> [!summary]+ Summary > This page describes a collaborative activity to draw out and share what my team was actively working on. This activity and outcomes showed me a path for joint concepting. Listed below are explanation of various sections drawn. (See the bottom of this page for the results of this activity.) # Developing a shared vision of the education program The MIT-Skoltech program mission was to establish a new science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) university in Moscow, Russia. It was an idealistic venture. But it was the kind of program that few people ever get the chance to do — **build a new university**. My role was on the Education Team and I would intersect with the Research Team and Student Success Team. I was responsible for designing in-person engineering courses and contributing to degree program design. These included new interdisciplinary master's degree programs in 1) energy engineering, 2) nuclear engineering, 3) information technology engineering, 4) biomedical engineering, and 5) space engineering. Across these all graduates were to have a foundation in entrepreneurship and innovation. But the key was to design programs that intersected. For example, produce engineers who could create space suits with knowledge from biomedical and space engineering. ## Making the program visible **We did not want to work in a silo**. Working siloed was not going to help us develop the educational programming or help staff motivation. We were building a new university together and wanted everyone to know how the program was developing. We also wanted to invite ideas and a sense of shared ownership in creating this new university. <div class="container"><iframe class="responsive-iframe-pdf-land" src="https://1drv.ms/b/c/13829E5D2EB238DE/IQQeNUlPvGvcQJkYYrdDDXtkAQnSw4GMfCvduneOgftp-XM" width="100%" height="450" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div> Over the course of a couple of days, we took turns drawing on an office wall in a central communal space our vision for education at Skoltech. As colleagues came by, we would sit on the couch and jointly concept. By the end, the entire office knew what we were working on, thinking about, and planned to deliver. ### Wall section: Quick facts (left-side) This section highlighted what Skoltech was supposed to provide Russia. The components that we repeatedly talked about were competitiveness, brain drain, and international best practices. A part of teaching best practices was my designed **engineering ethics seminar**. (See [[2013, Engineering ethics]].) ### Wall section: Structure of the academic year (center-top) The unique model to the new Skoltech master's program was the "6+1+1 model". This was the creation of [Edward Crawley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_F._Crawley). It is 6 weeks of learning knowledge and skills. 1 week of assessment. And 1 week of application. Additionally, students would take 1 course in August, and 1 course in January. #### Skoltech Generic Steady State Plan <div class="container"><iframe class="responsive-iframe-pdf-land" src="https://1drv.ms/b/c/13829E5D2EB238DE/IQRkuRhJ2bA3Q5nJXMmaZMo5AZgmdNZzHtGIZy4EGPE6DnA" width="100%" height="450" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div> Each course above is actually 6 weeks long. (See [[2013, Application period#Generic Master's Program track]].) ### Wall section: High-level learning outcomes framework (center) The framework comprised of 4 core outcomes. 1. Developing **disciplinary knowledge and reasoning** 2. Developing **personal attributes – thinking, beliefs, and values** 3. Developing abilities **relating to other – communication and collaboration** 4. Developing abilities in **leading the innovation process** <div class="container"><iframe class="responsive-iframe-pdf-port" src="https://1drv.ms/b/c/13829E5D2EB238DE/IQSfRY2xQfBSRJl9kbsSxLZ-Ad8-32dpZB_SuU7JopWMX2s" width="100%" height="550" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div> ### Wall section: Vision of the graduates (center-bottom) All graduates were to have certain distinctive qualities from other engineering programs. For example, graduates were to… - have knowledge that was both scientific and useful. - know the process of innovation and have skills for supporting/driving innovation. - have the self-confidence to lead innovation. - be prepared to behave and function as leaders. ### Wall section: Application period (right-top) This was the final week of a learning period and to occur after assessments. The purpose of this time was for students to put their new and existing knowledge use to in an experiential, hands-on, and innovative exercise. (See [[2013, Application period]] for more detail on the time and my design of the first Application Period.) ### Wall section: Degree planning (right-middle) View the **Skoltech generic steady state plan** above. Also note how these programs were meant to be interdisciplinary. Students were to take a mix of courses across programs to come out as their own unique product. ## 🎯 Results This activity promoted collaboration beyond my team and prompted the solicitation of new/different ideas. It allowed us to form personal bonds by sitting on a couch together to discuss the vision and share our hopes from the work. This went towards forming our team culture.