Student missions: a new web platform for companies

For many years, companies and student from Grenoble Ecole de Management have collaborated on case studies, PIMS, GEM Innodays and other student missions. As of April 2019, companies with field missions for students at GEM will be able to submit their requests via a unique web portal. This platform will clarify and simplify the process for partner companies.

Every year, around 100 company projects are carried out by GEM students. “This new web portal will provide a clear framework and enable our offer to match demand. Companies will be able to submit their project content via the platform, which will transfer the information to relevant actors at the school. As a result, the school will be able to increase collaboration with companies in order to manage 300 to 400 projects per year within the next two to three years,” explains Renaud Cornu Emieux, in charge of implementing the platform.

Enabling two options for collaboration

Upon completion, the platform will offer two options: First, a web portal dedicated to companies that wish to submit a specific mission to a group of students in order to overcome a current company challenge (in fields such as purchasing, innovation, digital transformation, etc.). These missions can last from three months to a year.

The second option will be a portal dedicated to alumni. “Alumni will be able to participate in two ways: They can submit a project proposal and thus collaborate with students like our partner companies. They can also take on the role of ‘school mentor’ and be in charge of supporting a group of students during their company mission. This will enable an alumnus to collaborate with the school from an educational point of view.”

A platform based on Design Thinking 

Design Thinking is an approach that draws from designers to enable multidisciplinary teams to innovate by interconnecting user expectations, technological capacity and economic feasibility. This new GEM service was conceived using Design Thinking in order to meet the needs of partner companies and alumni all the while integrating challenges, limitations and expectations.