OPEN BizOpen Programme engaging with businesses
Dr. Siobhán Jordan
OPEN Biz- Introduction“Businesses need a knowledge exchange system that is easy to navigate and provides them with the expert knowledge and research they need……and has the potential to stimulate even greater knowledge exchange”BUILDING A SMARTER FUTURE TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE SCOTTISH SOLUTION FOR THE FUTURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION-Scottish Government 2011
• Innovation is at the heart of economic development policy.
• Public sector and university sources are found to be the least often used by businesses .
• There is a need to facilitate easier access to the resources within universities.
• OPEN Biz blended existing and new digital tools to enhance business access to academic expertise.
Challenges and Solutions
Many Challenges
for Businesses
The OPEN Biz Solutions
• Don’t know how to connect with suitable expertise?
• Don't know what academic expertise is available? • Don't have the time or money to find out more?
• Develop an innovative programme to enhance the knowledge exchange support offered to West of Scotland businesses and community.
• Embracing new and multiple online channels, to open up business access to University services.
• Forming innovative partnerships and a regional network with West of Scotland Economic Development Teams in Councils, Business Gateways and Chambers of Commerce to directly engage with business advisors and companies in a range of sectors.
Business Community
Interface – The Matchmaker for Business
Academic Partners
All Scottish Universities & Research Institutions
Direct Contact
Via events, word of mouth, press, etc
ReferralsViaIntermediaryorganisations
Work Package 1 –Online Video Case Studies
• 2-3 minute videos hosted on the Interface YouTube channel.
• Testimonials from collaborations with companies - AMT, Design LED, Float your Boat
• University project partners- Strathclyde University, University of the West of Scotland, Glasgow Caledonian University.
• Videos from the West of Scotland KTP Centre.
Work Package 2 –Webinar Events
• Focussed events for businesses wanting to develop new design processes or embrace digital technologies.
• Blending a live and virtual audience.
• Online chat with a moderator to answer questions and direct conversation.
• On demand video following the events.
Work Package 3 – Business publications list & topic modelling• Testing easier business access
to research publications via a digital publishing tool.
• Generation of word clouds from the software.
• Development of a prototype topic modelling interface as a new discovery tool to locate documents, terms within documents and relationships between documents.
Work Package 4 – iPhone Application
• Design and development of an iPhone app to connect businesses with University services at the touch of a button.
• Available from the Apple iTunes store - InterfaceOn.
• Users can create a unique profile to received relevant updates about funding, case studies, events and news.
The OPEN Biz- Blog
OPEN Biz regularly blogged about events/updates or general digital happenings.
‘The art of frugal innovation: how to cut costs and stay ahead’
‘Spreading the word digitally!’
Open Biz has brought key benefits to the partner institutions, businesses and intermediaries.
• Businesses- increased understanding of how knowledge exchange can benefit their company which has directly led to new collaborative projects with academic institutions.
• Partner Universities- have been able to engage with more businesses across a wider area in the West of Scotland.
• Overall- Open Biz has facilitated the development of a best practice online solution that could be easily rolled out across Scotland and the UK via a centralised hub such as Interface.
Key Benefits
Q&A