What is a project on Riipen?
A project is a problem or an area of opportunity for a business that learners can help provide value to. Employers looking to collaborate with learners can connect with educators by creating a project describing their business needs. Projects are posted to the marketplace on Riipen, where they can be requested by educators. They can also be submitted directly to experiences.
Requesting projects
Once your experience is published, you can send requests to employers to have your learners work on their project. Employers can also send requests by submitting projects to your experience. A request must be accepted or declined within 21 days. When browsing the marketplace, you can browse by subject category and location.
Before requesting projects or accepting requests from employers:
Review the company’s profile. While project pages contain a short description about the company, reviewing a company’s profile can provide you with more context that otherwise wouldn’t be available by just reading the project. To go to a company’s profile, click on the company name or logo in the top-left corner of any project page. Here, you’ll find details about the organization, as well as a link to their website.
Read feedback provided by previous learners. Companies who have previously completed projects through Riipen will often have reviews completed by learners that they collaborated with. To read the feedback for any company, go to their profile and click on the feedback tab on the left-hand menu.
Matching with a project
To tap into Riipen's network potential, educators and employers must emphasize transparency and a mutual passion for cooperation.
Step 1: Assess the match request
Take a few minutes to review the project scope presented by the industry partner which is usually 2-3 minutes of reading. By investing a small amount of time upfront, you can make informed decisions and avoid committing to projects that may not be the right fit.
Before committing to a project, it is important to have a phone or video call with the employer to discuss the suitability of their project. Examples of topics to discuss with the educator:
Does the project meet the needs of the experience's learning objectives and fit within the learners' abilities? If not, you can propose changes, or you can mutually agree on a revised project scope.
What resources will learners need to get started? Confirm if you need learners to sign any paperwork? Is an NDA needed?
What is the timeline for the project and is it suitable for the number of hours required?
What is the expected level of communication? How often will learners be contacting the employer, and how quickly are they expected to reply to learner enquiries?
If both parties decide to work together, the request recipient can accept the request. Click the inbox icon at the top-right corner of your screen to view any pending requests.
Step 2: Be responsive
Strive to reply to match requests within 3-5 days, showcasing your commitment to the partnership and honoring the industry partner's time. To streamline communication, consider using match request automated messages. These automated messages can inform employers of your response time, share program details, and avoid retyping for each new request, ensuring efficient communication.
Step 3: Manage your match requests
Responding within 3-5 days is advised, but it's not the same as finalizing a partnership. Typically, you have 21 days to update a match's status before it expires. If a request nears expiration and you're still considering it, you can extend its deadline. You also have the option to increase the 21-day limit for all your new requests. If more than 3 requests expire without an update (e.g., pending to accepted/declined), this will signal inactivity to the platform, leading to automatic page closure. To prevent unintended closure, make sure to avoid letting requests expire.
What if this isn't a good match?
When an industry partner expresses interest in collaborating with you, it's important to acknowledge their match request with gratitude. However, in some cases, the project may not align with your current goals or capacities. If this is the case, it is essential to decline the match on the platform promptly. Use the available 21-day window to make a decision and provide a courteous note to the industry partner. Be honest and transparent, stating that the project doesn't align with your current objectives. This gesture of respect will help maintain a positive relationship, leaving the door open for future opportunities.
How can I assess if the request is a good fit?
When a match appears promising, seize the opportunity to engage in conversation. Riipen offers seamless integration with popular video conferencing tools like Zoom and Google Meet! These integrations allow you to schedule and conduct meetings with ease, providing a more immersive and interactive collaboration experience.
Riipen support
Remember, the Riipen support team is here to help you navigate and maximize these partnership opportunities. They can assist you in setting up automated messages, extending the 21-day match period, and implementing strategic screening questions.
Reach out to your dedicated Experience Consultant or contact academicsupport@riipen.com to learn more. Together, let's build strong relationships that benefit students and industry partners alike.