BU Research Blog

12 June 2025

New paper published on Immersive metaverse technologies for education and training in tourism and hospitality

Business Engagement, Centre for Excellence in Learning dbuhalis

Aldawsari, R., Buhalis, D. and Roushan, G. (2025), “Immersive metaverse technologies for education and training in tourism and hospitality”, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-01-2025-0126

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the potential for tourism and hospitality education and training through immersive metaverse learning. This study examines familiarity levels, perceived benefits and challenges and proposes a framework for metaverse adoption in education and training.

Design/methodology/approach

Grounded in Diffusion of Innovation Theory, this qualitative study analyses 45 in-depth interviews with students and academics in Saudi Arabia. The thematic analysis identifies adoption stages and factors influencing metaverse readiness in tourism education.

Findings

While metaverse can enhance engagement in skill development, it may also include barriers such as accessibility, data privacy and technical readiness. Adoption varies by generation and digital proficiency. Younger students and early-career academics embrace its experiential benefits, while senior academics cite cost, infrastructure and complexity concerns. This study develops a DOI-based framework to evaluate metaverse adoption in tourism education.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study are context-specific and qualitative. Future research should validate the proposed model across different educational and cultural contexts using longitudinal and mixed-method approaches.

Practical implications

The metaverse Integration Framework provides actionable guidance for educators, policymakers and institutional leaders. This study supports phased integration, risk mitigation and alignment with governance structures, while addressing issues such as digital equity, funding and compliance.

Social implications

Metaverse technologies offer opportunities to democratise access to high-quality, immersive education, particularly in under-resourced or remote regions, thereby enhancing employability and workforce resilience.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature on metaverse adoption in tourism and hospitality training and education by introducing a DOI theory-informed framework. The findings of this study offer theoretical insights that bridge technology adoption models with educational practice, providing a foundation for future digital education and training research.

17 March 2025

This week – Konfer – an innovation and collaboration platform

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, innovation, Knowledge Exchange Rachel

Join Us for an online Konfer Training Session!

We invite you to an online training session on 20 March 2025, featuring Anna Dent-Davies and Shivaun Meehan from the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB). They will introduce Konfer, a powerful platform for navigating the UK innovation ecosystem.

For those unfamiliar, Konfer connects users with resources and potential collaborators perfectly aligned with their research or innovation projects.

During this 1.5-hour interactive online session, Anna and Shivaun will guide you through making the most of Konfer, focusing on:

· Effectively searching the platform.

· Drafting high-quality collaboration calls by addressing four key questions.

You’ll also have the chance to discuss your specific research projects or areas of interest and even begin drafting your own collaboration call during the session.

Ahead of the session, we kindly ask attendees to:

· Sign up to Konfer.

· Come prepared with an innovation challenge or collaboration opportunity in mind.

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore how Konfer can support your research and innovation goals – to book your place, please visit this link.

27 November 2024

BU leading economist Professor received exclusive preview for top new EBRD transition report release and same day launch invite

Business Engagement fvidler

BU Economics professor received intriguing email – Read the report then watch the launch of our latest Transition Report live!

Special Invite From: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Watch the launch live online! Navigating Industrial Policy EBRD Transition Report 2024/2025
www.youtube.com/live/jrTqDu9FFAI broadcast from 16.00 – 1730, Canary Wharf, London (26 November) with over 150 participants attending the prestigious launch event live online link up.

The EBRD transition reports are one of the leading rigorous gold standard sources that are well read reporting tools for financial economists, investment market, media, economic departments, universities, researchers and policy makers worldwide.

The launch discussion was moderated by Richard Porter, EBRD Managing Director of Communications, featured:
Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel laureate in economics and Professor at Columbia University. USA link up.
Rana Foroohar, global business columnist and associate editor at the Financial Times
Jeromin Zettelmeyer, Director of Bruegel, the European Union’s economic think tank
Beata Javorcik, EBRD Chief Economist

“In a world of rapid geopolitical and economic shifts, the discussion on industrial policy has never been more critical. This report takes an extensive look at industrial policies in the EBRD regions and beyond. Such policies, which are aimed at changing the sectoral composition of production in an economy, have seen a resurgence in recent years, seeking to address increasingly pressing market failures such as environmental degradation.” EBRD 2024

“Their track record is mixed, with their growing popularity being shaped primarily by domestic political economy considerations and rising geopolitical tensions. While industrial policies are typically employed by higher-income economies, they are also being seen more frequently in economies with less administrative and fiscal capacity to implement them.” EBRD 2024

Other attendance highlights included discussions on: implications of the president-elect Trump of USA and his concerning new tarifs to hike imports into USA from rest of world, with implications for costs, trade wars and economic growth, likely to impact economic growth especially for large exporters to USA such as Canada, China, parts of Europe like UK; that sustainability should include the word environment; furthermore that since GFC 2008/9 majority of special economic zones had seen flattening of exports, FDI and productivity (especially related to manufacturing sector), whereas some areas in south east Europe/Asia borders had seen an upturn and what factors determine achieving this?

Professor Dr Jens Hölscher has published in over 140 academic publications and is a leading economist and spokesperson for Bournemouth University for multi-media, media interviews and broadcasts on Economic and Finance matter e.g. Bank of England comment

20 November 2024

Academic Conferences Engagement: ISBE 2024

BRIAN, Business Engagement, conferences, Industry collaboration, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer, staff profile pages, Women's Academic Network Sukanya Ayatakshi

This November, supported by a BU Women’s Academic Network Small Research Grant and a BUBS QR grant, I presented my paper on Refugee Women, Entrepreneurship and Acceptance and Legitimacy at the Institute of Small Business Entrepreneurship (ISBE) Conference 2024 at Sheffield, UK.

The conference, titled ISBE 2024- Research, Policy and Practice for a More Equitable World, is one of the most significant occasions annually for academics in the UK and beyond whose contributions to the domain of small business entrepreneurship is not only limited to the academic journals but are strongly influential in policy design. The ‘More Equitable World’ in the conference title alludes to the changing nature of the world we inhabit- one where we are recognising more and more every passing day, that the existing economic models are not relevant anymore. Most of the discussions at the conference were connected to the wider global challenges underpinned by UN Sustainable Development Goals.

In the subject domain of entrepreneurship, we talk of the entrepreneurial process- one marked by dealing with uncertainty (Knight, 1921), uncertainty of the perfect kind- one that is not just unknown but unknowable. One might argue- but all uncertainty is like that isn’t it? Not if you look at our own human propensity to ambiguity aversion and risk taking- we are much more likely to contend with known risks then unknown risks. We engage in behaviour most of the time to lower our risks; we like clarity, we like to reduce ambiguity ( Ellsberg, 1961). But expert entrepreneurs, as Saras Sarasvathy suggests, are those who accept the perfectly unknowable nature of the future and yet they are comfortable with the uncertainty that comes with it because they remain open to opportunities, remain flexible, adaptable and open to change.

The Covid-19 pandemic brought with it an acceptance that we cannot, for the best of all the risk assessments undertaken, foresee the future. The smallest of mircoorganisms became the biggest disruptor in the marketplace and for humankind. Overnight, digital transformation was the demand of the marketplace. The acceleration of digitisation expected and demanded of smaller enterprises meant business survival was nigh impossible. But the human spirit, seen through the lenses of entrepreneurial spirit, prevailed. The world witnessed a (re)emergence of entrepreneurial leadership through creation of startups globally, focused on the taking small incremental steps to solving the grand challenges facing the planet and humanity. This had happened before when the 2008-2010 financial crisis occurred– as traditional for-profit businesses took a major hit, we saw in their wake, a growth in startups channelling their energies into creating economically sound business models which support communities and causes.

I reflect on this continually through my taught units in Entrepreneurship at BU and through my research. And I see this reflection in the world of academia and business around me. At ISBE 2024 this year, I had the privilege of engaging with individuals who are making profound impact on policy and society (economy after all must serve the needs of the society- it is not decoupled). Some of the discussions were on Inclusivity in entrepreneurship with focus on neurodivergence and the path of entrepreneurship; gender gap in entrepreneurship; focus on how to make finance equitable for all in the context of business startups; focus on newer economic models relevant to our current times.

My research focus is on marginalisation and entrepreneurship- gender bias in entrepreneurial finance; gendered roles and entrepreneurial experience; refugee crisis and integration into society through entrepreneurship. It was a breath of fresh air to witness how openly policy makers and highly influential academics are talking about how it is high time to stop talking about the problem e.g. Gender Bias and work to a solution that is real. There is no dearth of evidence on the problem of the gender gap in entrepreneurship. The last I checked it was a 3-6% loss to global GDP to the region of nearly USD 5 trillion. Inclusivity, just in the context of the binary gender gap here, is not just an argument of social justice and fairness (which would be a very strong argument) but an economic one.

My participation at the conference was facilitated by funding from the Women’s Academic Network at Bournemouth University (BU) and BU Business School QR funds. The value of the grants was not just limited to the paper presentation at the conference but is poised to lead to bigger outcomes in the form of collaborative research, joint external bid applications and public engagement.

Although I have had papers accepted at conferences in the last few years but this was the first conference I had physically attended (barring an online one in 2023) after a hiatus of nearly 4 years. Those 4 years began with the pandemic lockdown year of course and then life took over. The context of gender issues in entrepreneurship is not dissimilar to that of women or mother academics* or women in other industry sectors. Recently, I came across an interview with Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, who said that the work-life ‘balance’ is problematic; we ought to strive for work-life juggle. Not sure what you make of it, but I hear it from the perspective of a woman academic who wishes to make a positive impact through her work and also create a positive family experience. And in that process, relying on support network(s) and grants such as the ones I had are critically important. As I found through one of my recent research studies, social relationships (within family or externally) provide the much needed ‘propping up’ allowing women ( entrepreneurs) to work towards their (business) aspirations.

Participation at conferences is not just limited to academic feedback on papers; it is way beyond that- it becomes a supportive network; it is inspiration; intellectual stimulation; professional networking; creating a collaborative space for future projects; creating opportunities of PhD candidates; connecting with policy makers and ultimately, human connectedness that we all crave. For women academics like me, I feel it is a priceless experience. One that I would be looking forward to repeating more often.

The blogpost refers to gender in the binary only.

15 November 2024

KTP Development Session, 20th November 2024: Telling a Compelling Story!

Business Engagement, innovation, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer, Training vroper

KTP Development Session with KTA, Stephen Woodhouse

Wednesday 20^th November, 1.00pm to 2.00pm, BG315 (Bournemouth Gateway Building)

Telling a compelling story: Developing a coherent and convincing KTP application

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ktp-development-sessions-tickets-1040509119787

Developing a Coherent and Compelling Project Narrative

KTP application is not just a series of checkboxes; it’s a story. When crafting your narrative, consider the following key elements:

**The Problem Statement**: Clearly articulate the problem the business partner is facing. Avoid jargon or overly technical language; instead, focus on describing the issue in terms of its impact on the company’s operations, market position, or growth potential. Describe why the problem matters and how its resolution will create value.

**The Academic Solution**: This section should highlight your research expertise and how it aligns with the project’s needs. Provide examples of relevant past work, studies, or methodologies that showcase your department’s strengths. Be specific about how your knowledge will be applied to the problem. Remember, specificity and clarity here reinforce credibility and the potential for impactful results.

**Innovative Methodologies**: Describe the approach you’ll take to solve the problem. A strong application demonstrates not only that the academic team has the expertise but also that they have a clear, actionable plan. This might involve specifying experimental techniques, data collection strategies, or proprietary methods developed in your lab. Explain how these approaches differ from, or improve upon, traditional solutions.

Telling a compelling story is part of our series of developmental sessions for academics and businesses wishing to further their understanding of KTPs will be taking place monthly Moving between Talbot and Lansdowne Campus.

Sometimes organisations can see an opportunity for growth, something that will supercharge their business, but they don’t quite know where or how to start. That’s when a Knowledge Transfer Partnership could help.

Imagine having a specialist graduate, post-graduate or PhD student working closely with an expert academic, focused solely on bringing your idea to life. And having the UK Government fund a large proportion of that work. Often heralded as the World’s best kept secret, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) turn 50 this year. That makes them the UK government’s longest running and most successful innovation funding programme, investing £50m each year in R&D projects across a full range of sectors and business sizes. And companies that participate in a KTP programme are shown to grow at an exponential rate.

As part of ongoing work to grow our KTP numbers and to coincide with their milestone birthday, we are hosting a series of developmental sessions for staff (and businesses) to debunk myths, provide insights, and forge connections. These will take place once a month between October 2024 and May 2025 on Wednesday afternoons.

With 1 – 1 bookable sessions afterwards with faculty Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange Managers and KTA, Stephen Woodhouse:

Rachel Clarke (BUBS): rclarke@bournemouth.ac.uk

Finn Morgan (SciTech): fmorgan@bournemouth.ac.uk

Matt Desmier (FMC): mdesmier@bournemouth.ac.uk

Mary-Ann Robertson (HSS): mrobertson@bournemouth.ac.uk

25 October 2024

BU Innovation Funding (HEIF) 2024-25 Open Call for Applications

Business Engagement, Funding opportunities, Fusion, HEIF, innovation, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement, REF Subjects wmorrison

The Innovation Funding Panel is pleased to announce the 2024-2025 Open Call for Applications.

Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) is now available for innovation knowledge exchange projects, please find details below of the call, eligibility and how to make an application.

Research England provide universities with HEIF funding. This is for knowledge exchange to enable them to develop a broad range of knowledge-based interactions: working with business, public and third sector organisations, community bodies and/or the wider public, to exchange knowledge and increase the economic and societal benefit/impact from their research. The Panel invites applications from:

significant projects that are underway and require a further funding to expand on current work to increase current impact;

existing knowledge exchange projects that are completed but can develop in a way which was not part of their initial project outcomes/impact with follow-on funding to develop to the next level or to explore areas/opportunities which arose from the original project outcomes;

projects with ambition that require seed funding, capacity building, proof-of-concept or launchpad

Further Information and Guidance

Please make sure that you read and follow the information and guidance in the document (link below)

Information and Guidance for Innovation Fund (HEIF) 2024-25.docx

Application Form

To apply, please read the guidance and complete the application form. The completed form must be submitted through the online application form below by 5pm on Friday 22nd November 2024. Please note, late applications will not be accepted and the online form portal will close at 5.00 pm GMT.

Bournemouth University Innovation Fund 2024-2025 Open Call Application Form

A copy of questions in pdf format for reference only can be found here: BU Innovation Fund 2024-2025 Open Call Application Form.pdf)

18 October 2024

KTP Development Sessions with KTA, Stephen Woodhouse

Business Engagement, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer, Training vroper

A series of developmental sessions for academics and businesses wishing to further their understanding of KTPs will be taking place monthly Moving between Talbot and Lansdowne Campus.

Sometimes organisations can see an opportunity for growth, something that will supercharge their business, but they don’t quite know where or how to start. That’s when a Knowledge Transfer Partnership could help.

Imagine having a specialist graduate, post-graduate or PhD student working closely with an expert academic, focused solely on bringing your idea to life. And having the UK Government fund a large proportion of that work. Often heralded as the World’s best kept secret, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) turn 50 this year. That makes them the UK government’s longest running and most successful innovation funding programme, investing £50m each year in R&D projects across a full range of sectors and business sizes. And companies that participate in a KTP programme are shown to grow at an exponential rate.

As part of ongoing work to grow our KTP numbers and to coincide with their milestone birthday, we are hosting a series of developmental sessions for staff (and businesses) to debunk myths, provide insights, and forge connections. These will take place once a month between October 2024 and May 2025 on Wednesday afternoons.

With 1 – 1 bookable sessions afterwards with faculty Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange Managers and KTA, Stephen Woodhouse:

Rachel Clarke (BUBS): rclarke@bournemouth.ac.uk

Finn Morgan (SciTech): fmorgan@bournemouth.ac.uk

Matt Desmier (FMC): mdesmier@bournemouht.ac.uk

Mary-Ann Robertson (HSS): mrobertson@bournemouth.ac.uk

Wednesday 23^rd October, 1.00pm to 2.00pm, PG22 (Ground Floor Poole House)

Industrial Engagement – Finding partner businesses and growing your portfolio

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ktp-development-session-tickets-1040485047787

Wednesday 20^th November, 1.00pm to 2.00pm, BG315 (Bournemouth Gateway Building)

Telling a compelling story: Developing a coherent and convincing KTP application

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ktp-development-sessions-tickets-1040509119787

Wednesday 18^th December, 1.00 to 2.00pm, FG04 (Fusion)

Strategic planning: Aligning & communicating ambition – tools to ensure systematic design capture, encourage engagement and promote co-formulation of the project

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ktp-development-session-tickets-1040545909827

Wednesday 22^nd January, 1.00pm to 2.00pm, F305 (Fusion)

Developing an evidence-led business case: Co-formulation of financial forecasts, risk analysis of differentiated growth, and identification of impact – persuading assessors

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ktp-development-session-tickets-1040559751227

Wednesday 19^th February, 1.00pm to 2.00pm, BG315 (Bournemouth Gateway Building)

Public sector KTPs: Developing the ‘business case’ – Providing persuasive evidence of impact

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ktp-development-session-tickets-1041847191997

Wednesday 19^th March, 1.00pm to 2.00pm, F105 (Fusion)

Fiduciary responsibility – Evaluation of company accounts, demonstration of financial strength, suitability of company finances & eligibility for KTP scheme

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ktp-development-session-tickets-1041848094697

Wednesday 23^rd April, 1.00pm to 2.00pm, BG315 (Bournemouth Gateway Building)

Developing successful applications: Driving-up your success rate – Why some applications fail – examination of Competition assessments and feedback, Moderation Panels and results

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ktp-development-sessions-tickets-1041865918007

Wednesday 21^st May, 10.00am to 11.00am, BG306 (Bournemouth Gateway Building)

The SHAPE of KTPs: Social sciences, Humanities and Arts for People and the Economy

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ktp-development-session-tickets-1043931606537

Wednesday 21^st May, 1.00pm to 2.00pm, FG04 (Fusion)

The SHAPE of KTPs: Social sciences, Humanities and Arts for People and the Economy

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ktp-development-session-tickets-1041863651227

6 August 2024

BU Hosted the National KTP Practitioner Conference 2024! Matt Desmier

Business Engagement, conferences, innovation, Knowledge Exchange, Knowledge Transfer vroper

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships are an extremely useful tool for any forward-thinking institution or team of academics wanting to apply their research in real world settings.

The UK Government’s longest established business support and research funding allocation, they’re a tried and tested vehicle that consistently demonstrate how Universities can have a measurable impact on the world around them.

Earlier this summer, Bournemouth University was selected as the honourable host of the 2024 KTP Practitioners Conference, the annual gathering of knowledge exchange professionals from across the country. This was a coup for BU and an excellent opportunity to cement our place in the canon of proactive institutions embracing the potential of KTPs.

Over the course of one and a half days, Fusion Building welcomed 200 delegates, representing 79 universities alongside guests from Innovate UK Business Growth and Innovate UK Business Connect, some interested businesses and a smattering of academics too.

The convened audience enjoyed three high profile keynote talks, updates from both the KTP funders and the National Forum, as well as twelve workshops designed to equip those present with the skills they need to grow and manage their KTP portfolio.

Assisted by Bournemouth’s wonderful micro climate, the whole event was a resounding success. Much was learnt, many connections were made and the bar was set extremely high for Manchester Metropolitan University, who’re hosting the event next year.

16 April 2024

BU academic invited to speak at the SCoT Webinar Volume 57 round table on Promoting Transformational Tourism Through Narrative Art

Business Engagement, Fusion sstoyanovabozhkova

Dr Svetla Stoyanova-Bozhkova was invited to speak at the SCoT Webinar Volume 57 this week, organised and moderated by Prof. Jafar Jafari and Prof. Kazem Vafadari.

The SCoT Webinar series is a joint initiative of APU Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (Japan), t-FORUM The Tourism Intelligence Forum, NC State University and iCAPt International Center for Asia Pacific Tourism.

The topic of the webinar was PROMOTING TRANSFORMATIONAL TOURISM THROUGH NARRATIVE ART: Destination Brand Stories. The art of storytelling is inextricably linked with tourism development and management. Significantly, every place or destination tells its own story. Storytellers make space into place and places into stories. Tourism research focuses on tourists’ stories to understand their experiences, and this is highly important in the digital age built on social media, immersive technologies,AI, User-generated content, and conversational marketing supported by Web 2.0. Nonetheless, this modernity has also leveraged the capacity of destination brands to make promotional videos embedding the principles of storytelling.

The discussion focused on the link between tourism destinations and storytelling and how the latter helps destination brands promote transformational and responsible tourism, enriching tourist experiences and contributing to the UN SDGs.

The recording of the webinar is accessible at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCG4B74ti8k.

5 February 2024

Embedding Fairtrade in teaching and research: a panel discussion with the Fairtrade Foundation

Business Engagement, Fusion, Fusion themes, Student Engagement Roberta Discetti

Dear all,

As part of our BU Fairtrade weeks 2024, we are delighted to invite you to a panel discussion dedicated to academics with an interest in sustainability, to explore connections with Fairtrade through collaboration with the Fairtrade Foundation.

Date: February 27th at 2 pm – Fusion Building, room F305 (in-person only event).

BU is a Fairtrade University; we received the accreditation in 2022 with the highest possible score (3 stars out of 3) and we are among a very small group of universities worldwide to have achieved this. There are plenty of ways for academics to get involved with Fairtrade that will be explored in a panel discussion with the following speakers:

Elena Fernandez-Lee, Education Campaigning Manager at the Fairtrade Foundation: Elena will talk about the Fairtrade University scheme, discussing best practices to embed Fairtrade in teaching and research, and highlighting potential areas of collaboration with BU academics. Elena will also share about the Foundation’s new campaigns about climate justice and decolonization of the curriculum, and outline ways for BU academics to get involved.

Izzy Chalk, BU Sustainability Officer: Izzy will talk about BU’s journey to becoming accredited as a 3-star Fairtrade university, outlining best practices in embedding Fairtrade in the curriculum and emphasising further areas of collaboration between the Sustainability team and BU academics.

Dr Roberta Discetti, BU Fairtrade academic representative: Roberta will share some research-informed practices related to Fairtrade engagement, including NGO/academics cooperation, student co-creation, and multi-stakeholder collaborative initiatives.

The panel discussion will be followed by an optional 30-minute networking where we will have the opportunity to connect with our guest speaker Elena and discuss different ways of expanding the integration of Fairtrade in sustainability teaching and research. This event is open to all BU and AUB academics, to maximise opportunities for collaboration across departments and faculties.

31 January 2024

Dr Svetla Stoyanova-Bozhkova delivers the keynote address at the Sustainability and Competitiveness Conference in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Business Engagement, conferences, Fusion sstoyanovabozhkova

Dr Svetla Stoyanova-Bozhkova was invited to deliver the keynote address at the Sustainability and Competitiveness Conference on 25 January 2024 at St Regis, Abu Dhabi, UAE . The conference was organised by the Department of Economic Development (DED) and the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation Academy.

The theme of the conference was “Advancing Destination Competitiveness through Strategic Leadership, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Sustainability”. The conference objectives were to showcase successful practices and strategies, facilitate networking and collaboration among industry professionals and organisations and inspire participants to contribute to the development of competitive and responsible tourism destinations.

Dr Svetla Stoyanova-Bozhkova delivered the keynote address on “Strategic Leadership and Development for Competitive Destinations”. In her address, Svetla discussed the role of sustainability in enhancing destination competitiveness, the need for responsible practices and shared effective strategies for developing human resources within the tourism sector.

Svetla also contributed to the panel discussion on Diversity, Inclusion and Equity alongside H.E. Hareb Al Mheiri, Executive Director of the Abu Dhabi Residents Office, AD Department of Economic Development (DED), H.E. Saeed Ali Al Fazari, Strategic Affairs Executive Director, DCT and Ammar Anwar Sajwani, Director of Tourism Development Department, Ministry of Economy- UAE.

4 January 2024

Intellectual Property for Academics

Business Engagement, Training Katerina Kakaounaki

Wednesday 24th January 10:30 - 12:00

This workshop will deliver essential knowledge and know-how from an industry expert, enabling you to gain a deeper understanding of IP that will support development of your research outcomes, prepare you for knowledge exchange activities and help with achieving lasting research impact.

Presented by Dr Nicholas Malden, Partner at D Young & Co, a leading top-tier European intellectual property firm and Bournemouth University’s preferred patent firm.

Nick Malden has more than 18 years’ experience in intellectual property specialising in patents, in particular those concerned with electronics, physics, materials, medical devices, and software. Prior to joining D Young & Co he was a research associate at Manchester University, though based at the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), in Hamburg, Germany, where his research included searches for exotic particle production in positron-proton and electron-proton collisions.

Today, he is primarily focussed on the preparation of new patent applications and guiding these through the examination process before patent offices around the world. His clients range from SMEs, to academic and research institutions, to global multinationals. A particular passion is sharing knowledge of IP in all its guises with individuals and smaller corporate entities, such that it can enhance and support their technological and commercial growth journeys.

Wednesday 24th January10:30-12:00 at Talbot Campus

To book onto this session, please complete the booking form

For any queries regarding the content of this session, please contact lhutchins@bournemouth.ac.uk, for any other information please email RKEDF @ RKE Development Framework

6 December 2023

Eastern European Transition Economics Matters Showcase Poster at Bournemouth University Conference, 29 November 2023 followed by keynote talk on Gen AI

Business Engagement, international fvidler

Impacts of Corruption, Access to Finance, Productivity in 27 Transition Economies, was one of over 50 advanced research posters with abstract presentations at Fusion Building, Bournemouth University Conference on 29 November 2023, Fernbarrow, Bournemouth Poole Dorset UK.

The author is now honoured that this poster with abstract appears internationally on research gate within the works of leading international professor on successes and failures of transition economics, featured in the research lab of her AFE Advisor, Director, Professor Dr Jens Hölscher (he has over 142 multi-media articles listed) and on the author’s own research gate pages.
Jens Hölscher’s lab | Bournemouth University (BU) (researchgate.net)

The poster exhibition was then followed by the conference keynote talk (by expert, Dr Gelareh Roushan, Head Of Centre for FLIE and Associate Professor at Bournemouth University) discussing the profound implications of ‘GEN AI and ChatGPT opportunities and realities for research.’

The debates and ethical considerations on Gen AI seem to be rising with differing viewpoints and experiences, some conceding at the BU conference that the simplicity and accessibility of Gen AI and ChatGPT, means it is rapidly growing at speed, likely to be found in everyday use amongst a number of researchers and general public to make quick connections, speeding up workload processes and saving time, as hinted at during the fastmoving fascinating compelling keynote lecture speech at Bournemouth University. The lecture theatre was at full capacity, with over a hundred attendees. We are all sure that we will hear more on the impact of Gen AI from Dr Gelareh Roushan, Bournemouth University.

Head of Centre for FLIE – Dr Gelareh Roushan – Key note conference lecture – Gen AI

BU Poster exhibition (right side top 3rd position near centre poster – black and white – and author busy early on in engagement fair golden hair).

The emerging pivotal role of Eastern Europe with corruption, access to finance, productivity matters within the greater context of Western Europe, US and world.

The poster author, Fiona Vidler, her ‘personal research experience as a non-expert’ viewpoint on AI is that she had completed writing and reviewing research pages to date on over 350 academic worldwide references without AI, before AI fully emerged in news headlines in 2023, where some specific papers relevant to Eastern Europe were not even sourced in automatic electronic media searches let alone AI – a rationale for advancing knowledge to fill gaps. So, she feels personally ‘authentic’ in that she has avoided the debated emerging conscious or subconscious AI biases, influences, searches on internet, academic limitations, ethical, percentage of AI inaccuracies or ‘virtual seeming truths’ within the current implications of AI. In future, she feels now from a researcher, writer and publisher viewpoint, that there is the need to considerations of responsible use of AI, otherwise objective research beyond perceptions with meaningful research design (a theme of her own research) and virtual subjective perceptions of reality could blur.

Note from Fiona Vidler MBA MSc MLIBF Business School Bournemouth University:

All exhibitors, presenters and ticket holders internal/external/public attendees ticked boxes before admission, giving permission for any photographs to be circulated externally for responsible promotional marketing – with ‘whole’ conference room scenes credited copyright photos to the Doctoral College Conference Team, Bournemouth University December 2023.

28 November 2023

The Fog of Streaming Wars: Prof. John Oliver delivers keynote speech at Digital Agenda Summit in Cyprus

Business Engagement, Knowledge Exchange ematthews

Prof. John Oliver (FMC) recently delivery a keynote speech to over 1000 delegates at the 6th Digital Agenda Summit in Cyprus. The talk, titled the Fog of Streaming Wars, examined the subscription video on demand (SVOD) market which has seen explosive growth in recent years with global revenues reaching US$154bn in 2022.

He argued that a new phase of low-growth competitive rivalry is emerging with global and local European players fighting for market share and that future growth will be achieved by merger and acquisition in an industry that will inevitably consolidate.

Other keynote speakers taking to the main stage included the President of Cyprus, the Head of Global Communications & Marketing at Google DeepMind & Space X, and the Global Lead of Design Communication at BMW.

Prof. Oliver is a leading academic in the field of media management and a former President of the European Media Management Association. He has a successful track record in delivering world class impact from his research which has informed the UK Government’s Innovation Strategy, UK communications policy and regulation, and influenced the public policy debate on internet regulation. His research into ‘strategic transformations in the media’ resulted in multi-million pound investments made by FTSE 100 firms.

Prof. Oliver currently serves as an advisor to the Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology’s Horizon Scanning & Foresight Committee.

27 November 2023

Workshop on cultural awareness and cross-cultural communication

Business Engagement, Fusion, international, Student Engagement, Training amorrison

Thursday 7 December 2023, 13.00 – 15.00, F305 (Talbot campus)

This workshop is for anyone working with international students at BU, (both academic and professional services staff) who would like to learn more about cross-cultural communication. Look out for another blog post on spotlight sessions on India and Nigeria the following week on 12 December, with participation from the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU).

The workshop objectives are:
• To increase awareness of the importance of intercultural communication in the higher education context.
• To provide you with practical strategies for integrating cross-cultural communication skills into both your written and verbal interactions with international students.
• To promote a culturally inclusive environment that benefits both students and staff.

The workshop will include:
• Exploring cultural theory and how this informs our interactions with international students
• Discussing ‘culture shock’ and its potential impact on students
• Practical tips about how to communicate effectively with international students

Facilitated by:
Caroline Earth, Orientation and Cultural Adaptation Officer
Jana Kuncova, Head Of International Mobility And Experience
Alastair Morrison, Head of International Partnerships

Tea & coffee will be provided.
For more information and to register, please look at BU’s Organisational Development page.

6 November 2023

PIER community-led research to be presented to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer

Awarded & submitted bids, Business Engagement, Industry collaboration, NHS, Public engagement mhughes

We are excited to report that the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer (APPGC) has invited the Whatever it Takes team to speak at their upcoming meeting entitled: ‘Making cancer care inclusive for all’.

The meeting, chaired by Elliot Colburn MP, will discuss some of the current inequalities that exist across the cancer pathway among those with protected characteristics, specifically those in the LGBTIQ+ community and Disabled and Neurodiverse people. Recent studies suggests that both groups report worse experience once on the cancer pathway with difficulties with respect to provision of information, communication and decisions regarding care.  Importantly, the meeting will also discuss what further action could be taken by the NHS and Governments across the UK to ensure everybody, no matter what their background, has equal access to the healthcare and support they need.

The Whatever it Takes Project is a collaboration between BU PIER Partnership, Wessex Cancer Alliance and Help and Care. PIER were funded by CRN Wessex to provide mentoring and support to Rosie and Katie, two Disabled and neuro-divergent community researchers, using the PIER community research model, to engage with a wide range of Disabled people across Wessex, to better understand the barriers and enablers for accessing Cancer Care. Dr Kate Jupp (PIER officer) and Stevie Corbin-Clarke (research assistant) with the support of Prof. Mel Hughes (Academic lead for PIER) worked alongside Katie and Rosie (community researchers with lived experience) and Amanda (specialist cancer nurse) throughout the project.

You can view the project film and report here

Katie and Rosie, along with colleagues from Macmillan and Help and Care, will be presenting the film and report at the APPGC at the Houses of Parliament next week. The team have been invited to present the film and report after which the Chair will open the meeting to questions and comments from those in attendance including parliamentarians, charity and other health stakeholders.

The APPG on Cancer is an informal group bringing together MPs and Peers from across the political spectrum to debate key issues, and campaign together to improve cancer services. As well as parliamentarians, their meetings are usually attended by stakeholders working in the cancer and health space, including charities and local and national health organisations.

We hope to report back after the event

1 November 2023

Join a team in BU’s inaugural Ocean Hackathon – 17-19 November 2023

Business Engagement, Industry collaboration, international, Knowledge Exchange amorrison

Would you or your students like to join a multi-skilled team from academia and business to hack solutions to local issues affecting the ocean?

Join us at BU’s Ocean Hackathon, part of a global event across 14 locations worldwide that gives teams 48 hours to create solutions to local issues affecting the oceans. The Hackathon will begin late afternoon on Friday 17th November 2023, and conclude on Sunday 19th November 2023. The winning teams from each location will come together in Brest, France for the Grand Finale in December 2023.

We are currently seeking team members to take part, ‘hacking’ solutions to our local challenges. We’d be particularly grateful if academic colleagues can encourage their students at all levels to participate and stress how great it would look on their CVs. Anyone can join a team, including students, academics, and local businesses. Participants with expertise in sustainability, and/or skills in coding, AI, data analysis and business development are actively encouraged to join a team.

Six challenges have been set for Bournemouth teams to solve. They are:
• A mobile app designed to geo-tag data to track marine plastics and litter
• Monitoring coastal cliffs through the use of AI
• Predicting migration times of bats and birds across the English Channel from meteorological data
• Decoupling sewage ‘overflow’ spills from emerging contaminants in water courses
• The possibility for seaweed farms and wind farms to work together for sustainability
• An interactive tool for the identification of marine life.

Full details of the Bournemouth challenges can be found on the Ocean Hackathon website.

Registrants will be placed in multi-disciplinary teams with the expertise to be able to solve the challenges submitted. At the end of the Hackathon, a judging panel will crown the team with the best solution as winners, who will then go on to represent Bournemouth at the Grand Finale in Brest, France in December 2023.

Participating individuals must be available for the entirety of the Hackathon, which will take place in Bournemouth University’s Bournemouth Gateway Building, Lansdowne Campus. Food and drink will be provided throughout the weekend.

For more information about the event, and to register, visit the Ocean Hackathon website, or contact the Global Engagement Hub at globalbu@bournemouth.ac.uk.

24 October 2023

The Future of Video Streaming

Business Engagement, Industry collaboration, Knowledge Exchange, Public engagement John Oliver

Prof. John Oliver (FMC) recently delivery a keynote speech to over 1000 delegates at the 6th Digital Agenda Summit in Cyprus. The talk examined the subscription video on demand (SVOD) market which has seen explosive growth in recent years with global revenues reaching US$154bn in 2022. He argued that a new phase of low-growth competitive rivalry is emerging with global and local European players fighting for market share and that future growth will be achieved by merger and acquisition in an industry that will inevitably consolidate.

Other keynote speakers taking to the main stage included the President of Cyprus, the Head of Global Communications & Marketing at Google DeepMind & Space X and the Global Lead of Design Communication at BMW.

Category / Business Engagement

New paper published on Immersive metaverse technologies for education and training in tourism and hospitality

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BU leading economist Professor received exclusive preview for top new EBRD transition report release and same day launch invite

Academic Conferences Engagement: ISBE 2024

KTP Development Session, 20th November 2024: Telling a Compelling Story!

BU Innovation Funding (HEIF) 2024-25 Open Call for Applications

KTP Development Sessions with KTA, Stephen Woodhouse

BU Hosted the National KTP Practitioner Conference 2024! Matt Desmier

BU academic invited to speak at the SCoT Webinar Volume 57 round table on Promoting Transformational Tourism Through Narrative Art

Embedding Fairtrade in teaching and research: a panel discussion with the Fairtrade Foundation

Dr Svetla Stoyanova-Bozhkova delivers the keynote address at the Sustainability and Competitiveness Conference in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Intellectual Property for Academics

Eastern European Transition Economics Matters Showcase Poster at Bournemouth University Conference, 29 November 2023 followed by keynote talk on Gen AI

The Fog of Streaming Wars: Prof. John Oliver delivers keynote speech at Digital Agenda Summit in Cyprus

Workshop on cultural awareness and cross-cultural communication

PIER community-led research to be presented to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer

Join a team in BU’s inaugural Ocean Hackathon – 17-19 November 2023

The Future of Video Streaming

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