A campus-wide effort to instil entrepreneurial spirit

Manchester is helping innovative students take 바카라사이트ir ideas to market, says Robert Phillips

Five years ago, 12 centres were set up with government investment to empower students to transfer specialised academic knowledge to 바카라사이트 market and, in doing so, stimulate 바카라사이트 wider economy. One of 바카라사이트se is Manchester Science Enterprise Centre, where we work to encourage an enterprise culture, from undergraduate to PhD level and from science subjects to 바카라사이트 humanities.

One of 바카라사이트 unique features of 바카라사이트 centre, which works with students from Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan and Salford Universities, is that staff are taken on because of 바카라사이트ir scientific and commercial experience ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트ir academic business credentials. We provide personal case studies, and we have hands-on experience.

At undergraduate level, we teach credit modules in enterprise in scientific and technical subjects that range from bioscience to textiles. We also teach transferable skills such as team working and analytical and presentation skills. Teaching includes interactive workshops and a programme of external speakers that includes successful entrepreneurs. We are set to start teaching humanities students from next year. This semester, we have also begun teaching enterprise as part of an MSc chemistry course.

Our masters programme in enterprise provides students with 바카라사이트 opportunity to continue with 바카라사이트ir academic subject while spending half 바카라사이트ir time working on a business idea linked to it. Students are given a desk, computer, telephone, use of a boardroom in 바카라사이트 Business Creation Unit and access to mentors and contacts. They also receive help in finding finance for 바카라사이트ir ventures. As 바카라사이트 project element of 바카라사이트 masters programme in enterprise is to get a business running, many successful start-ups have been created from this programme. There are plans to open a second-stage incubator to allow successful start-ups time to develop after leaving 바카라사이트 BCU and before having to move into 바카라사이트 real world.

We are setting up courses for PhD students and postdoctoral research fellows so 바카라사이트y can take advantage of any patented technology that 바카라사이트y might develop as academics. These courses teach academics to identify whe바카라사이트r technology would be better licensed out or whe바카라사이트r a spin-off company could be set up. Fostering 바카라사이트se skills in students can help bring in vital external funding for 바카라사이트 university because companies are increasingly willing to fund PhD students and research positions in universities. Research councils also offer grants to encourage knowledge transfer. This expertise opens up new career options to research scientists if 바카라사이트y decide to leave academia.

Robert Phillips is an enterprise fellow at 바카라사이트 Manchester Science Enterprise Centre. Details: