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Collaborative Innovation Lab

Collaborative Innovation Lab

Students discussing their project.

Collaborative Innovation Lab

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The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) is recruiting undergraduate and graduate students from FHS to participate in the Collaborative Innovation Lab, a faculty-wide initiative that places students at the centre of educational innovation. The Collaborative Innovation Lab will bring together diverse student voices to identify challenges, test assumptions, and design solutions that strengthen health sciences learning at Western.

 

About the Lab

The Health Sciences Collaborative Innovation Lab will identify and validate distinctive ways Western's Faculty of Health Sciences can embed 1) Interprofessional Education (IPE) 2) Entrepreneurship, 3) Innovation and 4) AI-enabled learning and practice into undergraduate and graduate education, ensuring graduates are prepared for the rapidly evolving health care landscape. Using a student-centered Design Thinking and Lean Start-up approach, participants will work through:

  • Problem identification
  • End-user engagement
  • Assumption testing
  • Idea generation and validation
  • Feasible solution design

  • Important Information

  • Start Dates: September 21st, October 19th, November 9th
  • Duration: 50 hours across a 6-week period
  • Questions may be directed to: cil@uwo.ca
  • Twenty-four students from the Faculty of Health Sciences will be selected for this opportunity. Participants will be compensated approximately $1000 for their time.

Who Should Apply?

All Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) undergraduate and graduate students are invited to apply. This includes students in the Schools of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Food and Nutritional Sciences, Health Studies, Kinesiology, Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy, as well as students in the Health & Rehabilitation Sciences program and other related FHS programs. No prior experience in innovation, entrepreneurship, design thinking, or artificial intelligence is required. We are looking for FHS students who bring diverse perspectives, experiences, skills, and interests, including strengths in:

  • Leadership and teamwork
  • Communication and collaboration
  • Research and analysis
  • Creative problem-solving
  • Technology and AI
  • Innovation and entrepreneurship
  • Health care and community engagement
  • Equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility

Benefits of Participation

Participants will be compensated approximately $1000 for their time and have the opportunity to:

  • Develop innovation and leadership skills
  • Gain experience with Design Thinking and Lean Start-up methodologies
  • Collaborate with students from varied health disciplines
  • Contribute to meaningful educational innovation at Western
  • Expand professional networks
  • Strengthen their CV and professional portfolio

Application Requirements

Applications must include:

  1. Current CV/resume
  2. Unofficial or official transcript (not required for first-year undergraduate students)
  3. A video submission (maximum 60 seconds) addressing:
    1. What skills, experiences, or perspectives will you bring to the Collaborative Innovation Lab?
    2. What do you hope to gain from participating in this experience?
  • For any questions about the Collaborative Innovation Lab, please contact us at: cil@uwo.ca