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Category / Knowledge Exchange and Impact Team

Innovation awards

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SME innovation awards (2016) – small business were honoured on Tuesday evening at  an awards ceremony at the Houses of Parliament.

The awards recognise the many innovative successful projects that Innovate UK has co-funded. They celebrate the projects and companies that show the impact of innovation on business growth and the economy.

There were 5 categories – 4 specific and 1 overall award for inspirational innovation. Could we consider research and collaboration at BU for such an award? KTP’s also form part of this funding and contributed to Mech Tool Engineering Ltd, Gaist Solutions Limited and University of York and Phasefocus being shortlised.

Read the blog post in full including the winners and organisations shortlisted and how their areas of innovation became award winning.

Live funding competitions.

How to apply for funding.

Case studies.

Are you using technology for social good?

Technology in the hands

Digital technologies and the internet are providing new opportunities to address social challenges.  This phenomenon is known as digital social innovation (DSI). To explore what DSI is, who is working on it, and how they can be supported, a website has been launched www.digitalsocial.eu in partnership with the Waag Society and SUPSI, with funding from the European Commission DG Connect. The website features stories and case studies of DSI, along with information on funding and events for DSI. It also helps people and projects working on DSI to showcase their work and find new collaborators.

Two years on, DSI has come a long way. New organisations, projects and collaborations are popping up across Europe. Terms like crowdfunding, making, sharing economy and digital democracy are entering the mainstream. The number of incubators, accelerators and investment funds focused on tech for good has grown. Emerging technologies like blockchain and widely accessible 3D-printing have given DSI new potential.

How can you get involved?

  • Sign up: With over 1,000 organisations and 700 projects signed up,  it’s quick and easy to register and is your access point to the world of www.digitalsocial.eu.
  • Submit funding and events: There are two really simple forms which you can fill in  about funding and events. It doesn’t matter if you’re responsible for them, or if you just came across them on Twitter.
  • Talk to each other: The website allows you to see which organisations work with each other and which projects they work on. Please do reach out to organisations you work with and use the site to find new partners who you think might be able to help you. You never know what might result from a serendipitous conversation on  the website.
  • Spread the word: Please tell other digital social innovators about the website and encourage them to sign up. From Meet-ups to conferences and online communities, this  community is huge.
  • Provide  feedback: about the site.

To find out more about the types of projects showcased on this site and the blog post in full  – click here . A great way to start developing collaborations and identfying ways in which your research could influence policy and generate impact in the future.

Business Engagement and Networking

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The aim of the ‘Working with Business’ pathway is to develop your skills to connect with the business community including networking, identifying project funding – including Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) and building project teams involving businesses.

You will have the opportunity to hear from both internal and external speakers as to how they have developed networks to facilitate collaborations and engage with the university.

The next session: “Business engagement and networking” will be running on Wednesday 2 November from 2.00pm – 4.00pm and bookings are being taken now.

If you want to put your networking skills to the test there are a number of events running during November that involve the chance to meet with external organisations during the Festival of Social Science and Festival of Enterprise.

Please feel free to contact Jayne Codling or Rachel Clarke if you have any questions regarding knowledge exchange at BU. Both Jayne and Rachel are based within RKEO.

This session forms part of the Research and Knowledge Exchange (RKE) Framework.  Please see previous blog posts in the Development Framework for information on the separate pathways. rkeo-rke-working-with-business

 

 

 

 

New projects in the Student Project Bank

There are new projects in the Student Project Bank! Projects are available to all undergraduate and postgraduate students at BU and can be used for their dissertation, assignment, unit or group work. Members of staff may also choose a project to set to their students.

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New projects are below, these will be added to the list of available projects on the website today.

SPB012: Promotional video for The Grove Hotel, part of Macmillan Caring Locally

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Create a 2-3 minute video capturing the people The Grove Hotel supports and promoting the idea of a holiday for people with life limiting conditions that is light hearted and fun.  The Grove Hotel is part of Macmillan Caring Locally, a local charity whose objectives are the relief of cancer and life limiting conditions.

 SPB013: Marketing strategy for The Grove Hotel, part of Macmillan Caring Locally

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Create a marketing strategy for The Grove Hotel that will promote their services to a wider audience in order to attract a broader customer base and increase the potential for repeat visits.

 SPB014: Plan and deliver an event for The Pantry Partnership to raise awareness of their work

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Plan and run an event for The Pantry Partnership to help them raise awareness in the local community of their work and to secure a permanent venue. The Pantry Partnership uses food to create social momentum, helping people out of food poverty, enhancing life skills and reducing social isolation.

 SPB015: Annual report animated showreel for Bournemouth 2026 Trust

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Create an animated showreel of less than four minutes in length presenting key information from the Trust’s annual report. This project has a short turnaround time and the film is required for the Trust’s Annual General Meeting on 23rd November.

 SPB016: Design and implement a marketing strategy for The Fusion Café juice bar

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Design and implement a marketing strategy for The Fusion Café juice bar on the third floor of the Fusion Building that will raise awareness of the café and increase the number of customers.

Apply now

If you would like to find out more and apply for one of the above projects, send us an email to request a project brief and an application form.

Community organisations

Do you have an idea that could benefit the community or society but need some help to make it a relaity? The Student Project Bank is still open for project proposals from community organisations, charities, not-for-profits and corporate partners. Find out more and download a proposal form on our page for external organisations.

Event: The Game Changer: Reloaded

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Date: Wednesday 16 November

Location: The Fusion Building, Bournemouth University

Event information:

Building on the successful Game Changer event held earlier in the year, Bournemouth University and NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group present The Game Changer Reloaded – promoting innovation and fostering collaboration across Dorset. Join Richard Dolan, Dr Phil Richardson and Professor Jim Roach and a diverse collection of speakers to learn more about the art of the possible and the power of innovation to transform health services within the region.

Timings:

Session 1 – 9.00 am -3.00 pm: Speakers from BU and external organisations share their innovation journeys throughout the day providing inspiration and ideas to those attending as to how to get involved.

Session 2 – 3.15 pm  – 4.15 pm: Facilitation and networking: This session offers the opportunity to share ideas and develop future collaborations. There’s also the chance to begin to consider research ideas that could subsequently be progressed in order to obtain external funding in the future.

Each session will need to be booked separately.

Throughout the day there’s a pop-up innovation exhibition for guests to enjoy and to share and refine ideas.

It’s free: book now for The Game Changer Reloaded 

This event forms a number being run at the university as part of the Festival of Enterprise.

Need help with networking? – why not book onto the business engagement and networking session on 2 November for some hints and tips that you can put into practice.

Student Project Bank: Student projects available!

Projects are available to all undergraduate and postgraduate students at BU and can be used for their dissertation, assignment, unit or group work. It is also possible for students to undertake a project for extra-curricular experience. Members of staff may also choose a project to set to their students.

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The following projects are available:

SPB001: Sustainable funding marketing/business strategy for Poole Schools Association

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Create a marketing and business strategy that will enable Poole Schools Association (PSA) to make informed decisions regarding actions to take to secure sustainable funds on an annual basis.

SPB002: Marketing strategy for Volunteer Centre Dorset’s Community Credit Scheme

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Create a marketing strategy to raise awareness of Volunteer Centre Dorset’s Community Credit Scheme.

SPB003: Campaign strategy to raise positive awareness of people with learning disabilities in the community

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Create a campaign to raise positive awareness of people with learning disabilities in the community.

SPB004: Evaluation strategy for The Community Credit Scheme in Christchurch

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Create an evaluation strategy for Volunteer Centre Dorset’s Community Credit Scheme in Christchurch.

 SPB005: Volunteering opportunities for individuals with learning disabilities: engagement and experience

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Research the ways in which individuals with learning disabilities engage with and experience volunteering.

 SPB006: Identify products charities sell to create sustainable income and make recommendations for Volunteer Centre Dorset

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Research the products charities sell to create sustainable income and make recommendations to Volunteer Centre Dorset for a product or line of products they could sell to create income for, and raise awareness of, The Community Credit Scheme.

 SPB007: Investigate fund raising for small business development through the utilisation of crowdfunding

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Investigate fund raising to support the development of a small business through crowdfunding. Examine current crowdfunding platforms and the feasibility of a low-cost DIY approach which does not involve a host platform.

SPB008: Product licensing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Research product licensing and discuss practical approaches, from initial contact to developing joint ventures. Make a list of recommendations.

 SPB009: Using social media platforms as a promotional tool for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Evaluate how a small business could use social media platforms to achieve growth.

 SPB010: What does success look like? Academic women at BU speak

Suitable for:                 Final year undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Use qualitative or mixed methodologies to gain an understanding of what success looks like for academic women at BU. Data gathered will be used for a publication by the Women’s Academic Network.

 SPB011: Development and creation of Poole Schools Association website

Suitable for:                 Undergraduate/ postgraduate

Brief description:         Develop and create a fully functional website for Poole Schools Association.

How it works

  1. A student chooses a project and contacts the Student Project Bank to request an application form.
  2. We will contact them to discuss their requirements and the requirements of the external organisation. For specific projects or those with a number of applications, the student may be asked to an informal interview.
  3. We may schedule a meeting between the student and external organisation to discuss the project, if applicable.
  4. Once the project has been completed the results are shared with the external organisation. The project may be published as a case study on the Student Project Bank website.

Find out more

Visit our webpage or send us an email.

The Student Project Bank has launched!

We are delighted to announce that the Student Project Bank has launched and is accepting project proposals. If you have an idea that has the potential to benefit community and society, or work with an organisation that does, please contact us.

The Student Project Bank is looking for community organisations, charities, not-for-profit organisations and corporate partners that would like help implementing a project that benefits society. It can be anything that benefits an individual, a community or society such as a piece of research, service improvement or a creative project.

The Student Project Bank is a mutually beneficial collaboration between external organisations and our students. As part of their studies, our students get to work on a live project with the potential for real-world impact. Each project will give students the opportunity to put theory into practice, develop transferrable skills and gain real-world project experience. External organisations get the opportunity to benefit from their knowledge, skills and creativity whilst gaining valuable insights into their project area.

Projects are available to all students studying at undergraduate or Master’s level and can be used for their dissertation, final project, an assignment or group work. There are also opportunities for projects to be carried out for extra-curricular experience. Projects are available for academic members of staff to select to set to their students.

A list of projects will be available on the Student Project Bank webpage shortly.

Find out more by visiting our webpage or send us an email.

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Are you involved in a research project related to policing or crime reduction.. read on !

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If you’re involved in a research project related to policing or crime reduction, you can share your work on the College of Policing website. (You will need to make sure that you have permission from your project/ research collaborators/ partners are aware of your intention and you have their agreement. )

The College of Policing website has a research tool that enables you to share  research using  the Policing and Crime Reduction Research Map. Criteria for use includes:

  • relevant to policing and crime reduction
  • of Masters degree level or above (and can include work/professional based project work)
  • ongoing and not completed can be included ( aswell as completed projects).

This tool has been trialled as part of the Higher Education Innovation Funded projects (HEIF 5+1 that were funded from August 2015 – July 2017) that were relevant to this sector. Check out these projects here:

Dr Sarah Bate: The identification of superior face recognition skills. Sarah’s research was also included on the website’s news pages.

Professor Wen Tang: Police training using gamification technology

This is a great tool to promote your research and develop opportunities for further collaboration and networking there-by extending the reach and potential impact. Both Sarah and Wen have very quickly received enquiries from members of the police force (from other parts of the UK), external collaborators and other institutions.

The map can be found here and information on how to add details of the research can be found using this link.

 

 

 

Incubation: Creating Value for Universities

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Date: 2nd November 2016
Location: London South Bank University
Time: 9:30am -4:00pm
KnowledgeLondon in partnership with HEEG is excited to bring you Incubation: Creating Value for Universities. The event provides an opportunity for debate and discussion on incubation centres. Incubation is a key strand of Enterprise activity, though universities can at times be uncertain about how it creates value.

Attendees at the event will hear from incubation managers and their colleagues about how this has worked in their universities, as well as from some of the founders who have benefitted from the service. There wil also be the chance to take a look at some of the nuts and bolts of running an incubation system, and consider how different types of incubator might be linked to the stage of development and type of university host.

Confirmed Speakers

Karen Brookes
Karen is the Programme Director for the SETsquared Partnership having devised and run their incubation and entrepreneurship training activities for the last fourteen years. She led the team that developed the world’s number one University Incubation Programme which has provided support to over 1,000 early stage technology companies which have raised over £1bn in investment.

Karen has built the SETsquared enterprise brand for the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey, which has provided over £3.8bn of economic impact to the UK economy. Karen has been key in the development of overseas relations in the US with technology support organisations such as MIT, Massachusetts Technology Transfer Centre, CONNECT, Global CONNECT, T2 Venture Capital and Austin Technology Incubator. Relationships with these organisations provide a springboard platform for European startups to access the US markets.

Adrian Tindall

Adrian is the Tenant Manager for Research, Enterprise and Innovation at London South Bank University (LSBU), where he managers the workspace community based in the Clarence Centre for Enterprise & Innovation and the Technopark.

Adrian acts as an enabler and facilitator for the SMEs housed in the workspace to engage with LSBU academics, staff and students through projects, events, mentoring and placements. Having developed a strategy to maximise the engagement opportunities for both LSBU and tenants, Adrian and his team are now looking for future tenants who complement and underpin the University’s Corporate Strategy.

Delegates from KnowledgeLondon and HEEG can attend FREE. BU is a memeber of this organisation.

Save the date! Wednesday 16 November 2016

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Save the date! Wednesday 16 November 2016

Event: The Game Changer: Reloaded

Location: The Fusion Building

About:

“The Game Changer: Reloaded” builds upon the success of an event held earlier in the year (The Game Changer), promoting innovation and collaboration across Dorset. In partnership with The NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (Dorset CCG) Innovation Team and with a variety of inspiring speakers including presentations from the  Orthopaedic Research Institute (ORI), Disaster Management Centre (DMC),  Amuzo and Guide Dogs.  The event aims to promote the art of the possible and demonstrate the power of innovation in order to transform health services within the region.

There will be no charge to attend the event  and the event will run all day. Registration will be required. Further details will be available shortly including information on how to reserve your free place.

Any queries please feel free to contact Jayne Codling or Rachel Clarke within RKEO.

ESRC seminar: Microenterprise, Technology and Big Data – Southampton

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Event: Microenterprise, technology and big data: new forms of digital enterprise and work and ways to research them

Dates: Monday 10 and Tuesday 11 October 2016

Location: Grand Harbour Hotel – West Quay Road, Southampton, SO15 1AG – View Map

Please click here to register to attend this FREE event.

About:

This seminar will focus on how technology has transformed microenterprise and work and is likely to shape these in the future. The first key aim is to contribute to understanding of digital microenterprise and work in a global perspective. Combining both Global North and Global South perspectives, this seminar seeks to show how new technology including social media and mobile phones are shaping enterprise and work practices. The potentials and risks involved in advanced technologies for how work is performed and experienced and microenterprises set up and organized will be critically interrogated. The second key aim is to explore new data and methods to reveal and understand digital work and microenterprise which are often ‘hidden’ in workers’ and entrepreneurs’ homes and therefore require novel research approaches. New (big) data sources and emerging research infrastructures will be presented and their application for studying enterprise and work practices discussed.

For more information and to register click here.

Innovate UK – Events

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Innovate UK supports many events that bring together innovators, successful entrepreneurs and investors. At the events information is available on the support and funding available in addition to offering a great opportuntity to make connections and build networks. Find out more and register for these upcoming events:

Venturefest Manchester – Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, M2 3WS
Date: 21 September 2016
View agenda
Find out more & register >>

Venturefest Wales – SSE SWALEC, Cardiff, CF11 9XR
Date: 28 September 2016
View the full programme
Find out more & register >>

Venturefest South West – Sandy Park Stadium, Exeter, EX2 7NN
Date: 18th October 2016
View the agenda
Find out more & register >>

New Scientist Live – ExCeL London, E16 1XL
Date: 22 – 25 September 2016
Visit New Scientist Live and hear our Chief Executive, Dr Ruth McKernan CBE, speak about Healthcare of the Future.  Why not try your hand at building a hydrogen fuelled car or see the latest vertical hydroponic farming?
See what’s on
Find out more & register >>

Low Carbon Networks & Innovation Conference
– Manchester Central, M2 3GX
Date: 11-13 October 2016
Innovate UK is partnering with BEAMA and the Energy Innovation Centre to host an Innovation Hub, showcasing the innovations being developed by 16 micro-SME.
View the Programme
Find out more & register >>

Innovate 2016  – Manchester Central, Petersfield, M2 3GX
Date: 2 – 3 November 2016.
Innovate 2016 is our flagship event showcasing the very best of innovation talent and global opportunities for businesses.
View agenda
Find out more & register >>

Connected cities mission: apply to join trade delegation to India
Date:
7-12 November 2016
The Department for International Trade, Innovate UK and the UK Defence and Security Organisation are seeking businesses with expertise in fields that could allow them to take advantage of the growing smart cities market in India.
Find out more & apply >>

Want to be kept up to date with events in your area ?
Let Innovate UK know your location so they can keep you up to date about events in your area. Update my location>>

TV, Film and Photoshoot Networking Event

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When: Wednesday 21 September 2016

Time: 6.00pm – 9.00pm

Where: Aruba Beach Restaurant – Pier Approach, Bournemouth, BH2 5AA

Book your tickets here.

About:

Dorset Film Office aims to support, develop and build a strong creative community.  Don’t miss out on ethe Dorset Film Office launch.

  • Need to find out about more opportunities?
  • Want to find more work in your local area?
  • Looking to increase lead generation?
  • Looking to raise brand awareness?
  • Looking to grow your network and forge new relationships?
  • Want to create strategic alliances?

Click here fore more information or phone 01202 980000

Book your free ticket to secure your place: Dorset Film Office Launch

 

AHRC Engaging with Government Programme

The AHRC have launched the Engagement with Government Programme, a three day course taking plan in March 2017 to provide researchers with insights in the policy making process and develop appropriate skills.

It is open to ECRs working in any areas of the AHRC’s subject domain.

The course will be held in London, 7th-9th March 2017. The call for applications closes on 7th October.

This is a great opportunity to develop the skills to ensure your research is shaping policy. Further details can be found on the AHRC’s website.

Engaging the social sciences with business

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A recent report published by the ESRC shows that social scientists are becoming increasingly engaged through their research. This is testament to how the knowledge exchange agenda has become embedded and been embraced. That said, what disciplines are involved varies, as does who they are engaging with. It is also striking, if not entirely unsurprising, that social scientists are more likely to engage with charitable and public sector organisations (49%) than with businesses (30%).

There are, of course, many reasons for this. However, it is important to emphasise that this is not for a lack of relevant insight! Indeed, this raises an important question about how the social sciences can and should engage with businesses to realise the impact of research-based insights. If opportunities for businesses engagement are in the eye of the beholder, then there is a need to make social scientists more aware about the possibilities. If we cannot identify our own value, we cannot expect others to see it.

Engaging with business is not the privileged domain of engineering and the sciences. The challenge, however, is ensuring that the value of the social sciences is not overlooked by businesses, or worse goes unrecognised. The onus, therefore, is on social scientists to demonstrate the relevance of their research to business,  just as they have to charitable and public sector organisations. This is about translation, making research insights accessible where the findings are non-obvious and engaging with businesses to co-produce new knowledge.

Click here to find out more about this research and the academics involved in this area of work.

The Sensors and Their Applications 2016 conference

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The Sensors and Their Applications XVIII (2016) conference will be held on 12th-14th September in London. The Sensors & Applications series of conferences provides an excellent opportunity to bring together scientists and engineers from academia, research institutes and industrial establishments to present and discuss the latest results in the field of sensors, instrumentation and measurement.

ensors and Their Applications XVIII (2016) conference wiill be held on 12th -14th September in London.  The conference is orgnasied by the Institute of Physics Instrument Science and Technology Group. In this year, the Sensors and their Applications conference will also feature an industry session to enable the conference partcipants to showcase the industry and technology transfer activities in sensor related areas.

Invited speakers will give lectures on important recent advances within the symposium, in addition to contributed talks and poster sessions.

Conference Themes

• Optical sensors
• Chemical and gas sensors
• Sensors in biology and medicine
• Advances in sensing materials
• Nanotechnology for sensors and actuators
• Smart sensors and interface electronics
• MEMS and silicon fabrication techniques
• Imaging: integrated actuators
• Thick and thin film sensors
• Sensor modelling
• Sensor packaging and assemblies

For further details on the conference and to register, please go to the event website.

Funding for arts and heritage

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As crowdfunding in the UK continues to grow, it is also becoming an increasingly important source of finance for arts and heritage projects. As a result local authorities, institutions, public bodies and foundations have begun to explore what this new form of finance means for the people and organisations they are supporting and how they can work with the crowd on identifying and funding worthy projects.

However, none of the matched funds to date have had a dedicated focus on arts or heritage projects. Linked to this, there has been little research done on the real impact of matched crowdfunding, such as whether or not it has the opportunity to generate more funding for the arts and heritage sector or increase awareness and public participation in supporting and initiating projects.

Crowdfunder is working with Nesta to  launch a matched crowdfunding pilot aimed squarely at the arts and heritage sectors. The pilot will provide two streams of £125,000 in matchfunding to arts and heritage projects that have received backing from the crowd. Nesta is developing the pilot in partnership with Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Crowdfunder will develop the matched crowdfunding platform for the pilot.

To find out more.