Ask the Expert: Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarships
Q: How can I benefit from being involved in a research project with a university?
There are many different ways in which businesses can benefit from being involved in a research project with a university and it really depends on what the needs of the business are at the time.
Benefits can range from positive PR, marketing and networking through to problem solving, product development or access to the latest thinking or technologies.
The key to successful collaboration though is to view it as a true partnership rather than a short-term project. The strongest collaborations start small and develop over time with all parties learning and benefiting from each other's experience and expertise.
At Bangor University we are increasingly seeking to underpin our core functions of teaching and research with employability skills and a spirit of enterprise and innovation.
In recent years it has been this approach that has enabled us to develop a number of platforms for collaboration that have benefitted our students and the partner businesses.
The latest iteration of this approach is our Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarships (KESS). This programme, supported by European Social Funds and the Welsh Assembly Government is led by Bangor on behalf of all universities in Wales and will create over 400 collaborative research projects at masters and PhD level through to 2014.
For as little as £2,500 a business can benefit from having a postgraduate student undertake research on a collaborative project. The benefits are significant for all concerned:
- The business has access to research specific to their business needs (imagine the power of a piece of academic research that tested product claims).
- The university gains a better understanding of what businesses need from them and their graduates
- The student learns how to apply their research and how to operate effectively in a commercial environment
- Last but not least, the business has opened its doors to research, innovation and a potential long term relationship with the university and all the possibilities that brings with it.
The impact is already being seen, KESS scholars have made headlines in Wales. The next four years of collaborations, on this programme alone, offers a host of benefits for us all.
For more information contact:
Professor David Joyner
Research and Innovation Department
Bangor University
College Road
Bangor LL57 2DG
Email: d.joyner@bangor.ac.uk
Tel: 01248 383655
Web: www.bangor.ac.uk/rio/innovation-new.php.en
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