Collaboration with Durham College Fosters Creativity and Problem-Solving Skills 

Submitted by Deanna Davies, Program Coordinator/Professor, Project Management Graduate Certificate Program  
   
My Project Management class recently wrapped up an amazing collaborative event with Durham College for the third consecutive semester. Together with Durham’s Dr. Brad Niblett, we facilitated the Game4Change Challenge, an incredible opportunity for students to showcase their creativity and problem-solving skills while raising awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  
 
This challenge not only fostered teamwork, research skills, and a global perspective, but also allowed students to strengthen their soft skills, build relationships, practice emotional intelligence, and apply in-class theories of design thinking, scope, time management, and project management foundations, with the bonus of new friendships and potential partnerships. Read more about this cross-college collaboration. Krista still needs to include web link 
 
Fifteen teams, comprised of 87 post graduate students, collaborated across disciplines, bringing together Durham College’s International Business Management students and SLC’s Project Management students in a three-hour sprint ideation session where students developed interactive games to educate others about the SDGs.  
 
"The class was both an engaging and challenging experience, as we worked collaboratively to create a game that corresponded to one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The process of conceiving a single idea proved to be a formidable undertaking and demanded a great deal of cognitive effort. The virtual format of the class presented a unique set of challenges and hindered our ability to communicate effectively with one another,” said SLC student, Askik Prakash. “Nevertheless, despite these obstacles, we learned how to think innovatively and work cohesively as a team, even in a remote environment. This experience has taught us valuable skills that are essential in the context of a professional or academic setting. "