What is the P2P(Peer to Peer) learning model?
Several universities offer business studies, but lack practical relevance to the world of work. Academic universities internationally have declared their commitment to practical learning. In 2008, Laurea developed a learning model that makes this possible. The P2P learning model aims to create a partnership between universities and businesses. Companies give students an assignment related to their business development. This allows students to learn and practice skills that are important for the student's professional life. Project work is a learning experience where you can improve:
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Network with working life already during your studies
In P2P education, you study in project teams under the guidance of expert teachers. Projects are carried out according to the needs of the real partner companies. The aim of the work-based projects is to support the business development of each partner company. Projects can be for example:
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Design and implementation of specific studies such as customer or market research
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Business and marketing plans for companies and their implementation.
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Projects related to management and human resources management, as well as financial management.
In each project, you will study the theory of your profession in addition to practical work. Instead of exams,
competences are demonstrated through skills demonstrations and business development projects for each partner.
The project-based learning (P2P) model is a popular way of learning among students. Through projects, you will learn extensively about all aspects of your profession and build strong networks with different companies that will benefit your career path, whether you graduate as a business expert or manager. Project work is a learning experience where you can improve:
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Teamwork
Projects help you learn teamwork skills. Top-level teamwork can achieve outstanding results that we couldn't achieve alone.
Leadership
Projects offer the opportunity to work as a project manager, which will teach you modern management techniques and give you a wide range of tools for different situations. Being a project manager gives students a real opportunity to test their skills in how they manage projects with the help of other team members. As a team member, you will also find that a good leader knows how to make the most of each team member's skills, and you may even discover new strengths in yourself through this process
Communication
internal communication within the team and external communication with the client is important. Choosing and communicating through the right channels will contribute to the team's effectiveness. It is important to know how to select and adapt communication channels to modern teleworking. Professional communication and presentation skills are good skills in the workplace. Communicating about the project on external social media channels brings publicity to the university and strengthens the communication skills of team members. For a project to be successful, communication between team members and the potential client must be flawless and smooth.
Co-operation with companies
Projects offer the opportunity to cooperate with businesses. Working with companies enables you to learn in your professional field by participating in various development projects and initiatives. Business cooperation, which starts from the very beginning of your studies, enables students to network with the world of work. In a business partnership, the company gives the student team a mandate, so you are not just looking at theoretical problems but are constantly seeking solutions to real challenges that arise in the world of work. In addition to companies, associations and municipalities are also important partners at Laurea. 30% of the P2P projects can be international of course.
Resilience
World changes are unpredictable, and technology continues to evolve. The ability to adapt to change is a valued skill in the workplace. This means that change and challenge are perceived as strengths. Through work-based projects, you will experience different challenges and how situations can change quickly. These skills will certainly be useful in the future in terms of your ability to cope and to achieve good results at work. Projects can deal with marketing, service design, management and sales, or anything in the field of your sector of education
Universities that work with businesses and offer the opportunity to complete a degree in business cooperation are sure to attract students. In addition, business partnerships give universities visibility in a new way.
Academic learning
All projects also include theoretical studies. Students will consult academic articles and sources and write a knowledge base based on them. Instead of exams, competences are demonstrated through skills demonstrations and projects that develop each partner's business. The projects allow you to apply theoretical knowledge to practice. All projects implement the Laurean pedagogy of development-based learning, the Learning by Developing (LbD) model, in a way adapted to each implementation mode.
Student interview
Tereza Malíková a Bachelor of Business Administration Student from the Czech Republic tells about her own experiences in learning through development projects. Get to know better the learning model's main characteristics, flexibility, and functionality by watching the video below!
We did it! - Student Export Minisite Project Fall 2022
Service Design team Sakari Pirhonen, Timo Anttonen, Santeri Kihl, Anna Vehkamäki, Nicola Laine, Shu Lin Yap and Ana Valadez Garza started service design project at the end of August 2022. The objective of this project was to market the learning-by-development model as an export service. The main purpose of the project team was to create a prototype for the website where the service concept is marketed. The student team took advantage of different tools of service design and as an end result, this website was created.
