How do you make students care? Leveraging empathy-driven innovation at the University of Galway

The University of Galway continues to elevate the conversation around empathy and innovation through its ground-breaking initiatives. Dr. Natalie Walsh, Director of Entrepreneurial Development and Co-Lead of Patient and Public Involvement in Research and Innovation, shared insights into her work during an in-depth discussion for our podcast.

The genesis of the Empathy Studio

The Empathy Studio was born out of a government call for innovative risk-taking projects four years ago. Recognising the need for a fundamentally new approach, the team at the University of Galway sought to immerse students deeply in the empathy stage of their problem-solving process. The aspiration was to help students truly understand and align with the lived experiences of the people whose problems they were trying to solve. This initiative was inspired by the BioInnovate Ireland program, which uses immersion in clinical settings as a foundational step.

Methodologies and the role of industry

The Empathy Studio employs several techniques to bring these experiences closer to students. Although technology like virtual reality and medical-grade simulations are integral, the Studio’s focus remains predominantly on human simulation — including role-playing and forum theatre. This approach helps elevate students’ communication skills and their understanding of the problems at hand.

One notable collaboration is with Boston Scientific, a partnership that emerged during COVID-19 and has continued to expand. From initial virtual challenges—like simulating a nurse’s pre-surgery preparation—involving holding hands in freezing water for nine minutes, to more complex sustainability issues, the partnership has proven mutually beneficial. The structured approach, aligning with the UIIN engagement framework, has allowed efficient and impactful industry engagement.

They have also collaborated with Boston Scientific and Synthesis Medical, focusing on the stoma market. Through activities like wearing a colostomy bag, interviewing patients, and navigating simulated clinical settings, students could map empathy and stakeholder involvement in detail. This exposure to real-world perspectives fundamentally altered their solution directions, making them more human-centric and commercially viable.

Addressing human skills

Empathy Studio’s approach to integrating “human” or “soft skills” underscores the critical importance of empathy in innovation. With technological advancements and AI increasingly influencing professional landscapes, innovation now requires a unique blend of advanced technological understanding and deep human empathy. Tools like ChatGPT offer efficiencies but require critical thinking to manage correctly.

Measuring empathy and impact

Evaluating the effectiveness of empathy-driven programs is challenging but essential. Initially, standard tools focused on social empathy were used. However, to tailor these evaluations to innovation contexts, the team explored frameworks like Entrecomp, identifying sport-specific empathy questions among its 442 learning outcomes. More recently, they have been exploring the Jefferson Scale of Empathy, which is used widely in clinical settings. This exploration underscores their commitment to refining their evaluation methodology continuously.

Future directions

Empathy’s role extends beyond education into the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem in Ireland. With an increasing number of institutions focusing on human-centered design, programs like the Stanford BioDesign initiative, and empathy-focused national initiatives such as the Innovator’s Initiative, the University of Galway’s approach is well-aligned with broader industry trends. Projects like these not only transform education but also have the potential to address broader societal challenges, reducing extremities and fostering a more empathetic society.

Conclusion

Empathy is increasingly recognised as a critical component for successful innovation and entrepreneurship. The University of Galway, through initiatives like the Empathy Studio, underscores the transformative power of understanding and incorporating human experiences into problem-solving. As Dr. Walsh eloquently summarises, effective innovation in our rapidly changing world will rely heavily on our ability to blend technological prowess with heightened human skills. Through thoughtful industry collaboration, innovative teaching methods, and rigorous evaluation, the Empathy Studio stands as a beacon of empathy-driven innovation.

Ready for more?

In our podcast episode, Future-ready students: The transformative impact of industry-integrated courses, we explore the student-centred project from the School of Engineering at Jönköping University in collaboration with Husqvarna.

In our article Leading with EDI: The role of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the future university, we examine the pressing concerns of exclusion, inequity and lack of diversity in today’s universities and why they must accelerate their efforts to address them.

Elena Galan-Muros is the Audiovisual Producer at UIIN.