Course Research-based Innovation at Arts

Course description

The purpose of the course is for Arts PhD students to explore how their research could lead to new products, services or concepts that can create meaningful impacts outside of academia, including social and/or economic benefits. In turn, how can Arts research inform how we do innovation work and the business/organisational practices we undertake?

The format is driven by case work where students will develop a concrete innovation/impact project related to their own research. This can be a direct extension of their own PhD project or a different project that stems from their general research area.

The course is offered via a collaboration among the AU Faculty of Arts, the AU Distinguished Senior Innovator program, and AU Kitchen (innovation hub).

Aim/Learning outcomes

Through three consecutive course days, participants will work theoretically and practically with this material from an innovation perspective, producing a concrete innovation project proposal. During the final day, candidates will pitch their innovation projects for representatives from Kitchen, Aarhus University’s innovation hub.

The course will take place at Kitchen, where participants will also be introduced to additional innovation resources across Denmark and the EU.

Day 1 Innovation in theory and practice

The purpose of the first day is to explore what Arts-based innovation can be, explore case studies and begin work with individual innovation projects. The first day will include readings related to innovation and Arts research (see below) and practical exercises related to moving from research to innovation by identifying innovation potential in their own research. 

Morning activities: 

• Intro to Arts innovation concepts, theories, benefits, and challenges
• Intro to Kitchen and innovation support at AU
• Existing examples of Arts innovation projects, including guest mini-lectures from Arts researchers working with innovation

Afternoon activities:

• Participants explore innovation potential in their research project
• Intro to an adapted version of business model canvas to explore potential partners and business models

Day 2 Developing you innovation project

The purpose of this day is for participants to work with their individual project. This will be mediated through mini-workshops facilitated by Kitchen staff, building on their established Toolbox, including: 

• Mature your Idea. How to assess innovation potential and which steps to take to mature the idea.
• Startup essentials. Creating a business and defining value creation.
• Connecting with partners. Identifying and connecting with partners in your project.

This day will also include a session on innovation-related funding opportunities.

Morning activities:

• Working with value creation and identifying potential partners.

Afternoon activities:

• Funders and funding
• Preparing pitch 

Day 3 Pitch day

The purpose of the day is participants to pitch their idea for representatives from Kitchen and DSIs. Participants are asked to follow a scaled down format of the InnoExplorer call which offers funding for researchers to explore innovation potential in their research. Each participant pitches for 10 min and is given feedback in terms of how the project could be strengthened further. 

Morning activities:

• Further pitch preparation

Afternoon activities:

• All participants pitch their innovation project
• Summary and evaluation

Target group/Participants

• The course is designed for PhD students enrolled at Danish universities who consider themselves conducting humanities/arts research. Students at all phases of the PhD process (early to late) are welcome.

Workload

• Course/ teaching hours: 20 hours
• Preparation hours: 15 hours
  • o Complete assigned readings in advance of the course
• Written assignments etc.: 15 hours

To receive ECTS-credits and a certificate of completion for the course, participantes are required to:

1. Submit a one-page description of their research (prior to the course start)
2. Submit initial reflections of half to one page on the innovation potentials they see in this research (prior to the course start)
3. Participate in all three course days (including preparing and presenting a pitch during teaching hours)
4. Upload their pitch slides, revised based on feedback, along with a 1-page reflection about learnings and insights from innovation design process to the course Brightspace site (within one week of the end of the course).

Language 

• English

Lecturers

• Christian Dindler, Associate Professor, Department of Digital Design and Information Studies, School of Communication and Culture, Aarhus University
• Heather Anne Swanson, Professor, Department of Anthropology, School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University
• Staff from AU Kitchen

Literature

Full literature list will be circulated after enrolment. Examples of literature include:

• Gulbrandsen, Magnus, and Siri Aanstad. "Is innovation a useful concept for arts and humanities research?." Arts and Humanities in Higher Education 14, no. 1 (2015): 9-24.
• Bloch, C. W., Fuglsang, S., Graversen, E. K., Norn, M.-T., Schäfer Bak, M., & Pedersen, A. V. (2024). Commercialization of research from the social sciences, humanities and arts (SSHA) at universities: A scoping study: Existing insight and current practices . CFA Scientific Reports, 15(2), 1–33.
• Fisher, E., 2019. Engaging the micro-foundations of responsible innovation: integration of social sciences and humanities with research and innovation practices. In International Handbook on Responsible Innovation (pp. 194-210). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Venue

AU Kitchen, Universitetsbyen 76, 8000 Aarhus CBuilding 1860, Room TBA

Course dates:

• 09 September 2026 09:30 - 16:00
• 10 September 2026 09:00 - 16:00
• 11 September 2026 09:00 - 15:30