A guest lecture can open a conversation about sustainability and digital transformation. But what happens after the visitors leave? For a university seeking to connect education with the twin transition, the next opportunity is to turn the discussion into something learners can investigate. That starts with a shared problem, not simply another presentation.
Ask about work, not just skill labels
A request for “digital skills” can cover very different tasks. Does an organisation need people to collect reliable information, interpret a dataset, explain findings or use a specific tool? Before translating an employer’s request into an educational activity, clarify what the work involves.
GreenTech Horizons gives this connection a place in its second work package (WP2). Its project design links research into industry and higher education needs with the definition of competencies and the design of a curriculum model.
The practical lesson is to start a conversation with examples. Ask an industry partner to describe a task that is difficult to complete, the decisions involved and where additional capability would help.
A hypothetical manufacturer might describe uncertainty about where material waste occurs. That is a more useful starting point for discussion than a general request for “sustainability awareness”.
It gives educators something concrete to examine—and leaves room to discover whether the problem is really a skills issue, an information gap or a process that needs attention.
Turn the problem into a manageable learning challenge
A company’s full operational problem may be too large for a student assignment. The next step is to agree on a smaller question that has educational value and can be explored with the available time and resources.
In the manufacturing example, students might examine an anonymised sample of material-use records and propose questions for further investigation. They would not be expected to redesign the entire production process or promise a measurable reduction in waste.
A short shared brief could explain the context, the learning objectives, the information available and the expected output. It should also identify who can answer questions and what material may be shared beyond the group.
Give students permission to report that the evidence is insufficient. Discovering that a dataset cannot answer the original question can itself be a worthwhile learning result, provided they explain what is missing and why it matters.
The aim is a credible investigation, not a predetermined success story.
Give each participant a clear role
For the proposed challenge, educators would define the learning outcomes and guide the assessment. Industry contributors would explain the working context and test whether the students’ questions reflect practical concerns. Students would investigate, question assumptions and make their reasoning visible.
This division should be agreed rather than left implicit.
For example, arrange feedback at two points: once while students are shaping the problem and again when they present their conclusions. Early feedback could reveal a misunderstanding about the records. Later feedback could explore whether the proposed next steps would be useful in the workplace.
Keep the educational purpose explicit. A student assignment should not quietly become an expectation of professional consultancy without suitable expertise, supervision or resources.
Bring the learning back into education
After the activity, ask what it revealed about the intended competencies.
Perhaps students handled the spreadsheet confidently but struggled to explain uncertainty. Perhaps they recognised an environmental issue but overlooked the people responsible for collecting the information. Perhaps the industry partner discovered that its original question needed refining.
These observations can inform the next assignment, a revised learning outcome or a discussion about additional support. They should not automatically be treated as evidence of a widespread skills gap.
Compare perspectives across different organisations and groups of learners before drawing broader conclusions. One company’s immediate priorities need not represent an entire sector or determine a university’s educational mission.
This distinction matters when applying the WP2 principle: listening to industry should enrich educational judgement, while maintaining attention to transferable competencies and learners’ longer-term development.
Make the next conversation concrete
A guest lecture can be a starting point. A carefully scoped shared challenge takes the conversation into application, feedback and reflection.
At your next university–industry meeting, ask each side to bring one practical question rather than only a presentation. What could students investigate, what support would they need and what should they learn? Turn the answers into a brief that makes cooperation useful to everyone involved.
Hashtags: #GreenTechHorizons #EuropeanAcademy #UniversityIndustryCooperation #SkillsDevelopment
Alexia Voutsina, Project & Business Development Manager, European Academy
Alexia Voutsina is a Project and Business Development Manager at European Academy, working at the intersection of EU-funded projects, professional training and international cooperation. She holds an MBA from European University Cyprus, complementing her academic background in Educational Sciences and Special Education. Her work focuses on translating ideas into practical learning experiences that strengthen skills, promote sustainability and support meaningful professional growth.
