At least 30 higher education credits.

The aim is to give students the possibility to work within research projects in special VIP (Vertically Integrated Projects) teams led by researchers. The students learn to work together in teams, train their mentorship skills, leadership, and planning, as well as their technical, design and theoretical skills within the research field of the VIP team.

Each student is part of a VIP-team together with other students. Students who wish to participate in the VIP program should apply for the appropriate VIP course and apply to a specific VIP team that they wish to work with (see web site). Students work together with research problems within the frame of a research project, defined by each VIP team leader. Students plan and carry out various parts of the VIP team’s ongoing work, such as pilot projects and realizations of solutions. The course requires individual work, work with team members and active participation in VIP-meetings. The students document ongoing work in an individual VIP workbook and through team documentation.

The course comprises:

• Planning,

• Reflection and reporting on ongoing and finished work,

• Specific tasks within the team’s research profile such as design and technical work.

During the course, students also participate in project presentations and discussions with researchers and external collaboration partners. In this way, students work toward an increased theoretical and practical understanding of the team’s research direction and challenges.

On completion of the course the student shall:

• Demonstrate knowledge about the importance of group work in projects

• Demonstrate knowledge about the chosen VIP team’s disciplinary field and research direction.

On completion of the course the student shall:

• Demonstrate the ability to collaborate in groups with members from different disciplinary backgrounds.

• Plan, implement and evaluate processes and tasks carried out within the VIP team’s research direction.

• Orally and in writing, present, discuss and reflect on work processes, problems, and solutions in dialogue with different stakeholders within and outside the university.

On completion of the course the student shall:

• Evaluate and reflect on their own and others’ achievements in the joint teamwork.

• Reflect on their own learning

• Demonstrate an ethical approach in teamwork and in oral and written presentations.

The course comprises project work in teams, weekly team meetings, and individual work. Lectures and seminars may be given.

Each student must keep a project workbook during the course. The project workbook is an aid for the student in ongoing planning and presentation of individual work within the VIP team’s shared tasks. The workbook serves as a basis for the assessment of students’ ongoing project participation.

The course presupposes that students take responsibility for their part of the shared work and actively contribute to the team tasks.

The course is examined with:

Project workbook (2 credits), reflection on own work (0.5 credits), reflection on team members’ work (0.5 credits), participation in team-specific project work (2 credits), active participation in project work, seminars, oral presentations and project tutoring sessions at VIP meetings: project process (2.5 credits).

For a passing grade (A-E), all assignments must be completed with a minimum grade of E.

The final course grade is based on a weighted result of all individual assignments.

The course literature is chosen in conjunction with the responsible teacher.

The University provides students who are taking or have completed a course, the opportunity to share their experiences of and opinions about the course, in the form of a course evaluation that is arranged by the University. The University compiles the course evaluations and notifies the results and any decisions regarding actions brought about by the course evaluations. The results shall be kept available for the students. (HF 1:14)

When a course is no longer given, or the contents have been radically changed, the student has the right to re-take the examination, which will be given twice during a one year period, according to the syllabus which was valid at the time of registration.

The course is part of the Vertically Integrated Projects-program which contains several courses connected to research projects through specific VIP teams. More information and presentations of each VIP team can be found on the university web.