Students Share Their Journey at the TECH Fair Intensive Week 2024 Saint-Etienne 

In this blog, students share their unique perspectives on cross-cultural teamwork, rapid project development, and innovation at the TECH Fair Intensive Week in Saint-Etienne. Dive into their stories to discover how they turned challenges into solutions within just one week. 

In October 2024, a group of students from Karelia University of Applied Sciences, along with participants from HAN University of Applied Sciences, University of Córdoba, Université Jean Monnet Saint-Étienne, and Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau, joined a week-long intensive program organized by the CLIL4ALL project in Saint-Étienne, France. The aim of the program was to organise a product launch at the TECH FAIR event. 

In this program, we worked in diverse teams, each consisting of students representing one of the five participating universities. Each team received a technical product concept originally developed by French students and was tasked with planning its launch. We first made a product concept, then strategically planned the launch, designed an exhibition stand and created our sales pitch for the potential investors. 

Here are some experiences our students shared about their time spent in Saint-Etienne: 

Helio Sensor Project: My team was working on a sensor useful for solar panel installation and maintenance. I learned that being passionate about a project could come in different forms, and I found it very interesting to witness how to handle different communication styles, while working towards the same goals. I left feeling more competent about trying to find common understanding and not just a common language. -Anna 

Sumo Robots Project: Whenever we hear about Robo Fight, an image pops up in our minds of 2 remote control robots fighting each other, but for Sumo Robots, it needs to be programmed before the fight and it fights according the coded strategy. It can be a gateway to the coding world for teenagers, where they can learn coding in a playful way. Our task was to turn this project into a business product, so we planned to create a graphical structured coding app where kids can code their Sumo robots which will improve their strategy building skills and sow a seed of coding in their heart. -Ayeman 

GIMEOLEX Project: In today’s world, CO2 emissions are extremely high, especially in our target market like festivals, where 67-167 kg of CO2 is emitted per visitor. This is a serious issue. Our product addresses this by providing green energy anywhere, using a combination of solar panels, wind turbines, and mechanical energy. To bring our product to market, we focused on developing a strong concept, selecting the right target group, and identifying our core values. With team members from diverse countries and backgrounds, which has allowed us to bring different perspectives to the project and achieve excellent results together. -Sae 

GIMEOLEX Project: We worked on a project that combined several products: wind turbine, bicycle generators and solar panel. Our group members were from the Netherlands, Spain, France, and Finland, bringing diverse perspectives that enhanced our creativity. It significantly improved our teamwork abilities and ultimately strengthened our collaboration. -Zahra 

This intensive week in Saint-Étienne highlighted the power of cross-cultural collaboration and communication in tackling complex technology projects. Students from diverse backgrounds and skill sets not only developed and launched projects but also gained valuable experience in teamwork and creativity. The course was challenging, as we had to work on various tasks within a tight timeframe, aligning the opinions of all team members required extensive negotiation. Constant communication during this period significantly improved our English language skills and our ability to communicate purposefully. 

Overall, we highly recommend this course due to its high educational level and practical approach. Take advantage of this opportunity to enhance your professional skills, as these valuable experiences, gathered in a short course, may not be encountered elsewhere. 

Authors: Anna Abonyi, Zahra Abbaspour, Sae Takabe, Ayeman Rahman 

Team from Karelia UAS in the picture: Zahra Abbaspour, Natalia Enova, Ayeman Rahman, Anna Abonyi,
Ashik Elahee, Varpumaria Jeskanen, Sae Takabe, Kirsi-Marja Toivanen