FOODLAB project arose from the investigation of concrete solutions to innovate in project-based learning approaches and reverse this tendency. It will rely on ECOTROPHELIA experiences and its network to disseminate results. By creating the European FoodBusiness Transfer Laboratory (EFTL) to allow a paradigm shift in teaching and learning approaches, FOODLAB will address methodological and cultural issues, stimulate necessary changes in practices and mentalities to develop entrepreneurial skills and facilitate transfer of innovative projects from HEIs into new products, process or services in the food business.
In order to stimulate entrepreneurial spirit, foster innovation and improve entrepreneurial skills of students, teaching and enterprise staff, FOODLAB aims at: - Reducing cultural gap between academia and industry, by normalizing interactions between the two worlds - Facilitating the implementation of innovative projects emerging from students within companies (SMEs notably) - Helping to structure innovative projects vs industrial and entrepreneurial constraints - Making sure students’ projects answer challenging issues - Proceeding to drastic changes in the training of the different stakeholders (students, teachers/researchers and companies) - Disseminating success stories and results obtained to emphasize the benefits of such interactions. FOODLAB defines the basis for a more integrated approach of teaching innovation and entrepreneurship with more ‘real-life conditions’. Students of HEIs will work in closer contact with stakeholders in an improved project-based learning process, with appropriate training contents and tools to discover the industry world (completing current initial training and reinforcing the existing ECOTROPHELIA initiative).