Students, faculty, shop managers and administrators from around the world gathered at the University of Derby in the UK for an exciting Make Impact Consortium Bootcamp on June 3-7, 2019. Participants from Derby University (UK), University of Fontys (the Netherlands), Applied Sciences University (Jordan), AL-Ahliyya Amman University (Jordan), and Station Houston Incubator (USA) had fun learning how to navigate the challenges of creating a successful makerspace at a university.
Led by MIT Project Manus and the University of Derby, the participants of the bootcamp, through a combination of hands-on making, tours, discussions, role playing and peer-learning, came together to design a makerspace that would excite and engage student makers around the world. The diversity present from four different countries and from students to faculty enriched the experience for everyone in the bootcamp and reinforced the importance of understanding the local culture and needs before setting out to build a makerspace.
Here is what the participants had to say about the bootcamp:
“Thank you all again for such a marvelous week of ideas, inspiration, imagination, iteration, integration, and implementation. I truly enjoyed getting the chance to meet you and learn more about your awesome work.”
Christine, Station Houston (USA)
“It has been a great opportunity to network with other universities, … and what we have learnt in a condensed way during this week, we can bring that knowledge back to our universities!”
Alberto, Applied Sciences University (Jordan)
“The best part was the chance to learn to use all the machines in a Makerspace — laser cutter, 3D printer, CNC mill, sewing machine, vinyl cutter, thermoforming, and the various hand tools. Thank you to all the instructors for making us learn in a really interesting, fun, and dynamic way!”
Valeria, University of Derby (UK)
“Professor Marty Culpepper’s main message was: it is not about the machines in a room but the community created around it that makes a successful makerspace!”
Jort, University of Fontys (The Netherlands)