The climate is changing and resources are depleting. The only way to stop this is for people, businesses, and governments to become more sustainable and switch to a circular and biobased economy. Join an international group of students, lecturers, scientists, and entrepreneurs, and discover the possibilities of biobased sustainable technologies and business developments.

 

The body of the broadening minor Biobased Technology and Business Development consists of a multidisciplinary group project. In this project, you work for a company that wants to become more sustainable and/or introduce a new sustainable product on the market. It is the task of you and your group to come up with a business plan for your client looking at the technology, sustainability, marketing, and finances. To be able to do this, your group will consist of 4-5 students with different backgrounds (engineering, environmental science, financial, marketing, chemistry, …).

To help you to participate in discussions on biobased technology and business development, and realize an excellent plan and advice for your client:

• your group will have weekly meetings with your group tutor;
• you will be able to confer with technical, financial, sustainability, and marketing specialists;
• you will get several skills workshops;
• you will have guest lectures;
• you will take several courses (More information about the courses can be found under ‘toetsing’.)

 

Testimonials:

“We did a very fun project that was really applicable for our client.”

 

“I liked working in a team with different backgrounds. It allows you to learn from each other.”

 

“This minor helped me to improve my English skills.”

 

"I really liked that all the courses are related to the project. The new knowledge that you gain helps you to improve the end result of the project.”

 

“The international environment really creates a good atmosphere.”

 

Learning goals

What the world needs now more than ever is new ways of exploring new sustainable technologies and an understanding of how to market these ideas and their products. In this unique multidisciplinary semester program, you will learn about these challenges looking at technology, sustainability, marketing, and finances. 

 

Remarks

This is an international minor. All communication (both oral and written) will be in English. 

 

Additional information

The Avans study program linked to this minor module is Milieukunde (ESSET). You will need this information for the enrolment in Studielink
For Avans students: you need to enroll via Osiris. You can find the minor under the faculty of ‘School of Life Sciences and Technology’(Or “Academie voor Life Sciences and Technology”). If you do not succeed, do not hesitate to contact us.

Requirements

Open to students who have a sufficient level of English in speaking and writing.

 

This minor is tailored to the needs of students with a background in technology, environmental sciences, finance & accounting, business management, chemical engineering, chemistry and/or marketing. But if you have a different background and you are interested in sustainable technologies and business developments, you are very welcome to join this minor.

Not applicable

This minor will start on 2 September 2024, and finish at the end of January 2025.

The minor consists of the following subjects.

• Introduction weeks (2 ects): In the first two weeks you will have an introduction program. During this program you get to know your fellow minor students and Breda (social program), we introduce you to working in multidisciplinary project teams for a client.

Projects

• Group project Biobased chains (12 ects): Case study for a company that wants to (further) develop and implement a biobased technology and/or become more sustainable. This video gives you an example of a project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd8t6hcTAhQ
• Group project CO2 neutral cities (4 ects): How can you make a city climate neutral and how you can convince the city council to go for your ideas? With your group, you will choose a city and come up with a plan within 2 weeks to help this city become CO2-neutral.
• Biobased Battle Brazil (1 ects): During this one week project, you work together with Brazilian students to find a solution/idea for a Brazilian company that wants to become more sustainable. The video gives you more information on this course.

 

Courses

• How to write a business plan (1 ects): This course will teach you more about the content of a business plan. How do you provide a good technical, marketing, financial, and sustainability section for the business plan that you will write for the biobased chains project. 
• Financial Management (2 ects): This course will teach you all about how to write a sound financial section for your business plan. You will learn that your marketing and technology choices will have an effect on the business revenues and that costs follow logically from the choices you make regarding partners and resources.
• Marketing and branding instruments (2 ects): this course gives an overview of the different marketing and branding instruments to market a new (biobased) product or technology. You will apply one or more of these instruments in the group projects.
• Sustainable challenges (2 ects): Course that discusses the challenges that companies face when switching towards sustainability (including the role of the different stakeholders).
• Circular Business Models (1 ects): a successful introduction of biobased products/innovations requires new innovative business models. How can you value the fact that a product reduces CO2 emissions, has less impact on the environment or uses less valuable resources? And how do you relate this to a financial plan? This course will discuss the latest developments. 
• Communication Instruments (1 ects): When you work for a client or when you want to market a product, there are different ways of presenting your results such as infographics, blogs or story maps. This course will give an overview of the different options for you to apply in the projects. 
• (Introduction to) Biobased technologies (1 ects). In this course, you look into the technology part of your biobased chains project. Which technologies are needed to solve the question(s) of your client, which sources are needed (materials, energy, ..) and how can you scale up?
• Your talent, Your future (1 ects) In this training you explore your qualities, talents, and personal entrepreneurial desires & preferences. We workshop, in small groups on important life questions in an adventurous setting. All students explore individual purpose in life as well as the path and steps they believe are important.

 

The different courses of the minor are assessed separately and are each awarded a number of ECTS. You are awarded the ECTS if you receive a final grade of 5.5 or higher or a pass for a subject. You are assessed both individually and based on group work. We use different assessment methods depending on the course (written assignment, oral assessment, presence, and active participation, presentation). There are NO exams.

Remarks

Students from all over the world are invited to register for this minor. All communication (both oral and written) will be in English.