WHAT IS NIF?
NIF – New Ideas Factory is a COMENIUS Multilateral school partnerships, which is a challenge for students in the areas of entrepreneurship and technology as well. New Ideas Factory will be a fictional international company with all the departments requisite for running a company.
The functions and jobs will be carried out by the students and possible external experts (teachers, local companies, deputies, etc). As all the participating schools have technology in common, the main area of NIF production will be technology, namely innovations and development of certain products. That is why the motto of NIF is: “Don´t hesitate, innovate”.
The two-year project will follow the process of a new company set-up. It will begin with a setting up a company (marketing research), where the students will focus on the differences between each country´s economics and business opportunities and they will create a sort of handbook for starting companies. Secondly, in the research department, the students will look for the best ways of the production and innovation of a product. Thirdly, they will produce the product itself (for example a robot controlled by a mobile phone), they will also work on design, and last but not least, they will sell the product and they
will perform activities related to it (e.g. PR, advertising the product, presentations, contracts). As any other company needs publishing, the website of our company will be created as well as the advertisements and videos about the products.
The project will be the combination of skills that are necessary for real life and business – economy, technology,multimedia, language and communication skills.
The functions and jobs will be carried out by the students and possible external experts (teachers, local companies, deputies, etc). As all the participating schools have technology in common, the main area of NIF production will be technology, namely innovations and development of certain products. That is why the motto of NIF is: “Don´t hesitate, innovate”.
The two-year project will follow the process of a new company set-up. It will begin with a setting up a company (marketing research), where the students will focus on the differences between each country´s economics and business opportunities and they will create a sort of handbook for starting companies. Secondly, in the research department, the students will look for the best ways of the production and innovation of a product. Thirdly, they will produce the product itself (for example a robot controlled by a mobile phone), they will also work on design, and last but not least, they will sell the product and they
will perform activities related to it (e.g. PR, advertising the product, presentations, contracts). As any other company needs publishing, the website of our company will be created as well as the advertisements and videos about the products.
The project will be the combination of skills that are necessary for real life and business – economy, technology,multimedia, language and communication skills.
MOTIVATION FOR THIS PROJECT
This project reflexes the call for entrepreneurships nowadays and the situation in secondary education where the trend of linking education with the practices in the companies is spreading – we would like to show our students how to start a successful company, what is important to be focused on and what they have to prepare before they set up a company.
They should realise it is not only the product, the idea or know-how what makes the successful project/business. It is the communication, language skills, knowledge of the market´s demands, dealing with other people in the company, presenting the product in a good way, etc.
The main aim is to involve the existing companies so the projects in not focused just on school activities. There are several reasons for it. Firstly, the students will work on contacts that might be helpful for them in the future and the school might fasten the links for the next cooperation. Secondly, the students will learn the knowledge and skills within learning by doing - which is one of the best ways of studying and motivating students. Thirdly, the companies might provide the students with necessary information that they will need for running NIF company.
The project will offer the participants the possibility to act in a fictional company as it is a real one with all the windfalls or failures which may help them for their future choices and decisions.
They should realise it is not only the product, the idea or know-how what makes the successful project/business. It is the communication, language skills, knowledge of the market´s demands, dealing with other people in the company, presenting the product in a good way, etc.
The main aim is to involve the existing companies so the projects in not focused just on school activities. There are several reasons for it. Firstly, the students will work on contacts that might be helpful for them in the future and the school might fasten the links for the next cooperation. Secondly, the students will learn the knowledge and skills within learning by doing - which is one of the best ways of studying and motivating students. Thirdly, the companies might provide the students with necessary information that they will need for running NIF company.
The project will offer the participants the possibility to act in a fictional company as it is a real one with all the windfalls or failures which may help them for their future choices and decisions.