Each year, TBS Education offers its students a unique experience blending innovation and professional development: the Hackathon. For the 2024 edition, MSc Data Science & Artificial Intelligence and MSc Digital Transformation & Business Innovation program students worked on the theme: “Generative AI for Wellness: Personalizing Pierre Fabre Solutions.” This event perfectly illustrates TBS Education’s commitment to preparing students to address contemporary challenges while combining academic knowledge with practical application.
A Strategic Partnership for an Innovative Challenge
To professionalize its students, TBS Education collaborates with renowned industry partners through its Hackathon. This year, Microsoft and Pierre Fabre bring their expertise to provide a professionally enriching experience for the students.
Microsoft is the educational partner for the event, introducing its generative AI tool, Copilot Studio, to enable students to create innovative solutions. The company is also providing expert staff to provide technical support.
Pierre Fabre, a key actor in the healthcare sector, is taking on the role of client by proposing a concrete problem, data, and technical support for the event.
‘Pierre Fabre is already a partner of TBS Education and, specifically these days, our company is a partner of this hackathon which, for us, is part of an inter-partner approach as Microsoft is our technical partner and TBS Education is one of our academic partners.’ Clara THIBAULT.
The Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence & Business Analytics will also be taking part. This is a real asset for students, enhancing both their professional and academic experience.
‘The Centre of Excellence in AI and Business Analytics is TBS Education’s reference point for the development of training, multidisciplinary research and collaboration around artificial intelligence, mainly involving teachers, students and numerous industrial and academic partners. This Hackathon specifically highlights the current theme of generative AI, in collaboration with Microsoft and Pierre Fabre, offering students a concrete opportunity to acquire practical skills and come face to face with the realities of the field.’ TCHUENTE Dieudonné, TBS Education Professor-researcher
Hands-On Learning with Generative AI
The main objective is to immerse students in a concrete and stimulating professional environment, while offering them skills that can be deployed on the job market.
Students explore the use of generative AI to produce solutions adapted to contemporary issues, the structuring and exploitation of data to feed artificial intelligence, and the creation of a product or service that meets the needs of an entrepreneurial client. This approach enables them to gain first-hand experience, which is essential for their future careers.
‘We proposed various themes and in the end it was a marketing and consumer- focused theme that was chosen, as it was the most in tune with the different classes present today. We also made data available to the students and provided support during the hackathon through coaching, not technological support, but rather around data.’ Clara THIBAULT
Hackathon program
The Hackathon 2024 was held from 9 to 13 December in Toulouse, on the TBS Education campus. This intensive program combines masterclasses, working sessions and final presentations in front of a panel of experts.
Day 1: Inspiration
The first day allows students to attend talks on technological trends and market challenges, followed by a presentation of the issues by Pierre Fabre. A masterclass led by Microsoft on the principles of generative AI and the use of Copilot Studio, followed by a fun integration session, is also offered to the students.
Day 2: Ideation
Teams dive into the world of prompt engineering through workshops and mentorship provided by Microsoft and Pierre Fabre. They begin crafting their prototypes, exploring innovative solutions aligned with the provided data.
Day 3: Execution
On the third day, students test their low-fidelity prototypes, guided by expert mentors and TBS faculty, ensuring a solid foundation for their solutions.
Day 4: Validation
During the validation phase, students test their prototypes with potential clients and gather feedback to refine their solutions. They also receive training on pitching techniques to effectively present their projects.
Day 5: Pitch Day
The final day culminates in project presentations before a jury comprising representatives from TBS Education, Microsoft, and Pierre Fabre. This step showcases students’ ability to address real-world challenges with innovative solutions.
An enriching experience
In addition to the academic aspect of the event, students also benefit from a highly professionalising experience, working with companies such as Microsoft and Pierre Fabre, and participating in the resolution of a real issue.
‘What I got out of this event was the energy of students, their understanding and interpretation of the subjects. They bring a lot of new approaches to the issues and come up with solutions that are off the beaten track. This freshness provides me with an enriching experience, both from a marketing point of view and from the approach, and, finally, from the perspective of data processing and how that data can be used. It also helps, and I say this with a lot of conviction, to strengthen their resumes, because, in a few days, they have a concrete case to think about, and that is valued by employers. It takes them away from theory and brings them back to a practical level, where they are faced with a customer. I think it’s also a good way for them to get their first real-life experience. ‘ Clara THIBAULT
Conclusion
By leveraging real-world tools and challenges, the TBS Education Hackathon stands out as a pivotal step in shaping future professionals. It reflects the school’s educational philosophy: blending academic excellence, technological innovation, and real-world immersion.
This unique experience offers students much more than an academic project—it equips them to tackle the challenges of their future careers with confidence and expertise.
The Hackathon is part of one of TBS Education’s main objectives, which is to professionalise its students and strengthen its links with renowned companies by proposing solutions adapted to their needs.
This unique experience offers students much more than just an academic project: it prepares them to meet future professional challenges with confidence and expertise.
For more information:
What is the Universeh Winter School?
UNIVERSEH is a European project co-financed by the Erasmus+ Program. Under the coordination of the University of Toulouse, TBS Education is part of the alliance alongside 4 universities (University of Luxembourg, Heinrich Heine University Dusseldorf, Luleå University of Technology and AGH University of Science and Technology Krakow). The project aims to foster student employability by providing them mobility opportunities and innovative pedagogical tools in order to develop their skills in line with the spatial labor market needs.
The Artic Winter School was a 6-day event (February 27th to March 4th) organized by Luleå University of Technology at the Kiruna campus in Sweden. Lectures, workshops, study visits and conviviality moments rhythmed the schedule focused on climate change and the space field in the Arctic region. Students with various background came to Kiruna from the 5 universities of the alliance to exchange and learn about these subjects.
INTERVIEW WITH LISA DE PAOLI & CORENTIN GUILLAUME
TBS Education joined the UNIVERSEH Arctic Winter School by sending two students on the Master in Management Program. Meet Lisa & Corentin and learn more about their experience at Kiruna and at Luleå University.
LISA DE PAOLI
“My name is Lisa de Paoli, I’m 22 years old and I’m in my gap year at TBS Education. After two years of preparatory classes I joined TBS Education in L3 and I continued in the Audit DSCG course.”
CORENTIN GUILLAUME
“Hello, I’m Corentin and I’m currently in a gap year. I have done 2 years of preparatory class before TBS Education and my second semester of Master 1 in the US.
I’m currently in Paris doing an internship and will be back in Toulouse in September 2023.”
How did you hear about this opportunity? Had you heard of UNIVERSEH before?
Corentin: “In November 2022, I received an email saying “Opportunity for Sweden” or something like that. Although I am usually drowned with email from school this one drew my attention. It was the first time I heard about UNIVERSEH. Quickly after receiving this email, I checked the project’s website and thought it was very interesting.”
What were your motivations to apply to this program and how is it complementary with your main area of studies?
Lisa & Corentin: “Our main motivations were to discover the Arctic, its northern lights and meet international students. It was a very enriching week from a personal and professional point of view. It allowed us to develop our knowledge about the Arctic region and to develop our critical point of view on several subjects.”
How would you describe your experience?
Corentin: “You will have stars in your eyes. And I think we can really say it. The landscape was amazing, snow everywhere, northern lights every single night.”
Can you tell us a small anecdote concerning your time in Kiruna?
Lisa & Corentin: “The day after our arrival, we suddenly left the dinner to rush outside and see our first aurora borealis. To admire them better, we decided to make a small hike on the Kiruna Mountain. The climb took more than 2 hours, we had lost the way and the wind was getting colder and colder. Finally, we arrived at the top and could admire the northern lights without light pollution. This moment was completely magic.”
Are you planning to remain involved in the UNIVERSEH project and will you be keeping in touch with the Winter School crew?
Lisa: “I hope! We still have an oral to take and a quiz to complete. But I hope to somehow stay in touch with the students and the school!”