Linked Super Project
Photo by Jeswin Thomas on Unsplash
By: Dag Håkon Haneberg
Context: Challenges in current higher education targeted by the SUPER initiative.
- Duration:
1 hour of group work
- Focus:
Why does this issue exist, and what are its consequences?
- Activity:
Groupwork
- Keywords:
‘tame’ problems, interdisciplinary work
About the exercise
The workshop focuses on rethinking higher education to better prepare students for the real challenges of working life. Currently, students mostly work with “tame” problems (clear, structured) rather than “wicked” problems (complex, interdisciplinary), which creates a gap between education and industry needs.
Learning objectives
Develop concrete and testable proposals for how higher education can facilitate stronger and better collaboration with industry.
Explore ways to integrate interdisciplinary approaches and real-world problem solving into education.
Encourage creativity, teamwork, and critical reflection on the limitations and opportunities within current educational practices.
Usage suggestions
Conduct the workshop in groups, each working through structured exercises with post-it notes (red for current challenges in education, yellow for industry collaboration).
Use diagrams (“Locked – Partial – Open”) to map out what aspects of education and collaboration are fixed, partly flexible, or open for innovation.
Encourage scenario discussions: What if the locked/partial aspects were opened?
Generate and categorize ideas, then connect them into more comprehensive solutions.
Materials list and physical space
Small-group tables/areas,
Post-it notes in different colors,
Large diagram sheets,
A projector or screen for final presentations.
Key takeaways
Students need more exposure to interdisciplinary and “wicked” problems to be work-ready.
Collaboration between universities and industry is often too rigid; there is a need to open up more flexible and creative models.
Structured creative methods (brainstorming, post-its, idea-linking) can help generate actionable solutions.
The ultimate goal: education should actively prepare students for external, complex, and unsolvable problems, not just theoretical exercises.