Facilitation Skills

About

The aim of this course is to equip students across disciplines and academic levels with essential facilitation skills for supporting effective group work, decision-making, co-creation, and knowledge-sharing. During the course you will develop skills in managing group dynamics, fostering mutual understanding, and creating inclusive environments to build a sense of community.

Whether you're working on group projects, leading discussions, or driving innovation, this course will give you the tools to make group work dynamic, inclusive, and effective.

The course emphasises active learning together with continuous reflection. Students will be introduced to tangible best-practice facilitation methods that they will experience both as facilitators and as participants. Students will first facilitate their peers in the classroom, before graduating to planning and carrying out facilitative interventions in realistic situations with real stakeholders. By the end of the course, you'll have the confidence to lead with purpose and build a sense of community in any setting.

Course leader

Xiaoqi Feng (M.A.) is a doctoral researcher at Aalto University, specializing in interdisciplinary collaboration. Her research focuses on the facilitation of interdisciplinary collaboration for knowledge co-creation, problem-solving, creativity, and innovation. Xiaoqi is also passionate about leveraging productive conflicts to facilitate impactful and transformative collaboration experiences. Previously, she was a Fellow at Harvard University, where she conducted research on collaborative learning and its implications for education and practice. Xiaoqi brings her expertise in facilitation with a deep understanding of collaboration and education. Antti Surma-aho (D.Sc.) is an Aalto University alumnus and currently works at Deloitte as a strategy consultant and researcher. Antti’s doctoral thesis focused on the role of interpersonal empathy in design work, including, for example, a study on how people advocate for new ideas in technology organizations. As part of his current work, he facilitates various company stakeholders in knowledge-sharing, mutual understanding, and decision-making, be it regarding customer trends or business strategy. Thus, Antti grasps both the scientific and the practical perspectives into facilitating group work.

Target group

Applicants to this course are expected to be currently enrolled in a Bachelor's or Master's programme. The course is primarily designed for Bachelors’ students.

Participants must have completed a high school or vocational degree or equivalent by the time the course starts. However, they do not have to be a degree student at a university to participate in our courses.

Additionally, all summer school course students must be 18 years or older, as it is the legal age in Finland.

Course aim

This course aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to facilitate effectively in diverse contexts. After the course, students will be able to:

- Describe core facilitation techniques and their applications in various contexts
- Understand the relevance and purposes of facilitation and the role of the facilitator
- Identify and apply strategies for managing group dynamics and promote engagement and participation
- Demonstrate facilitation skills through real-world practice, including managing time guiding discussions, and handling conflicts
- Evaluate themselves as facilitators in terms of promoting inclusive, participatory, and productive group interactions
- Facilitate with confidence and empathy

Fee info