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An Example of a Business Facing University

An Example of a Business Facing University. Professor John Senior Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research). Guardian HE Summit 2008. Sainsbury Review – Case Study. A business-facing university – University of Hertfordshire

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An Example of a Business Facing University

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  1. An Example of a Business Facing University Professor John Senior Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) Guardian HE Summit 2008

  2. Sainsbury Review – Case Study • A business-facing university – University of Hertfordshire • The University of Hertfordshire aims: “to be recognised as a new model of a university through far-reaching engagement with business, community and international partners, shaping the future success of their graduates operating in the global environment, and advancing the prosperity of their region”. The university encourages a constant interchange between business, academics and students. Many university staff members spend a proportion of their time working in industry, running their own businesses, keeping their knowledge up to date and helping to develop students’ business skills. • The university’s business-facing activities include: • Business Link Merger • Entrepreneurship • Business experience for undergraduates • World-class research facilities: BioPark Hertfordshire • October 2007 • . 1

  3. Exemplas Holdings Ltd - history Hertfordshire Business Centre Ltd (HBC) secure Business Link Licence for Hertfordshire (TEC 51%, UH 18%, Herts Chamber of Commerce 16%, Herts County Council 15%) Exemplas established as Holding Company with HBC a subsidiary 2002 Demise of TEC – share reallocation UH 34%, Herts County Council 33%, Herts Chamber of Commerce 33% Exemplas announced as winner of FT/BT UK’s top 100 visionary companies 2004 Exemplas announced as winner of Europe’s top 500 award for business growth 2

  4. Exemplas Holdings Ltd - history Share reallocation UH 98%, Herts Chamber of Commerce 1%, Herts County Council 1% Co-location with the University Exemplas secure East of England Business Link Licence 2007 Exemplas (with Reed) secure Yorkshire and Humberside Business Link Licence 3

  5. University - Exemplas Operational work packages • Corporate/Infrastructure • Marketing & Communications • CRM/common technology platform • Strategic relationships/account handling • Physical relocation/premises • Establish operating protocols/service level agreements Tactical Projects • Employability • Diversity • Management development offer – mapping exercise • Knowledge Transfer Partnerships • Short course co-ordination • New collaborative opportunities 4

  6. Business facing is …. • … having explicit business engagement at the very core of our mission • … our funding and income. UH commercial revenue set to exceed core teaching grant from HEFCE • UH awarded £4.2 million HEFCE Strategic Development Fund - funding to drive employer activity • – UHEvolution 5

  7. Business facing is also about …. • A positive business-like set of attributes and aspirations - an inclusive brand • Staff mindset and culture • Focusing on student skills and work place opportunities • Engaging and collaborating with business, the professions, the public sector • Integrating academic insight with practical expertise and workplace learning - incorporating enterprise and entrepreneurship • An institution-wide focus on innovation and applied-collaborative research • Adding value to business, the regional and national economy 6

  8. Research in a business facing, student focused University 7

  9. Research and development • Grant-aided collaborative basis • Knowledge Transfer Partnerships • Collaborative R&D • Contract basis Knowledge Transfer Partnerships • Sysmedia (Wheathamstead) – graphics and software design for live data (subtitling, sports) • Keyphoto (St Albans) – manage photographic distributor's transition from analogue to digital 8

  10. Knowledge Transfer Partnership Case Study:PCME – particle monitoring instruments • Particle monitoring from industrial processes • Novel emission monitoring instrument • Light scattering technology • New product launched • Expertise gained to develop other products 9

  11. Further Knowledge Transfer Partnership Examples Heales Medical COFEPOW Archiving software and online database of Far East prisoners of war records • Multiple programmes: IT tools for healthcare management; psychology of workplace stress 10

  12. Collaborative Research:BIRAL Ltd – bioaerosol detection systems • UH developed research prototypes for real-time detection of airborne biological organisms • BIRAL engineered these into military grade detection systems for front-line use, as well as monitors for civilian applications • BIRAL systems have been procured by MoD since mid-1990s • Over this time BIRAL’s core business has changed from franchisee to OEM 11

  13. Spin out : 3D–Molecular Sciences • Collaboration between Scientific Generics and UH • Based on UH intellectual property • Coded microparticle technology acts as miniature labels 12

  14. Business partnership and interaction • Always seeking opportunities to work with the local business community… • Exemplas • Regional Business Link Licence • Current turnover £25M per annum • Interaction with 50,000 businesses in UK • Plan to more fully integrate with the University • BioPark Hertfordshire • Support from Regional Development Agency • Start up/medtech incubator Innovation Centre • On-campus location for 22 SMEs • Access to facilities, staff and students • UH also runs 12 subsidiary businesses 13

  15. BioPark Hertfordshire • 7,500 sq m of ready-to-use Chemistry and Biology laboratories • 30 sq m to 180 sq m with adjacent write-up areas • £20 million refurbishment and upgrade • Full laboratory services, dark rooms, autoclaves, freezer rooms etc • Office and conference accommodation • Fully secure 14

  16. Innovation Centre • Spin-out and spin-in companies • At the heart of the University • Adjacent to Science & Technology Research Institute • Access to library, sports, fast networking, etc • Meeting clear demand • Lack of such space in Hertfordshire 15

  17. Empowering students • Entrepreneurship training and activities - • ‘UHFlare - a Dragon’s Den approach’ • Employability skills embedded in curriculumfor all programmes • Placements, internships and work based learning • Career Development and Graduate Recruitment Centre - preparing students for lifelong employability • Externally sponsored scholarships • Graduate consulting unit 16

  18. “ ... business-facing universities focusing on the equally important economic mission of professional teaching, user-driven research and problem-solving with local and regional companies ...” Sainsbury Review – October 2007 17

  19. Role for business facing universities • Different types of institutions serve different purposes • New generation of universities dedicated to delivering to the knowledge economy • Traditional linear model, research  exploitation, is only part of the picture • Business-facing universities will deliver a more holistic model: • Knowledge exchange • Collaborative R&D • Process improvement • Service innovation • Flexible work-based learning and CPD • For example, the UH-Exemplas model 18

  20. Responding to business needs • Working with Exemplas to deliver • learning to employees – a large Higher • Education CPD provider • The employer offer – the benefits of employing a UH graduate • Professional advisory groups – each • programme has received business input • Business Partnership Office • Law clinic • Case Study – MBDA Working with a local business to improve workforce skills set 19

  21. How we do ‘business facing’! • Engaging UH Staff • UHMindset – small steps of change and staff facilitators • Use of Exemplas Adaptability Index Tool • Sector Partnership Champions • Staff development opportunities to achieve management of change • Reward strategies – e.g. Readers and Professors embrace enterprise • Co-location • Exemplas/Chamber of Commerce/Institute of Directors/Herts Prosperity • Influence and endorsement • Hertfordshire County Council/East of England Development Agency 20

  22. Some next steps …. • Further extend and exploit the business partnership linkages with Exemplas • Develop work experience for all students • Progress CPD offer to graduates throughout working life • By 2012 • Commercial income - 1.5 x core teaching grant • 80% of undergraduates receive accredited work experience • Profits from University companies will support academic activities by £5M per annum 21

  23. http://perseus.herts.ac.uk/uhinfo/uhevolution/uhevolution_home.cfmhttp://perseus.herts.ac.uk/uhinfo/uhevolution/uhevolution_home.cfm February 2008

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