Gain competence in an RDI project

Laurea conducts research, development and innovation activities in various RDI projects. RDI projects are carried out in three research programmes: Unified Security, Sustainable and Diverse Social Services and Health Care and Service Business and Circular Economy.

Laurea’s RDI projects offer students a work-based learning environment where theoretical knowledge is brought to a practical level and learning is applied in practice. Projects can provide real tasks that develop working life (assignments) for course work, an internship, a thesis topic or a project task for which students can receive credits. Learning in a project takes place collaboratively and interactively with the project team and its stakeholders (companies, associations, clients, public organisations), sharing experiences, solving problems and seeking information.

RDI activities as part of studies

The task of a university of applied sciences is, among other things, to provide students with education for working life and its development as well as for research, to prepare the student for professional expert duties and to support the student’s professional growth. The duties of a university of applied sciences also include promoting working life and regional development and renewing the economic structure of its region through research, development and innovation activities. (Universities of Applied Sciences Act 932/2014.)

A Laurea RDI project can act as an assignment provider for a single project student/group or the students of an entire course. RDI projects are externally funded, time- and topic-limited tasks related to research, development and innovation. Projects can be roughly divided into three phases: the application phase, when the aim is to find justifications (information), implementers and funding for the project; activity during the project; and after the project. A student can participate in RDI activities in different phases of the project.

Examples of assignments or tasks in RDI projects

RDI activities in the application phase

• Search for background material for the RDI project, e.g. map actor networks, carry out literature reviews, produce content for the project application
• Provide justifications for the project, e.g. search for research data and carry out background surveys
• Participate in project ideation, e.g. regarding the project’s work packages or student- or stakeholder collaboration

RDI activities during the project

• Map and build cooperation with stakeholders and partners
• Produce research materials or solutions for the project’s activities and development
• Develop services/products together with clients and actors
• Participate in multidisciplinary development groups/work
• Produce outputs aligned with the project’s goals, e.g. videos, scripts, websites, user interfaces, operational models, etc.
• Carry out project activities, e.g. surveys, interviews, group activities, group sessions, workshops, observations, benchmarking, event organisation, etc.
• Produce material for project publications, participate in the project’s marketing/communications
• Be part of the project’s testing or evaluation phase

RDI activities after the project

• Dissemination and communication of the results obtained from the project
• Testing and further development of the project’s results
• Collecting background information and material for follow-up projects (see tasks in the project application)

Explore all ongoing RDI projects at Laurea. If you are interested in carrying out studies in RDI projects, contact the project’s project manager, and ensure the suitability of the assignment for your studies either with your tutor teacher/supervisor or the course responsible teacher.

Opportunities to study in 3AMK research and development projects

As a student you can also apply to participate in 3AMK’s research and development projects, for example by taking part in project preparation and communications. A student may be hired to a project as a thesis author, an intern or otherwise as a project assistant.

As a student you will receive information about the opportunities through your own higher education institution and/or the teachers & experts of your degree. Processes and channels for this vary between different institutions and degrees.

Transfer of rights agreements in projects

In externally funded projects, studying requires signing a transfer of rights agreement. Both the course responsible teacher and the student must sign the agreement on the transfer of rights in the given project. Typically the funder requires Laurea, as the recipient of funding, to transfer the results to Laurea’s ownership. It is also commonly agreed that Laurea grants usage rights to project partners, and ownership is needed for that. In line with effective and responsible RDI activities, Laurea’s aim is that the project’s results can be used later, and therefore it is important that Laurea owns all project results.

The student agrees on the transfer of rights to a study task produced in the project with a transfer of rights agreement and to a study task produced as a commissioned project with a project agreement. Both agreements also include provisions on the confidentiality of confidential information.

If the project or commissioned project concerns compulsory course modules or all alternative optional course modules, the responsible teacher may offer an alternative mode of completion. This allows the student to complete the degree without transferring their rights, although it may narrow the freedom of choice.