Workshops

Description: This workshop provides participants with the tools and techniques needed to craft and deliver compelling pitches. Whether presenting a business idea, research project, or creative concept, attendees will learn how to structure a clear, engaging narrative that resonates with their audience. The session also covers strategies for managing nerves, handling Q&A, and tailoring pitches to different stakeholders.

Why It Matters: A strong pitch is critical for gaining support, funding, or approval for innovative ideas. Faculty and students alike can benefit from mastering the art of persuasion and storytelling, essential skills in academia, business, and beyond.

Support: Offers personalized coaching, feedback on content delivery, best practices, and access to resources that refine both verbal and visual elements of a pitch.

Key Tools:

• Pitch templates for organizing content.
• Timer apps for practice and time management.
• Presentation software (e.g., Canva Pro, PowerPoint, Google Slides, Pitch).
• Video recording platforms for self-review (e.g., Zoom).
• Q&A preparation guides to anticipate and respond to audience questions.

Description: This workshop explores techniques for generating innovative solutions to complex challenges. Participants will learn methods to define problems, evaluate multiple perspectives, and implement actionable solutions.

Why It Matters: Faculty can use creative problem-solving to address pedagogical challenges, enhance collaboration, and empower students to think critically and adaptively.

Support: Provides frameworks and exercises, such as brainstorming sessions and real-world case studies, to integrate creative problem-solving into classrooms and projects.

Description: Learn the human-centered design approach to problem-solving that emphasizes empathy, ideation, prototyping, and iterative testing.

Why It Matters: Design thinking helps faculty create more engaging, student-centered learning experiences and supports interdisciplinary collaboration.

Support: Offers hands-on workshops to guide faculty through design thinking processes and adapt these practices to classroom settings.

Description: A hands-on workshop teaching Lean Startup principles, including customer discovery, business modeling, and rapid prototyping.

Why It Matters: Faculty can guide students in entrepreneurial thinking and equip them to test and validate ideas in real-world scenarios.

Support: Offers step-by-step guidance and tools to incorporate Lean methodologies into coursework or extracurricular projects.

Description: Learn qualitative research techniques to uncover deep insights through structured, open-ended interviews with users, stakeholders, or collaborators.

Why It Matters: Faculty can use mock interviewing to enrich research, enhance classroom projects, and foster cultural understanding.

Support: Provides templates, practice scenarios, and guidance on applying interview findings to design or innovation projects.

Description: Explore techniques to generate and refine ideas in collaborative settings. This workshop highlights methods such as mind mapping, SCAMPER, and the Six Thinking Hats.

Why It Matters: Faculty can use structured brainstorming to foster creativity in students and facilitate idea generation in interdisciplinary projects.

Support: Facilitates interactive sessions and offers resources for brainstorming effectively in classroom and team settings.

Description: A hands-on workshop using LEGO bricks to explore complex challenges, foster creativity, and strengthen team dynamics.

Why It Matters: Encourages out-of-the-box thinking and deep engagement, making it a valuable tool for problem-solving and team-building.

Support: Provides trained facilitators and materials to help faculty incorporate this innovative methodology into their teaching or workshops.

Description: Learn how to visually map a user’s journey to understand their needs, emotions, and touchpoints throughout an experience.

Why It Matters: Helps faculty understand how students engage with courses, resources, and projects, allowing for improved course design and student experiences.

Support: Guides faculty in creating and analyzing experience maps tailored to educational or research contexts.

Description: This workshop introduces tools and techniques for planning the development and evolution of a product or project over time.

Why It Matters: Faculty can use roadmapping to manage long-term projects, track progress, and align team efforts effectively.

Support: Offers templates and guidance to apply product roadmapping to academic initiatives or student-led ventures.

Description: A comprehensive overview of digital design tools and practices, focusing on creating visually compelling and user-friendly content.

Why It Matters: Faculty can enhance course materials, improve student projects, and communicate research effectively through digital design.

Support: Provides access to tools, tutorials, and expert consultations to elevate faculty and student design capabilities.

Description: Learn the principles of user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design to create intuitive, user-friendly digital experiences.

Why It Matters: Faculty can teach students how to design impactful digital products and use these skills for their own research or teaching projects.

Support: Offers workshops and tools to integrate UX/UI principles into project-based learning and innovation challenges.

Description: Understand how to optimize web content and design for better visibility, usability, and search engine rankings.

Why It Matters: Faculty can enhance their online presence, improve academic websites, and equip students with valuable digital marketing skills.

Support: Provides expert consultations and training on SEO best practices, analytics, and content strategy.

Description: Learn how to identify and engage subject matter experts (SMEs) for research, teaching, or project collaboration.

Why It Matters: Accessing the right expertise can enhance interdisciplinary learning, provide valuable perspectives, and strengthen project outcomes.

Support: Connects faculty with local, regional, and global SME networks for tailored support.

Description: Learn how to use Canva Pro to create professional, visually engaging materials such as presentations, posters, and social media graphics.

Why It Matters: A user-friendly platform for faculty and students to enhance visual communication without the steep learning curve of advanced design software.

Support: Offers workshops and access to premium features for faculty and student use.

Description: Discover the range of tools in Adobe Creative Cloud, from Photoshop and Illustrator to Premiere Pro and After Effects, and how they can enhance creative projects.

Why It Matters: Faculty can improve the quality of student projects and academic content with professional-grade tools.

Support: Provides training sessions, project templates, and technical support for Adobe CC tools.