Transforming learning through commercial challenge-led projects

The fourth industry revolution (4IR) is interdisciplinary in nature, crossing fields and transcending traditional academic disciplines. Universities of the future must equip students with the skills and attributes required for an ever changing commercial landscape. Graduates endowed with the necessary discipline knowledge combined with technical, problem solving, critical thinking and social integration skills are better equipped to contribute to the global environment and societies of the future.

A case study is presented for integrating interdisciplinary commercial challenge-led learning into the HE learning experience, based on evidence gathered during 2012-2017 at a UK HE institution. Interdisciplinary challenge-led learning is presented as a new mode of knowledge production, which contributes a blue-print for innovation in employer-led learning pedagogy. The framework presented builds intellectual capacity through creating sustainable networks to co-create knowledge and develop learning communities, enabling students to develop the required skills and attributes to contribute to commercial and society 4IR challenges.

By the end of the session, participats will be able to:
* identify key mechanisms and enablers to embed interdisciplinary commercial challenge-led learning into the undergraduate experience.

* appreciate the benefits, challenges and impact from different stakeholder’s perspectives.

* critique the employer-led framework to develop learning communities, professional networks, attributes and skills, associated with pedagogies for the 4th industrial age.