The main objectives of this module are:

 

After completion of the course, students are able to

1. draw  a  ‘social  map’  of  actors  involved  in  a  specific  scientific  and\or  technological development.
2. consult  with  clients  and  other  stakeholders  to  elicit  their  views  on  a  (policy)  problem, including second order beliefs
3. apply basic principles of team work to involve stakeholders in advisory projects, and improve the communicative skills required.
4. apply  basic  principles  of managing  resistance  and  win-win  negotiation, and  improve  the communicative skills required.
5. reflect upon their personal effectiveness in a role as a consultant, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and learn from past experiences.

The module 

Scientific and technological developments cannot be kept in a test tube. These are societal activities that deeply permeate the social context in which they exist. A context of persons who are worried, or foster high expectations. Who have stakes, different views, and disagreements. How would you account for that, if you were to steer scientific and technological developments in a  societal context? This course, which is the core course of the Consultancy profile, is targeted at preparing top-class students for a role as a scientific consultant. This does not mean that upon completion of this course you are a consultant by trade, but that you have begun to develop skills required to give useful advice regarding issues that you are acquainted with as a scientific expert. Scientific consultants combine ample knowledge of their scientific discipline with insight into the interaction between science, technology, and society. Additionally, they keep a keen eye on the views and stakes of persons involved, and have the analytical and communicative skills to handle these. During this course, students learn to view counselling as both a matter of science and a matter of managing human interaction. They will receive training in: teamwork; interviewing and conversational techniques; managing conflicts; and win-win negotiation. A critically important aspect of this course is self-reflection: to know who you are, how you work with others, and why you react the way you are inclined to do, particularly in tense situations. Managing yourself — that is what it is all about, essentially. Therefore, your trainers will pay due attention to your participation and your personal development during the course. This course is compulsory for students with a consultancy profile, and highly recommended for any other student interested in improving personal effectiveness and developing the required communicative skills.