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

www.interface-online.org.uk

siobhan@interface-online.org.uk

@Interfaceonline