Professional and personal development
Through the Vice-Chancellor's Fund, we initiate and test pioneering projects aimed at nurturing the long-term growth of our students. These efforts are specifically crafted to address the dynamic needs of our student body, supporting their professional and personal development. Successful projects are integrated into the University, providing students with essential resources and opportunities.
Lunch with a Leader
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Fostering connections
Lunch with a Leader was a project aimed at fostering connections between students and businesses, enhancing understanding of entrepreneurship and enterprise. Throughout the academic year, the project offered monthly opportunities for up to three students involved in the student enterprise programme to join local business leaders for a complimentary lunch at the Stirling Court Hotel.
This initiative aimed to provide students with access to valuable insights from experienced professionals, fostering confidence and facilitating discussions on ideas, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
The student enterprise programme consistently endeavoured to strengthen ties with community stakeholders, enriching its programming and enhancing the student experience. Lunch with a Leader played a significant role in increasing engagement between businesses and students.
Beyond the direct benefits to students, Lunch with a Leader aimed to cultivate lasting relationships with businesses. The goal was to encourage continued participation from business leaders in future programme events, thereby enriching enterprise programming. Throughout the year, various successful events were organised, including discussion panels, skill-building workshops, and Enterprise Day, providing students with opportunities to develop essential entrepreneurial skills, explore their ideas, receive support for start-ups, and network with industry professionals.
Student Public Engagement Team
The project brought together a team of undergraduate (UG), postgraduate taught (PGT), and postgraduate research (PGR) students to develop public engagement activities across the faculties. It provided them with employability skills while enabling the University to offer these events.
Previously, public engagement activities were bottom-up and relied on a few enthusiastic individuals to propel them forward. However, the ability to explain complex subjects to laypeople is an invaluable skill. This project provided a more formal platform for student engagement, aiming to build an active and enthusiastic team environment.
Initially, the team ran Science Fairs and 'Pint of Science' events, but there was no limitation to these events being exclusive to the sciences. Consequently, they aimed to:
- Conduct a session on public engagement leveraging the previous experiences of students to underscore the benefits.
- Organise at least one event for primary-aged pupils on weekends.
- Arrange at least one evening event for older pupils and adults.
- Encourage collaboration among individuals to develop activities for school outreach, driven by members' interests.
The project engaged 50 students across all activities in the current year, now self-sustaining and mainstreamed by the IAS once more established.
Digital skills development webinar series
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Equipping entrepreneurs
The Digital Skills Development (DSD) Webinar Series Project aimed to equip student and graduate entrepreneurs with a foundational understanding and skill set to leverage digital strategies in response to the impact of COVID-19 on their early-stage start-ups.
Comprising four webinars covering essential topics such as digital strategy, social media marketing, e-commerce, and search engine optimization (SEO), the series was also accessible to students university-wide, offering opportunities for skill development from home during the summer months of 2020.
Delivered throughout June, July, and August 2020, the DSD Webinar Series attracted 38 unique attendees, including both students and recent graduates. It facilitated their development of knowledge and competencies in digital strategy for businesses, social media marketing, e-commerce, and SEO. This initiative provided students and recent graduates with avenues for digital skills enhancement and remote learning, contributing significantly to their overall experience during the Global Pandemic.