Effective learning of innovation by engineering students in a multi-disciplinary context

The teaching of innovation to engineers is often fraught with challenges and misgivings, as the definition of innovation itself, often confused with invention and research and development, is still a subject of research in the fields of science, engineering and management. In this paper, we offer the results of a novel graduate-level engineering course that attempts to develop among its students the ability to identify, define and manage innovation within a project-based and multidisciplinary context, and in a manner that is stakeholder-centric. We present in this paper for the first time a Universal Innovation Framework that offers a practical and distinctive approach to the teaching and management of innovation that foregrounds societal impact as opposite to technical prowess. Preliminary results show a significant impact of the course on student understanding and perception of innovation.