TIK2000 – Innovation and Society

Course content

The introductory course ‘Innovation and Society’ explores the concept of innovation and how it affects the economy and society. The goal is to help students understand innovation and their role in it in relation to their respective academic backgrounds. The course examines how innovation happens in different organizations, such as public, private, and community-based, and introduces important tools for analyzing innovation processes. It also offers perspectives on how innovation is a systemic phenomenon, and how it can address the grand challenges of our time.

 

Through activities like company visits, case studies, and interdisciplinary collaboration, students will enhance their analytical skills, creativity, critical thinking, and presentation abilities. The course also allows students to engage in teamwork, student-led seminars and to relate innovation to their own fields of study.

 

The course is the mandatory introductory part of the ‘Innovation Certificate’ and provides students with a shared basis for the elective courses in the certificate.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

In the mandatory introduction course the students acquire a basic understanding of:
• What innovation is and how it can take different forms
• How innovation impacts the economy and society
• How innovation is dependent on and conditioned by social and technological factors
• How innovation occurs through an interplay between different types of actors
• How innovation takes place in different types of organizations
• How policies, infrastructures and institutions may affect and condition innovation
• How innovation can contribute to solving contemporary societal challenges

 

Skills

• Identify and describe the role of innovation in economic growth and societal change

• Analyse contemporary innovative societal phenomenons

• Critical thinking for innovative problem-solving and decision-making

• Apply theoretical concepts onto real life innovative cases

• Experience from working in interdisciplinary teams

• How innovation can be studied

 

General competences

• Understanding how your educational background can contribute to innovation in working life

• Ability to present your own work and give constructive feedback

• Experience with working, presenting and discussing in English

• Experience with group work

• Being able to interact with representatives from working life

Recommended previous knowledge

You are recommended to have completed 60 ECTS credits before starting this course.  

Teaching

Teaching will be based on a mix of lectures, field trips, workshops and seminars. Students are expected to actively participate in the teaching through discussions and group assignments.

 

Completion of individual written assignments and participation in group-based workshops during the term is a requirement for examination.

Examination

Portfolio exam.

 

The course has a portfolio exam format where each student includes selected works and submissions in the course. The portfolio should comprise a number of written individual assignments and a group-based oral presentation where the students are expected to demonstrate their understanding of key concepts from the course.

 

The written individual assignments involve applying innovation theory onto selected cases and individual reflection notes where the students reflect on how their disciplinary background relates to innovation.

Language of examination

The assignments are given in English. You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.  

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from pass/fail. Read more about the grading system

Resit an examination

If you are sick or have another valid reason for not attending the regular exam, we offer a postponed exam later in the same semester.

 

See also our information about resitting an exam.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.