Think tank
The think tank is a course in which you work on an assignment for a company or institution in an interdisciplinary group of six to eight students and work towards a final product that will help an external partner to tackle the societal issue.
Goal and set-up
The approach of the think tank is similar to how project-based research is conducted in society. You will use the knowledge and skills you have gained during your studies and will expand these further by learning from each other while working on the project. This way you develop competencies for your professional future, because in a project like a think tank, things will go wrong: on a personal, relational, process-related, or content-related level. It is important to face these challenges with your team and learn from them. That is what the think tank - besides delivering a high-quality final product that is of added value to the partner - is also about.
Individual options
You can also opt for an individual think tank:
Internship at a company or organisation
Individual research internship
Commitment and assessment
A think tank requires the commitment of all concerned. You, for example, make a commitment to the external partner to deliver a suitable and high-quality final product, but you also make a commitment to your fellow team members. This means that you are not only willing to invest 280 hours, but also that you commit to working together constructively, having a professional attitude towards the partner and each other and contributing to creating a safe (learning) environment.
At the same time, we know from previous years that this can be quite challenging and the process will also not always go smoothly. This is partly why the think tank is evaluated using a pass/fail grade. The process, in which not everything will always go as planned or hoped, is at least as important for achieving the learning objectives as the final product, because it is precisely in those situations that competences such as flexibility are called upon.
Entry requirement
- Thematic minor: You must pass the theme course to be able to participate in the think tank. It is also highly recommended that you take the course Academia and Society before participating in the think tank.
- Study Abroad: You must pass the course Study abroad: Academia & Society to be able to participate in the Think tank: Study Abroad.
First semester
Do you want to participate in a think tank in the first semester and do you meet the entry requiremens described on the left? Then register for the course LET-LETMI-DT00.