Enterprise excellence

BU’s enterprise activity sees staff further their research interests, support local businesses with expertise and encourages students to develop ideas and work on their own initiative, enabling them to differentiate themselves early in their careers.

Reaching out to local businesses

BU has several Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) in progress each year within the regional business community. These graduate employment contracts cover various career paths including Marketing, Design, Finance, Tourism and Media Production. The initiative is going from strength to strength with an increase in sales of £3.2M reported by those businesses working with BU in 2008.

The KTP with the Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA) was recognised as the ‘Best Partnership in South West England’ at the Knowledge Transfer Partnership Awards 2008. The programme implemented quality management systems in BCHA, resulting in an improvement in organisational performance.

Due to BU’s expertise in this field it also received funding from the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) to develop an HEI South West Knowledge Transfer Regional Network. The scheme brings together HEI Knowledge Transfer (KT) and Business Development Managers to promote new KT opportunities, share best practice and discuss common issues.

Building excellent national relationships

BU has developed links with many international corporate organisations including IBM, Sony, Lufthansa, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Vodafone. Additionally, it has strengthened its long-standing relationship with J.P. Morgan Chase, one of the world’s most prestigious financial services firms.

BU has signed an exclusive contract with Microsoft to be the only UK university to implement a curriculum development programme for computing graduates to be ‘industry-ready’ for a range of Microsoft roles.

Providing greater access to employment

BU is committed to creating business leaders of the future. The Graduate Employment Service (GES) works closely with the academic Schools to embed employability in the student learning experience and helps students to learn how to manage their careers and achieve positions that fulfil their potential. A team of Placement Development Advisers supports students on 40-week placements at organisations such as British Airways, the House of Commons, Toyota, BBC Worldwide, Sky and Exxon Mobil. Further details about the Graduate Employment Service.

The number of graduates going straight into full-time employment is increasing. Of the 2007 graduates, 91% were in employment or undertaking further study within six months of completing their studies with BU (Destination of Leavers from Higher Education Institutions 2006/7, Higher Education Statistics Agency) and 75% are in graduate-level employment (Graduate Employment Services Bournemouth University, 2008).

The STRIDE graduate placement programme gives students the opportunity to work in a local organisation for up to six months and gain valuable industry experience. This initiative launched by the GES gives employers the opportunity to appoint a graduate on a temporary basis, bringing fresh ideas and new concepts to their busines

Bringing research to life in the real world

BU’s expertise in the field of tribology (the science and technology of interacting surfaces in relative motion) combined with the dedication and academic curiosity of two PhD students has led to the Sustainable Design Research Centre performing pioneering research benefiting the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Ben Thomas and Angel Torrez Perez have identified ways of improving the performance and safety of the lifeboat launch process following innovative research on friction, lubrication and wear and tear.

Further information on BU’s services to business.

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