovation Hub in creating and supporting so much innovation and entrepreneurship.

And Ellen? She could not wish for a better total immersion in her new job and professional environment. Grateful for the preparatory work of her predecessor and her colleagues, she takes up the torch, determined to tackle the challenge of (global) networked engineering communities.

www.technovationhub.be

Yves Persoons