Innovating in the face of vulnerability: our students challenged!

Four years ago, the "Innovation Project" for Block 3 students in management engineering and economics and management was redesigned to be more in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its innovation challenges. This repositioning was prompted by two observations: the importance of today's societal challenges, and the mobilization and commitment of the new generation to these themes. Each year, students will attempt to propose concrete innovative solutions to a challenge linked to an SDG. This year, the theme of precariousness and poverty has been selected, linked to important services or areas such as education, health and nutrition, migration, access to housing and employment.

Throughout their courses, students are required to mobilize many skills: innovation, rigorous project management, study of the perception and feasibility conditions of the selected innovation via two data collections, management of group dynamics, English..."The aim is to enable students to take action and go beyond mobilization to become actors of change. In this course, 'learning by doing' is pushed to become 'learning by action'". Explains Wafa Hammedi, professor at the Faculty of Economics, Social Sciences and Management. A veritable incubator for social innovation projects, this integrated unit encourages a change in attitude and posture on the part of students, who become real opinion leaders.

This project stands out for its immersive teaching method, aiming to engage students with the challenges and issues studied in different ways.

Two "greening" days are organized off-campus to launch this project, to help students get to grips with their subject of study. Last year, to address the issue of disability and inclusion, the teams went to the ASBL La Bastide, a residential center for deaf adults, for a total immersion in their work theme. On the program: testimonials from people concerned by the theme, use of immersive technology, playful exercises promoting team cohesion and the creative process. "These two days really enabled us to weld the bonds of the group," explains Manon, a management engineering student. "Spending so much time together to think about the project, our ideas just flew."

In social innovation, students' unfamiliarity with the issues addressed (disability, poverty, immigration...) can lead to significant biases, stereotypes and cognitive distance that can impact the quality of the solutions proposed. To help them better grasp the theme, take the point of view of target populations ("perspective taking") and develop empathy, the teaching team called on companies with expertise in immersive technologies.

Last year, HandiReality, a company specializing in raising awareness of disabilities in the world of work, was on hand to immerse students in a virtual reality experience. Equipped with a virtual reality headset, they were able to slip into the daily lives of people with disabilities, and experience a range of professional contexts in which they are disabled. A playful and involving approach to open up their outlook on this theme. "I was working on hearing disability and virtual reality made me realize how difficult it is. I was able to realize that hearing aids weren't as good as I thought they were, it was a shock for me." explains Manon.

This year, it was Empathy Museum, an ASBL from England, who offered students an immersive experience, entitled "A mile in my shoes". For this activity, students were able to put on a pair of shoes that belonged to a person who had experienced a situation of vulnerability. This situation, they were able to discover through an audio testimonial. "These are stories that seem to come from fiction, I didn't expect it to be real. It made me realize the reality," explains student Naomie. "The stories were very poignant and open our minds. Wearing the shoes adds an extra dimension. You relive your experience and your life," adds student Claire.

This approach aims to resolve biases, increase empathy with target populations, and develop human-centered projects with significant impact, which has a major consequence on the level of student engagement and the quality of the work proposed.

The project stands out for its realism, each year mobilizing various players linked to the SDO in question, such as WEentreprendre, the AVIQ, the ASBL La Bastide, the Réseau wallon de lutte contre la pauvreté and the Relais Social Urbain Namurois. Inviting experts and stakeholders promotes the sharing of experiences and viewpoints, enabling a better understanding of the issues under study.

Last year, entrepreneurs with disabilities were also present to share their experiences and inspiring journeys. Among them was Lucio Scanu, co-founder of Sten.care, a free social network for people facing difficulties in daily life due to disability or illness. The tool's mission is to break isolation and facilitate mutual support between people in the same geographical area. Poignant and inspiring testimonials that captured the interest of all the students and teaching staff. "All these experiences are only more motivating for the rest of the project, we really want to be part of the change! Finding solutions and helping in any way we can, we really hope to come up with an idea that will have a great impact!" testifies Manon.

In June, the students will present their projects to a panel of judges made up of the entire teaching team and, in some cases, external contributors. "As part of this project, we actively encourage students to go all the way to the prototyping phase. We provide financial support to those who wish to develop their solutions further. Because, at the end of this project, we hope to have real contributions from our students that can be valued regionally, nationally and why not internationally," concludes Wafa Hammedi