Blended Intensive Program
Description of learning goals, format, general information.
Context
The international Project of IT students is an international semester for students from Tanzania, Zanzibar, Uganda, Porto,Crete, Antwerp and Eindhoven and with different study backgrounds. Students carry out and deliver a relevant project in the cross-over between all their different study backgrounds. In the beginning of the project students learn Project Management (Agile), and intercultural communication to help them carry out their project. During the complete program, including the project, English is the working language.
General project features
- The project is commissioned by and carried out in collaboration with a field partner. A field partner can be companies, non-governmental organizations, government institutions, AP research groups, etc.
- The Project Work starts on mid-February and ends the end of May.
- Student teams consist of 4 to 6 students and exist of different nationalities and disciplines.
- Each team is coached by one project coach
- Project related time-investment by the students: minimum 1 full day a week or 2 half days (this includes: project coaching, guided independent work, contacts with the sponsor, theoretical input).
- The aim of the project is for the students to experience a run-through of the complete methodology of ‘Project Management’ (Agile).
- The evaluation culminates in a final presentation and in a project report.
Project conditions
- The project needs to be planned from February until June.
- The project is feasible within the allocated time period.
- The project is socially relevant and offers a surplus value for the sponsor.
- There has to be a tangible ‘product’, feasible for the preconceived target audience (or its representatives).
- Students are asked to advise how the product can be carried on over the following years (durability).
Each team works with a coach for the project. We ask the following time-investment of the coach:
- Student teams meet their coach weekly via an online platform (e.g. Microsoft Teams)
- Presence during the mid-term presentation of the project
- The coach is reachable for interaction about the progress via telephone and/or e-mail.
- The coach is present during the final presentation of the project and during the evaluative discussion
General information
Learning outcome
Competencies acquired:
- The student works out assignments and projects independently and in a team. He functions in an international and hybrid working environment.
- Participates and takes responsibility in an interprofessional team in order to analyze and synthesize complex situations
- Recognizes and acknowledges the various profession-specific competences within an interprofessional team
- Ensures the team works efficiently and effectively
- Shows professional behavior at all times aimed at improving interprofessional collaboration
- Shows increased intercultural awareness and competences
- Ensures proper time management for personally assigned tasks
- The student advises third parties within an interdisciplinary context, based on their current domain-specific knowledge and skills in the field of the related project.
- Communicates and consults within an interprofessional / interdisciplinary team
- The student reports correctly and accurately about processes, systems and products, both in writing and orally.
- Presents the end result in a professional way
- The student composes existing building blocks (materials, hardware, software, content, design, business plan) into a working prototype / proof of concept.
- Singles out different approaches and technical solutions for the problem and choose the most optimal one within the given limitations of the project
- Develops a prototype / proof of concept for a complex problem
- Uses the proper tools for the collaboration in the team and development of the end product
- Teamwork and Leadership – working in a team on a project
- Participates and takes responsibility in a team in order to analyze and synthesize complex situations
- Ensures the team works efficiently and effectively
- Ensures proper time management for team tasks
- Selects the proper tools for the collaboration in the team and development of the end product
Planning spring semester 2025
General planning
| 19-mei | 9,30h-10,30h | Welcome & Introduction |
| 10,30h-12,00h | Campus tour & visit Immersive Lab & Maker Space | |
| 12,00-13,00h | Lunch | |
| 13,15-14,00 | LoRaWan “A Deep Dive” (~Ward De Ridder) | |
| 13,00-16,00 | Project work | |
| 16,00-17,00 | Feedback | |
| 18,00- | City tour ~ guide: Serge Horsmans | |
| 20-mei | 9-10,00h | Team work |
| 10,00-12,30 | Microsoft MVP talk- cloud technology (~Mike Martin) | |
| 12,30-13,30 | Lunch | |
| 13,30-14,30 | How to “pitch” workshop (~Sem Van Maanen) | |
| 14,30-17,00 | Project work | |
| 21-mei | 9,00-9,30 | Start of the day |
| 9,30-11.30 | Smart Cities (~Ritesh Kumar Sing / University of Antwerp) | |
| 12-13,00 | Lunch | |
| 13,00-17,00 | Team work | |
| 18,00- | Surprise | |
| 22-mei | 9,00-9,30 | Start of the day |
| 9,30-11.30 | Project work | |
| 12-13,00 | Lunch | |
| 13,00-14,00 | Project work | |
| 14,00-16,00 | Pitch carroussel | |
| 16,00-17,30 | Pitch presentations | |
| 23-May | 9,00-11,00 | Preparations |
| 11,00-16,00 | Final Presentations |
Participants
Institutions
- AP University of Applied Sciences & Arts (AP): Belgium
- Fonteys University of Applied Sciences (Fonteys): Netherlands
- Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU): Greece
- Instituto Superior Politécnico Gaya (ISPGAYA): Portugal
- Mbarara University of Science & Technology (MUST): Uganda
- Makerere University : Uganda
- Karume Institute of Science & Technology: Zanzibar
- Ardhi University : Tanzania
- Muni University : Uganda
Coaches
- AP:
- Tom Peeters: tom.peeters@ap.be
- Jeroen De Vos: jeroen.devos01@ap.be
- HMU:
- Manolis Lourakis: louromanos@yahoo.com
- ISPGAYA
- Nelson Neves : nneves@ispgaya.pt
- Fonteys
- Manen,Sem S.A.: s.vanmanen@fontys.nl
- Laanen,Jop J. van : j.vanlaanen@fontys.nl
- MUST
- Amos Baryashaba: amosbarya@must.ac.ug
- MAKERERE
- Rose Nakibuule: rnakibuule@cit.ac.ug
- KIST
- Ali Abdulrahman Abdulla: aliabdulrahman@kist.ac.tz
- Ardhi
- Eunice Likotiko: eunice.likotiko@aru.ac.tz
- Muni
- Geoffrey Andogah: g.andogah@muni.ac.ug
Students
Students
MUST Atine Edimond
MUST Otim Daniel
MUST Odoi Wilson
MAK Diana Namutosi
MAK Jovin Kyomugaso
KIST Salum Asha Abdalla
KIST Foum Khadija Mati
Ardhi Golden Joackim Haule
Ardhi Innocent John Kiwoly
MUNI Christine Yokoko
MUNI Benard Musinguzi
AP Adjei Henri
AP Desel Tenzin
AP El Gharbi Houssam
AP Khorta Hafid
AP Liu Singyu
AP Manywa François
AP Van Genechten Thomas
AP Yang Anna
AP Yasar Turgay
Ispgaya José Moreira
Ispgaya Rafael Monteiro Santos
Ispgaya Rafael Marques Santos
Ispgaya David Borges
Ispgaya Diogo Henriques
Ispgaya Daniel Adegas
Ispgaya Mateo Robert
Ispgaya Jorge Neves
Ispgaya Bruno Soares
Ispgaya André Teixeira
HMU MICHAILIA VERVERAKI
HMU AIKATERINI PANAGIOTAKOPOULOU
HMU TRIANTAFYLLOS MITSOU
HMU ANNA SISMENIDI
Fonteys Smits Tijmen
Fonteys Van Liempt Stijn
Projects
Build a smart solution for following challenges
Project 1: Seaweed Monitoring in Zanzibar
Description project
Seaweed farming is one of the most significant economic activities in Zanzibar, particularly for rural communities and women, who constitute the majority of the workforce in this sector. Introduced in the late 1980s, seaweed farming has become a vital source of income, second only to tourism in terms of economic contribution. Zanzibar is an ideal location for seaweed cultivation due to its warm, shallow coastal waters and rich biodiversity.
Importance of Seaweed Farming in Zanzibar
- Economic Benefits:
- Provides income for over 25,000 farmers, many of whom are women.
- Strengthens the livelihoods of coastal communities and reduces poverty.
- Environmental Benefits:
- Seaweed farming supports marine biodiversity by acting as a habitat for various marine organisms.
- It is a low-impact aquaculture that does not require fertilizers or freshwater, making it environmentally sustainable.
- Global Significance:
- Zanzibar is one of the leading exporters of seaweed in East Africa.
- Seaweed contributes to the global supply of eco-friendly products such as bioplastics and organic fertilizers.
Project Goals and Objectives
2.1 Main Goal
This project aims to develop an IoT-enabled system designed to optimize seaweed farming operations through real-time monitoring and management. The system will incorporate sensors to track critical environmental parameters, including water temperature, salinity, pH levels, and nutrient content. A centralized platform will process this data, providing farmers with actionable insights via a user-friendly dashboard or mobile app. Automated alerts and remote control features will facilitate timely interventions to maintain optimal growing conditions. By leveraging technology, this project seeks to enhance seaweed yield, reduce labor-intensive practices, and promote sustainable aquaculture in coastal regions.
2.2 Specific Objectives
- Design and deploy IoT-enabled sensors to measure critical water parameters.
- Develop a centralized dashboard for data visualization and analytics.
- Provide alerts and actionable recommendations to users.
- Ensure sustainability through solar-powered devices.
3. Scope
The project will:
- Monitor parameters such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity.
- Provide real-time data access via mobile and web platforms.
- Support scalability to handle multiple ponds and users.
- Include a pilot implementation at a selected aquaculture site.
Project2 : Fish Pond Monitoring in Uganda
Introduction
1.1 Background
Pisciculture is rapidly growing as a vital sector for food production. However, maintaining optimal water quality in fish ponds remains a critical challenge for fish farmers, leading to reduced productivity and profitability. This project aims to develop an Automated Fish Pond Monitoring System to address these challenges by leveraging IoT technology for real-time monitoring and management of pond water quality.
Project Goals and Objectives
2.1 Main Goal
To develop an automated monitoring system that empowers fish farmers with real-time insights into water quality, improving fish health and productivity.
2.2 Specific Objectives
- Design and deploy IoT-enabled sensors to measure critical water parameters.
- Develop a centralized dashboard for data visualization and analytics.
- Provide alerts and actionable recommendations to users.
- Ensure sustainability through solar-powered devices.
3. Scope
The project will:
- Monitor parameters such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity.
- Provide real-time data access via mobile and web platforms.
- Support scalability to handle multiple ponds and users.
- Include a pilot implementation at a selected aquaculture site.
Project3 : Air Quality monitoring in Dar Es Salaam
Introduction
1.1 Background
Ardhi University (ARU), a public institution in Tanzania, is located in the bustling city of Dar es Salaam. Established in 2007, the university evolved from the former University College of Lands and Architectural Studies (UCLAS), which was once a constituent college of the University of Dar es Salaam. ARU offers integrated training, research and public services in the fields of land and built environment under one roof, and therefore it is a critical player in spatial planning; development economics; architecture; urban transport planning; environmental sciences, information technology, and management; land management; geospatial sciences and information communication technologies; built environment at large and allied fields. ARU is therefore best positioned to contribute to environmental solutions, especially the realization of SDG 11 in Dar es Salaam. According to the UN population forecasts, Tanzania’s urbanization process is occurring faster than in other East African countries with an average annual urban growth of 5.4% (UN, 2018). In 2018, the estimated population of Dar es Salaam was about 5 million. By 2030, the city will achieve the ‘megacity’ status (+10 million), possibly reaching a population of 21.4 million people by 2052 (UN, 2016) due to high birth rates and increasing migration to Dar es Salaam. The aforementioned growth rate goes hand in hand with the increasing industrial and other sectors thus contributing to the climate change problems that need to be addressed. ARU recently received a grant for a 10-year project under the VLIR-UOS Institutional University Cooperation (IUC) program. The project aims to address multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by establishing the African Centre for Sustainable Cities. This initiative will focus on building capacity in education, research, innovation, and societal outreach to promote an inclusive and sustainable built environment in the rapidly urbanizing city of Dar es Salaam.
2.1 Main Goal
The city of Dar es Salaam which is located on the coast is one of Tanzania’s fastest-growing cities, experiencing significant environmental pollution due to rapid population growth and various economic activities, including marine operations, transportation, industries, agriculture, and household activities. This rise in environmental pollution poses serious threats to both climate change and public health.
While the Tanzanian government has made commendable efforts to protect the coastal areas and enhance satellite data collection for meteorological services, there is still a lack of modern ICT-based solutions for real-time monitoring of environmental parameters. Such monitoring is crucial for understanding the complex ecosystems that directly influence climate and human activities.
Globally, advanced technologies have been employed to monitor environmental parameters using different data transmission systems, including radio networks and cellular terrestrial networks. Systems like WiMAX, LTE, VHF, GSM, and GPRS have been widely utilized to support networks of remote sensors. However, these technologies are often costly, power-intensive, and unsuitable for devices with limited power resources.
To address the challenges of environmental monitoring in Tanzania, there is a need to design and implement a cost-effective wireless sensor network (WSN) for monitoring various parameters ranging from seashore to inland areas. The use of Low-Power Wide Area (LPWA) networks, which require low energy consumption and rely on radio coverage in open areas, presents promising solutions to address climate change. This approach can facilitate real-time data transmission from sea platforms to shore, contributing to climate change mitigation efforts and the sustainability of coastal ecosystems.
2.2 Specific Objectives
- Design and deploy IoT-enabled sensors to measure critical air quality.
- Develop a centralized dashboard for data visualization and analytics.
- Provide alerts and actionable recommendations to users.
- Ensure sustainability through solar-powered devices.
3. Scope
The project will:
- Monitor air quality
- Provide real-time data access via mobile and web platforms.
- Support scalability to handle multiple ponds and users.
Include a pilot implementation at a selected aquaculture site.
