From theory to practice, day one!
Logistics education? Often dry and theoretical, far from practice. At BUAS, however, students play an active role in fictional companies from day one — with Odoo as the digital backbone. Lecturer Irene Meeuwesen explains how integrating Odoo has renewed her teaching practice, and how, since then, students have been developing their logistics skills with more enthusiasm, insight, and results. "The more students do themselves, the more they remember," says Irene. "With Odoo, we can take a hands-on approach from day one."
Irene wants to provide her students with an ongoing Odoo experience. For now, only the freshmen have started working with the software. In subsequent years, they will build on that foundation and deepen their knowledge until their internship in the third year.
Discover the Odoo education program!
ERP in action: How Odoo is deployed
First sketch: Learning processes and tastes
A pizza company is used as an entry-level model. Students learn the basics of ERP here, as well as how to solve problems, collaborate, and find creative solutions. They adapt processes and develop themselves.
"When first-year students are already working ahead to the second year, I know they're fully engaged. Their involvement helps me constantly improve the course." —Irene
Own project, own rules
One year later, everything is different.
No more pizza company. There is no existing structure to fall back on. Just an empty system — and an ambitious plan: to build a new company in the engine business. They started from scratch, making everything themselves: products, processes, and personnel. Odoo is no longer just an exercise tool; it's their digital construction site.
They learn how everything is connected: inventory, production, planning, and HR. Every decision counts. Those who thought ERP was boring now see how lively it can be.
Ready to make a difference?
By the time they start their internship in their third year, they have evolved. They are no longer beginners, but problem solvers. At their internship company, they work with real people and real processes — often without Odoo. That doesn't deter them. They install, set up, and use the system to make the company smarter.
They started with pizza. They will end up as advisors, making an impact.
Why Odoo?
Before switching to Odoo, the training program used other ERP tools. In theory, these were sufficient, but in practice, they had many limitations. The databases required extensive maintenance, the steps were rigid, and there was little room for experimentation. Students had to follow rather than discover things for themselves.
The visual structure was also far from intuitive. The overview was lacking, and both teachers and students often got stuck. The tools inhibited rather than stimulated learning. It was time for a change.
Odoo brought about the turnaround. The user-friendly, visually appealing platform allows students to get started quickly, even without prior knowledge. Students work in their own database, experiment freely, and learn by doing. Making mistakes is allowed. In fact, it's part of the process. Odoo's flexible design makes complex processes understandable. Students gain an overview and insight into their own approach, as well as confidence. What about guidance? There's plenty of that via documentation, tutorials, and the Odoo help desk.
Moreover, each group starts with a blank database. There are no risks or failures, only a safe space to build, test, and discover on your own. It's exactly what you need to learn how to work with ERP.
More insight, more initiative
Since switching to Odoo, Irene has noticed a striking change in her students. They start working faster, understand business processes, and take more ownership. They tackle the assignments with more motivation and creativity.
Groups form naturally, and students spontaneously take on different roles, complementing each other spontaneously. During group sessions, they present their results to each other directly in their database. This exchange provides inspiration and a healthy dose of competition.
What strikes Irene the most? The initiative. Students think further and actively seek solutions — sometimes even ones she herself had not yet considered.
Smoothly integrated in the curriculum
The integration of Odoo into the curriculum went surprisingly smoothly. Thanks to her background in business software, Irene was able to move quickly. However, the real challenge wasn't the technology. That was manageable. Most of the work went into devising assignments and learning objectives that truly reflected real-world practice.
Today, Odoo is fully embedded in the learning process, from group assignments to internships. The good news is that you don't have to be an ERP specialist to get started. Thanks to extensive documentation, tutorials, and the Odoo help desk, even new teachers can quickly start using it and add their own touches.
"Odoo is perfect for courses that want to introduce students to business processes and ERP in an approachable way. It's easy to implement, flexible, and intuitive — and it allows you to tailor the learning environment to your students' learning goals."
Quick recap
At BUAS, Odoo is used as a powerful tool that turns logistics education into an engaging, hands-on experience. From day one, students immerse themselves in running fictional companies and gain practical ERP experience. The program fosters problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity, transforming theory into practical skills. This inspiring approach prepares students to confidently tackle real-world business challenges.
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