BIP: International Project Challenge (IPC) – An Integrated Cross-Sector and International Collaborative Initiative

This BIP, International Project Challenge (IPC): An Integrated Cross-Sector and International Collaborative Initiative,  brings together four universities to deliver a challenge-based, international project experience in which students collaborate across borders and disciplines to develop a joint project design package.

Partner institutions and roles:

• Rouen students act primarily as Project Owners, issuing requirements and validating design decisions against constraints
• Oviedo students develop the integrated project concept and engineering solution, coordinating inputs across teams
• Xamk students develop electrical, automation and building service elements and iterate closely with Oviedo to ensure coherence and feasibility
• Students from the additional university will participate as members of the project groups.

Students work in international mixed teams with clear role separation and structured interactions. While the theme may evolve each year, the collaboration model and roles remain stable. The first edition may focus on a facility such as a bioterium.

The BIP combines a virtual collaboration phase (online teamwork, meetings, shared documentation) supporting requirements elicitation, iterative design, coordination and progress reviews, with a physical mobility week ( 5 days) providing intensive co-creation, intercultural teamwork, and skills workshops (communication, agile practices, stakeholder management, and project coordination in international settings). The programme ends with a final presentation.

The BIP is designed to be replicable annually, rotating the host university for the physical week, and supports Erasmus+ objectives of short-term blended mobility and innovative, collaborative learning.