Participants are confronted with the problems and circumstances of an imaginative country. They are divided into teams that work on a 10-week case study. The teams are taught to solve problems and develop theoretical projects. The given problems are all based on real-life examples. While the participants work on their case study, they will be provided with the following methods:
- Defining the problem
- Conducting a needs study
- Analyzing data
- Generating options for possible solutions
- Conceptualization
- Writing project descriptions
- Financing a project
- Finding the right donors
- Writing project proposals
Example of an imaginative case study:
In 2009 the participants were virtually taken to a fantasy developing country, named Tansalesia *(link to radio show) and in 2010, the IISE batch was asked to visit the neighboring MALAIKA ISLANDS *(link to first Malaika radio show). Both places represented a typical developing nation with it’s beauty and it’s problems that had to be solved.
In order to define those problems well, participants had to conduct a real needs study in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
An external jury, consisting of dignitaries from the government, social entrepreneurs and activists, CEOs of local companies and industries as well as other business entrepreneurs, evaluates all the projects.
While the participants work in teams on their case study, they are required to implement their gained knowledge into their future project. The progress of the development of their social projects is regularly be monitored by the catalysts.