During the competition, at least one team member should participate in each of the online trainings. You don’t want to miss these trainings because i) they’re really interesting and ii) the "Quality of Your Project" part of your project evaluation is based, in part, on the number of team members at each training. The exact time of these trainings will be decided after the teams in the competition are identified. In this way, we can try to chose a time that is reasonable for all participating time zones.
1. Introduction to the Competition: 22 February, 14:00 CET.
This training outlines i) general instructions for the teams (requirements, team composition), ii) evaluation criteria, iii) online trainings (including upcoming assignments), and iv) intellectual property rights. Then, a Breakout session of 15 minutes where student groups (made of people from different teams) discuss their experiences with upscaling or downscaling a food supply chain to a regional or national level. Each group will identify studies/events/papers of interest relating to upscaling or downscaling a food supply chain to a national or regional level. Groups then present their short list of one to three best practices on this topic. Finally, all students complete the online Self-Assessment Begin.
Watch the recording:
2. Student Presentation: 8 March, 14:00 CET.
At least one member of each team gives a maximum 5-minute presentation on a practical experience they have related to the competition topic e.g., an internship, a visit to a company/farm/processing center, a volunteer activity. If no one on the team has had any practical experience in the past, then at least one team member must arrange to do or visit something related to the topic.
Watch the recording:
3. “Virtual Visit”: 20 March, 14:00 CET.
Two or three case studies that are best practice examples of upscaling or downscaling a food supply chain to a national or regional level are chosen by the competition organizers based on student suggestions from week 1. This might be filmed beforehand, or be a ppt presentation, or be a live visit. Student groups will prepare a question or comment for each best practice visit and participate in a Reflection Session where the focus is applying these best practices to student projects.
Watch the recording:
4. Project Review: Between 25 March an 5 April 2023 (30 min/team).
Each team meets individually (to keep their solution a secret and thus keep the spirit of a competition) for 30 minutes with 2 members of the Advisory Board and/or organizers in order to review progress and pose questions. Teams come to the Project Review with some slides outlining their project.
- Download the Template for the Final Report
- Download the Instructions for the Final Presentation
- Reflection Session 4
5. Soft Skills: 12 April, 14:00 CEST
Here we do a practical session on the “elevator pitch”. Students identify what is essential to explain their project in under 1 minute and they tell this to the group. Soft skills e.g., giving a strong presentation, are the focus. Remember, the 1-minute elevator pitch is a required part of your presentation at the Final Conference.
Final Virtual Conference: 23 April, 14:00 CEST.
Some online trainings are recorded and links will provided here shortly afterwards and can be viewed on ISEKI-Food Association's YouTube channel.
