According to the jury, Tulpesh Patel, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Technology, Art and Design, “has distinguished himself as a driving force in connecting students with real-world challenges in industry. By developing and leading the courses under the umbrella ‘Practical IT Project,’ the candidate has not only fulfilled but gone far beyond the requirements of his job description.”
“Congratulations on the prize! How did you react when you got the news?”
“My first thought was: “Have they made a mistake?” I don’t know if I’ve done anything to deserve such a prize.”
We should try to break down the divide between theory and practice in all subjects where it’s possible—then the students’ learning outcomes will be greater.”– Tulpesh Patel
“Tell us about your project!”
“It began with one course for five students who were to gain practical experience before writing their bachelor’s thesis. Then it grew from there. Now we have nine different courses under a common umbrella, and each semester we run 20 collaborative projects with industry—both start-ups and established companies. Around 100 engineering and computer science students take the courses each year.”
“And you thought you didn’t deserve a prize?”
“No, I’m just doing my job. And it’s been great fun!”
“What feedback do you get from students and project partners?”
“I’m very pleased with the feedback. Students appreciate working on real projects and gaining work experience, with good support around them. As for project partners, many offer projects again later. However, since we also collaborate with many start-ups, some naturally drop out over time.”
“Who are you, apart from your job?”
“I was born in the United Kingdom to Indian parents and moved to Norway because of my wife, who is Norwegian. We have two children and live in Lørenskog. I enjoy running, and when it fits with the kindergarten drop-off, I run to work.”
“How far is that?”
“16.5 kilometers. It’s exercise, alone time, and thinking time.”
“What else do you enjoy doing?”
“I love food and often bring things I’ve cooked to work. Recently I made caramelized funnel chanterelles. You could have had a taste, but it was all gone yesterday. And I enjoy being outdoors! I pick mushrooms and go walking in the forest. I also have an agreement with my wife that I sleep outside in a tent or hammock every week, if we can make it work. Sometimes I bring the kids along.”
“What drives your engagement?”
“My field is neuropsychology, but I’m passionate about teaching and pedagogics. In technical subjects, solving technological problems is one thing; trying to create a better society is another. One of the ideas behind ‘Practical IT Project’ is that if you gain experience from real projects, you also become more critical of the technology surrounding us.”
“Why, do you think?”
“When you join a project as a newcomer, you might inherit poor code or documentation that needs to be interpreted, cleaned up, or maybe even discarded before progress can be made. Some project providers don’t have a technical background themselves, but they want a technical solution. Then students must immerse themselves in the client’s world, understand their needs, and ask the right questions. For example: Everyone wants a chatbot solution these days, but do they need one?”
“Which advice would you give others?”
“I would encourage teachers to support any initiative that gets students into practical training. This applies not only to subjects where practice is already an obvious part of the study program. We should try to break down the divide between theory and practice in all subjects where it’s possible—then the students’ learning outcomes will be greater.”
