University Courses
Higher Education, Grounded in the Real World
My university courses are designed to mirror the complexity of real life & real work.
Students don’t learn innovation, leadership, or creativity in the abstract — they practice it through vulnerable dialogue, live design challenges & concrete dilemmas drawn from organizations & society.
Theory matters, but only when it helps students act more wisely in the world they are about to enter.
Inside-Out Learning: Before We Go Outward, We Go Inward
Every course follows the same underlying model: inner work before outer impact.
Students explore self-awareness, emotional intelligence, authenticity, values, identity, presence & attention before applying tools to teams, organizations & systems.
The aim is to develop not just capable professionals, but grounded humans who understand why they act before deciding how to act.
“Your course was deeply transformative for me. It reignited the motivation that first led me to study medicine. It helped me reconnect with my creativity, my values, and who I am as a person — not just as a student filling a role. The course strengthened my ability to think independently, practice empathy, and truly see patients as human beings rather than diagnoses. I believe the course fills a critical and previously unmet need in medical education and should be protected and expanded.”
Danielle-Arlene Bendiksen
Doctor of Medicine
University of Bergen - School of Medicine
“Working with Fede over the years has had a huge influence on me. Through his mentoring, I’ve been able to launch my startup with far greater confidence and momentum. Taking his course twice and serving as a Teaching Asst. gave me a closer look at how he teaches and how genuinely he invests in people. Beyond the classroom, he has supported me through many one-on-ones and encouraged me to use his other classes as real-world laboratories for my ideas. He consistently challenged me while creating trust. What stands out most is how deeply he cares: the mentoring doesn’t stop when the course ends.”
Minh Kenny Nguyen
Master in Industrial Economics & Technology Management
School of Entrepreneurship
Norwegian University of Science & Technology
Teaching Where It Matters
Design thinking, leadership & personal development in Norway’s top universities for the next generation of medical doctors, technologists & managers
Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU)
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Lead this multidisciplinary course — one of the most popular on campus — open to master students from across the entire university.
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Contribute (in collaboration with Professor Martin Steinert) to this executive program through courses in creative confidence and rapid prototyping based at TrollLABS.
Norwegian School of Economics (NHH)
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Lead this intensive, five-day course based in Voss for members of the CEMS program, including international students from LSE, Cornell, ESADE, Bocconi, and Nova.
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Contribute (in collaboration with Professor Stig Tenold) to this diverse class with students from multiple continents, and help them explore self-awareness, self-management, and purpose-driven leadership.
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Contribute to this year-long, international program for master students through courses in design thinking and team dynamics.
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Contribute to this executive program through courses in innovation culture and leadership.
University of Bergen (UiB)
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Lead this intensive course offered at the Medical School for doctors, medical researchers, medical students, and healthcare practitioners.
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Lead this course based at the Physics & Technology Department. It is a requirement for Civil Engineering degrees in energy, aquaculture, marine technology, information technology and economics, data science, and medical technology.
“During the CEMS seminar, I alreaedy reazlied I was learning a lot — but goodness me, I had no idea how much! Your tips and tricks, life hacks, personal stories, and easy-to-use strategies have helped me SO much and I know these will stick with me for the rest of my life. Seeing how this has changed me and made me so much more relaxed and focused only over these couple of weeks has been mind-blowing. I feel so much more grounded, so much more ‘me’ in a way. I can only thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am beyond grateful for your insights.”
Sandrina Kenny
Senior Consultant, McKinsey & Company
Master in Economics & Business Administration
Norwegian School of Economics & CEMS
Life Skills for a Complex World
These courses look nothing like traditional university classes.
There are fewer lectures & far more conversations, experiments, reflection & embodied exercises. Students question assumptions, challenge norms & actively shape their own learning journey. While academically grounded, the focus goes well beyond grades & exams.
The aim is not to fit neatly into the system, but to gently shake it from the inside — developing presence, courage, collaboration, creative confidence & the ability to navigate uncertainty.
“This course challenged me to take a real-life step I had been avoiding: traveling alone. When plans fell apart, I found myself asking, ‘WWFD: What Would Fede Do?’ and that question pushed me into unfamiliar situations, unexpected adventures, and a growing confidence in myself. Applying life design in real life helped me understand that the challenge wasn’t about change for its own sake, but about discovering what truly gives meaning and direction to my life. The course didn’t give me answers — it gave me the courage and curiosity to start shaping my path with purpose.”
Sara Wergeland
Master of Science student in Marine Technology
University of Bergen
Studio Technician, TV 2
Engaging Young Talent Around the World
Global Universities Where I’ve Been an Invited Lecturer
Stanford University (USA)
KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology
Yeungnam University (South Korea)
University of Kyoto (Japan)
Universitat Ramon Llull (Spain)
Universidade de Vigo (Spain)
Northern (Arctic) Federal University (Russia)
University of Rijeka (Croatia)
University of Bydgoszcz (Poland)
Lodz University of Technology (Poland)
University of Münster (Germany)
Ukrainian Catholic University, Lviv
A Deeply Student-Centered Philosophy
My work is driven by one obsession: students.
I care far less about academic administration or research metrics than I do about whether students leave my courses more awake, more capable & more connected to themselves & others.
Everything is designed around their lived experience, not institutional convenience.
Learning Through Relationships, Not Distance
I invest deeply in relationships with my students. Over time, this has grown into a close teaching ecosystem, where former students return as collaborators — helping teach, support, & shape new cohorts.
Learning doesn’t end when class does. I regularly host informal gatherings with students & alumni, where conversation, reflection & shared experience often become the real classroom.
For me, education is relational before it is instructional.
