GENERAL INFORMATION

Please read carefully before submitting 👀 

The deadline to register your Node is November 15th 2024

 

FAB ACADEMY CYCLE 

The Fab Academy cycle comprises the Class period from mid-January to late-June, plus Final Global Evaluations, which typically run throughout July.

Fab Academy Graduation usually takes place in Late July or early August.

A detailed class schedule will be published on the website, at the end of the Application period.

SCHEDULE

- Instructors Bootcamp: week of 13-17th Jan. 2025 - Lima, Peru 

- Students Bootcamp: week of 18-20th Jan. 2025 (dates TBC)

- Class Period: Jan 22nd to June 11th, plus 1 month of Global Evaluations

 

FAB LAB REQUIREMENTS 

In order to offer the Fab Academy program, and become a Fab Academy NODE, Fab Labs must have:

- Internet connection

- A common space for students to work comfortably,

- Grant students access to the Fab Lab facilities for a minimum of 30 hrs per week

- Qualified staff: only a Fab Academy graduate can teach Fab Academy,

- All the equipment and materials listed in the Fab Academy Inventory (http://inventory.fabcloud.io/)

- Workgroup: a minimum of 2 students is recommended.

 

FAB LAB APPLICATION PROCESS 

Every Fab Lab that wants to offer Fab Academy course must fill this form in order to express consent to being added to the list of Active Nodes and to accept the conditions of the course.

- Fab Labs must fill out the form to become a Fab Academy NODE. 

- Novice Instructors must fill out an application form as well.

- Novice Instructors and new Node's applications will be reviewed by the Mentors in order to assess their suitability to offer the program > Application does not mean Acceptance automatically.

- Mentors may require extra information or documents from Labs, to ensure all the requirements are met

Fab Labs will receive an email confirmation of participation and will be added to the list of active Nodes on the website and the student's application form.

IMPORTANT 

Fab Labs that apply for the first time to offer Fab Academy must send a 1-minute video to Central Coordination of a tour to your Fab Lab and show us your workspace, the machines, material area, etc.

Submission of this application does not constitute approval as a Fab Academy node. Further information may be requested at a later date in order to complete the application process.

 

NODE AGREEMENT 

By submitting this form you accept that your Fab Lab will provide the following: 

- Ensuring that the machines and supplies required by the class are available and in good condition

- Providing adequate lab access for the class

- Selecting, supervising, and supporting the local instructors

- Monitoring safe and responsible lab use

- Your Fab Lab will be asked to "sign" this Agreement by committing this file in the Lab repository.

- Fulfilling and enforcing the Fab Academy Code of Conduct

In the last years, numerous Educational Institutions started accrediting the skills developed in the Fab Academy course. This step towards Academia can be interesting for attracting potential students.

More info here: http://www.fabacademy.org/about/accreditations.html 

To ensure the best experience to every student taking the course,  applicant Fab Labs should provide a clear picture of the local dynamics and the configuration of the local team.

 

TAXONOMY 

Fab Lab Coordinator: The person in charge of the general organization and human resources of the Lab.

Fab Lab Administration: The person in charge of payments, invoices and administrative matters.

Fab Lab Manager: The person in charge of the workshop, fabrication processes and purchase of materials.

Fab Academy Instructor: The person in charge of teaching the Fab Academy (this information will show in a different section, below).

 

*If one or more of these roles are done by the same person, just repeat the name and email.

 

CHECK THE INSTRUCTOR'S HANDBOOK

https://academany.fabcloud.io/fabacademy/instructors-handbook/

 

INSTRUCTOR

Your Fab Lab needs a Fab Academy Graduate to act as an Instructor.

 

Novice (0 years of experience), Junior (1-2 years of experience) and Senior Instructors must undergo an application process to be listed as a Fab Academy Instructor.

 

Mentors (or Gurus) are Senior Instructors who have shown mastery of the broad range of HTMAA and have earned the respect of their peers through their years of service to the Academy; it is not strictly based on time but peer recognition and involvement in the Network.

 

Based on the course nature and its dynamics, Nodes with no local Instructor are not allowed to offer Fab Academy.

REQUIREMENTS

Please check the following items in order to submit a Fab Lab application for the Fab Academy.

 

It is mandatory that participating Fab Labs have all the equipment listed in the Fab Academy Inventory. Fab Labs with limited access to tools will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

 

FAB ACADEMY INVENTORY: http://inventory.fabcloud.io/

 

Failure to provide machine access and available material in due time and conditions may result in losing the possibility to offer the course again.

 

 

MACHINES
Large (4'x8') numerically-controlled milling machine
Computer-controlled laser cutter
Vinyl cutter
Precision (micron resolution) milling machine
3d printer
Broadband internet access (at least 1mb symetric connection)
Video conference setting that allows students to attend and interact in global lectures

 

SUPPLIES
Programming tools for low-cost high-speed embedded processors
Course-required surface mount electronics components
FR1 stock for machining circuit boards
Molding and casting supplies
Composites supplies
Cardboard
Plywood and other consumable stock materials

COST STRUCTURE 

The price of Fab Academy Tuition fee is variable because it is comprised of Central Costs + Local Costs.

 

Central costs are fixed: 2500$ for Fab Labs located in America, Asia, Africa and Oceania and 2500€ for Fab Labs located in Europe.

 

Local Costs are variable, this means the Nodes decide. Nodes can calculate how much their local costs are and add this price to the central cost.

 

How to calculate Local Costs?

The local cost must cover materials, operations, access to facilities and the time of the Instructor.

 

If your Instructor has no experience teaching the course, you must add the cost of a Mentor, which is 625USD per student.

 

Cost breakdown explained at the Fab Academy website: http://fabacademy.org/apply/cost-breakdown.html

 

REIMBURSEMENTS 

In the cases in which Central Admin USA collects full fees, the reimbursement of Local Costs will be done in 2 installments:

>50% in April, after every student has paid the corresponding fees according to the deadlines (70% of fees before mid-January). Upon request. 
>50% in September, after every student has paid full fees.

Important: Reimbursements will be done after the Lab sends an Invoice for each amount. 

 

TAXES 

NODES are Independent Contractors and are solely responsible for their own taxes under the applicable laws.

Nodes requesting subsidized central costs for their students must contact Central Coordination.

INVOICE DATA 

In order for Fab Academy Central Administration to invoice your Fab Lab, please write below your Company invoice data.

To support your marketing campaign in Social Media, we would like to ask for your username in some of the networks we use, so we can tag you and repost your content.

This is how the Student Application process will go:

• Applicants enroll to the listed Nodes in the online form.
• Once Central Coordination starts receiving the applications, we forward them to the selected Nodes for their consideration.
• The Nodes must contact the Applicant to assess if they are fit to the program and give feedback to Central Coordination within 2 weeks.
• Central Coordination sends the Acceptance letters monthly to the applicants and the payment instructions
• Once the Applicant received an Acceptance letter and pays the deposit, the he/she becomes a Student.