IEU Labs recently celebrated another successful year with a closing ceremony at IE Tower. This was the Labs’ eleventh year and with a current count of 18 different Labs, the initiative is stronger than ever.
IEU Labs offers students the opportunity to have what for many is their first experience of the professional world. Through practical projects, participants build their professional skills and extend their network. Working with highly experienced tutors and mentors, students gain interdisciplinary knowledge as they work on solving challenges for real clients. Labs are aimed at 1st and 2nd year students, but anyone is welcome.
Students can choose from a host of Labs depending on their specific interests. From consultancy labs like the Behavior Lab and the Innovation Lab to social project labs like the Sustainability Lab, there’s something for everyone.
The Labs run from January until June, and students make a commitment of around 4-6 hours per week for the first five months. Then in June, following final exams, there is an intensive period where students attend for four hours per day. The Labs culminate in a closing ceremony, where groups present their work from the year and the winners are announced.
This year’s ceremony split participants into two groups. Within each group, winners were named for best video and best presentation, before an overall winner was announced for each category.
In the first group, the contenders for best video were the Madrid Communication Lab, the Legal Clinic, the Strategy Lab and the Econ Datalab. The Madrid Communication Lab was crowned the winner for its video, which showcased the diverse projects it was involved in this year. These included collaborations with Canterano, a Madrid-based design and decoration company; Cose Madrid, a creative space dedicated to sewing; and La Turulita, a Mexican restaurant in Madrid.
In the first group in the presentation category were the Finance Lab, the Policy Lab, the Social Impact Lab and the Madrid Marketing & Consumer Insights Lab. Each had prepared their own presentation summarizing the work they had done since January. The winners in the category were the Marketing & Consumer Insights Lab. This year, they have worked on a number of impactful projects, developing marketing strategies for companies including Amoami, an association that supports Ukrainian refugees through crocheting.
The evening then moved on to the second groups in both categories. The best video in this group was by the Segovia Communication Lab, which was up against the Segovia Marketing & Consumer Insights Lab, the Entertainment Lab and the Segovia Slow Fashion Lab. The winning video was unique, with the information presented in the form of a song performed by the team. One of the Lab’s clients this year was Gimnástica Segoviana, a football club based in Segovia.
Last but not least, the second group vying for best presentation was made up of the Madrid Slow Fashion Lab, the D(esign) Lab, the Tech Lab and the Innovation Lab. As with all of the groups, it was stiff competition, but the Tech Lab came out on top. They addressed the concept of “technophobia” and considered how we can stay in control at a time when technology is rapidly developing. Some of the real-life challenges they worked on this year were related to cybersecurity, for banking giant Santander, and sentiment analysis for TikTok.
Following the announcement of the four winners, it was time to announce the overall winners for the two categories. Best video went to the Madrid Communication Lab, while best presentation was awarded to the Tech Lab.
Congratulations to all the participants and winners, and thank you to everyone involved in this year’s IEU Labs. We’re looking forward to seeing what happens next year!
