EPFL, a lever for digital business innovation
The University has developed a real task force to support companies in their digital transition, particularly in the democratization of online training dedicated to digital technologies. Initiatives to invite them to decompartmentalize and take advantage of the skills of the school.
A company that prides itself on having innovated in its corner often misses the point . Because innovation requires the development of an ecosystem and networks conducive to thinking outside the classic entrepreneurial framework. This state of mind aims to forge close links with Universities,which, through their skills, can help companies of all sizes. However, a still limited number of companies are opening to such win-win collaborations.
Indeed, the knowledge of the Universities seeks to be integrated into the practice and life of companies. Also, entrepreneurship must be supported by sound technical knowledge, which can be developed by the training of employees in digital technologies. With ten years of expertise in education for all, EPFL intends to break its exclusive technical school image.
Attract other job profiles
For if the malicious tongues sometimes point to the elitism of the Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, they ignore the fact that it is multiplying its efforts to democratize its knowledge. Like the Extension School.
Launched in December 2017, this paid online course program provides EPFL quality education without going through the traditional academic path and is accessible to all. The Extension School inspired by MOOCS and aims to train students on crucial themes of digital technologies: data science, development, cybersecurity and algorithms.
As Rémi Sabonnadière, a member of the EPFL Extension School’s management team, explains, “The Extension School was created with the stated objective of enabling all job profiles to acquire the skills needed for a successful career in a continuous development world of work. Companies come to us because they want to succeed in their digital transition. To achieve this, they need to train their employees in these technologies, which are far more accessible than many people think and bring value at all levels. »
Democratization of knowledge
Rémi Sabonnadière points out the crux of the problem: “Many companies have created very advanced innovation departments, for example. But they sometimes work in their own corner, i.e. the rest of the employees do not necessarily understand their job and their added value. In order to integrate and benefit from all new discoveries and innovations, a company must train its employees in new technologies. » The challenge of this online training is therefore to give everyone digital skills. “These are practical courses to apply these technologies. We are open to everyone since there are no university prerequisites.” In fact, learners are between 14 and 70 years old. The average age is 40.
Unlike the MOOCS – which have been offered at EPFL since 2012 – the Extension School offers much more intense and personalized courses, i.e. from at least 100 hours until to 450 hours and for all levels, beginners, intermediate and advanced. According to a subscription model, a program costs between CHF 300 and 490 per month. “The fastest ones complete it in two months, but on average it takes between 4 and 12 months to complete the training, according to the time spent and the level of training,”points out Rémi Sabonnadière.
Everyone organizes themselves as they see fit and is coached by video chat instructors to ask questions, solve problems or pass a level. Some of the Extension School’s programs grant 15 ECTS credits and deliver an official EPFL diploma at a ceremony on the Lausanne campus. All courses are regularly iterated according to new tools and practices, another considerable advantage of e-learning.
