The Importance of Innovation Education in 2023
Innovation and entrepreneurship skills are essential for students to learn in today's rapidly changing world. These skills not only help students develop the ability to think creatively and come up with new ideas, but they also teach them how to turn those ideas into reality. As the world becomes increasingly driven by technology, innovation and entrepreneurship skills are becoming more important than ever for future leaders to develop solutions for the evolving complexity of our world’s problems.
One of the key benefits of learning innovation and entrepreneurship skills is that they help students develop a purpose-driven mindset. In a world where many people feel disconnected from their work and their sense of purpose, learning these skills can help students find their passions and turn them into something that positively impacts the world. By learning how to think creatively and take risks, students can identify new opportunities and create solutions to problems that matter to them.
Innovation thinking and entrepreneurship skills also help students become more adaptable and resilient. In today's fast-paced world, it is essential to be able to pivot and adapt to changing circumstances quickly. Entrepreneurship skills teach students how to be nimble and navigate through uncertainty, which is a vital ability in today's world of work. They learn how to think outside the box and be creative to find solutions to problems, and how to develop a strong work ethic and persistence in the face of failure.
At Common Commission UK (CMP), we understand the importance of innovation education for future leaders and that’s why it is the key focus of our programme. The way that we do this is through our Hacking for Ministry of Defence (H4MoD) module, where students from diverse University courses come together to solve some of today's most pressing issues around national security, natural disasters, energy, and the environment. They work with support from industry mentors and academic advisors, to validate original and genuine Ministry of Defence (MoD) problems with the aim of proposing viable solutions based on extensive evidence.
And it works. Proving the benefits for all of our H4MoD stakeholders is this story about how one H4MoD student team found a way for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to meet their Net Zero Emissions target. The students worked with their problem sponsor in the DIO alongside their industry mentor, and through a series of intense interviews (over a 10-week programme) they pivoted to develop a prototype website that helped the DIO to monitor and analyse their carbon assets. Although an MoD challenge, this is a great example of how a project can impact everyone in some shape or form, not just the MoD.
It’s no surprise then that we whole-heartedly believe innovation thinking and entrepreneurship skills are crucial for student development today. These key skills help students to become more adaptable and resilient, to think creatively and take risks, and to develop a sense of purpose. It is vital for students to develop these skills to become the purpose-driven leaders of the future. At CMP, we are committed to providing students with the resources and opportunities to develop these skills, so that they can take the first step towards becoming a purpose-driven leader and make real-world impact.
Our spring term has just started! Students from Kings College London, Imperial College London and University of Salford are our first cohorts this week (commencing 16th January 2023). We’ll be supporting them and the teaching team over the next couple of months on their H4MoD journey. Stay tuned on the blog and LinkedIn where we will share their progress and end-results later in the year.