The NICE Programme will begin with an onboarding period that will take place over three weeks, from the week of 2 March until the week of 16 March 2026. During this period, students will get access to the online platform and should be able to commit up to three hours throughout the week to meet their teams, decide on a regular meeting time for the duration of the programme and have their first facilitated meeting. Students are also expected to attend an official kick-off event during the second week of the onboarding period.
The NICE Programme, consisting of four phases happening over 12 weeks, will take place between 23 March - 14 June 2026. During this period, students will take part in online modules where they will gain knowledge necessary to complete the programme, submit exercises necessary to advance to the next phase, participate in facilitated group meetings, and work on their business idea with their team members. The final event will take place the week after the students finish their modules and groups submit their business ideas.
Teamwork is central to the programme. Your team will be self-managed, meaning that you and your team members will have to discuss and agree how you plan to work together. You will also have to resolve any potential challenges and conflicts. While this process may seem challenging, it is also rewarding, and learning, development and growth are guaranteed.
Each team will be assigned a peer mentor, a student who has completed the NICE programme in the previous year. The mentor will not lead or coordinate your team's activity, but will provide necessary guidance throughout the programme as well as feedback on your ideas and progress.
You will challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and question what you think you know about yourself and others, put your skills to the test, and discover what truly motivates you, where your boundaries are, what roles you gravitate towards in a team, where your strengths and weaknesses lie, and much more!