Inspiring story
Project collaboration showed Eva how her knowledge applies in practice
Inspiring story
Project collaboration showed Eva how her knowledge applies in practice
About Eva Lašová
Nationality: Slovak
Age: 25 years old
Education: Culture Communication and Globalisation at AAU in Aalborg
Semester: 8th semester
Collaboration partner: Danish software company
The value of real-world collaboration
Working with a company during her project was a valuable learning opportunity for Eva which provided hands-on experience and a chance to see how classroom knowledge could be applied in real-life situations.
Through interviews and research, Eva and her group gained insight into organisational practices, leadership structures, and industry challenges. One of the biggest benefits was being able to communicate directly with professionals in the field.
It was great to actually be able to see what we can do with our knowledge gained from school and how we can apply it in the real world.
Having an insider is valuable
One factor that made this collaboration smooth was having a group member who worked at the company. This gave the group access to internal communication channels and company emails and made it much simpler to schedule interviews and gather useful insights, ensuring smoother communication and a more efficient collaboration process.
The group first conducted a guiding interview, where they received recommendations on whom to reach out to next, ensuring that they got relevant and useful information for their project.
The company showed great interest in the project and was eager to share valuable insights. Employees were open to discussions, offering useful perspectives and engaging in knowledge exchange that enriched the collaboration.
Make it easy for the company to use and apply your findings
Eva explains that the company expressed interest in their findings:
We shared our project with them, and they found it interesting. However, we only provided the part that was beneficial to them, not the entire report.
Eva recommends that you create a separate, concise document highlighting the most relevant findings and practical insights for the company, rather than sharing the full academic report with theories and methodologies.
This makes it easier for companies to grasp the key takeaways and may leave a strong impression, increasing the chances that the work will be valued and utilised.
Eva’s tips if you’re considering project collaboration:
- 1
Start early
Finding a company willing to collaborate can take time. Begin searching early in the semester to secure a partnership.
- 2
Consider start-ups or smaller companies
Larger corporations may be harder to reach and may not have time to supervise students, whereas start-ups and smaller companies are often more open to collaborations.
- 3
Be patient and well-prepared
Companies have busy schedules, so it’s important to be organised. Prepare your questions and requests in advance to minimise unnecessary follow-ups.