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On the Enterprise and Entrepreneurship section of our website there’s a really interesting list called ‘Links and Resources’ which provides links to organisations that could be useful to businesses. From the Knowledge Network, through to councils, and organisations as diverse as The Prince’s Trust and School for Start Ups, this page provides heaps of information and resource lists for Bedfordshire businesses and individuals looking to get ahead in business.
We’re always looking for useful organisations and resources that could be of benefit to Bedfordshire businesses, so if you have any recommendations to add to our list, don’t keep it to yourself! We’d love to hear from you. You can get in touch with us by email.
To discover a whole pile of resources that you may not already be using in your business, click here.
In the 1980s, the PC revolution put computers at our fingertips. In the 1990s, the internet revolution connected us to an information web that spans the planet. Today the sensor revolution is using that technology to monitor and manipulate the physical world on our behalf. Its impact and influence on business and society is far-reaching and the opportunities are tremendous.
We are hosting an event to give a unique insight into the sensor revolution, which will be open to the public. ‘You Know it Makes Sensors’ will be taking place on Tuesday 29th June at the Putteridge Bury Conference Centre and will be hosted by The Knowledge Network. The event will provide a unique opportunity to look directly into the work of one of the University’s most innovative Research Departments – the Institute of Research in the Applied Natural Science (LIRANS). From the world of business, one company that is already undertaking pioneering work in health innovation – Probe Scientific – will be in attendance and completing a fascinating programme of talks.
‘You Know it Makes Sensors’ is part of the 2010 ‘Changing Lives’ programme, which aims to present cutting-edge research and the latest developments in science and technology to the general public.
One of the keynote speakers, Tiantian Zhang, Director of LIRANS, will be giving an overview of the exciting work taking place in LIRANS. This will include the University’s contribution to the Frozen Ark project (an international collaboration of institutions devoted to saving the DNA and viable cells of endangered species).
During the evening Dr Barry Haggett, Head of the Sensor Research Group, will explain how sensor technology already has a significant impact on our private and business lives. Mark O’Connell, Technical Director of Probe Scientific will reveal how his company brought to market technologies that are having a radical impact on the provision of health care, in addition to an overview of Probe’s business model.
Sensor technology is here but it’s only the start of things to come. Come to this event to find out more about what the future holds and the opportunities this opens up for businesses and society.
The event costs £10 and includes a buffet and wine and the opportunity to network with local businesses at the end of the event. Tickets can be reserved by calling on 0800 328 5334 or by e-mailing info@theknowledgenetwork.co.uk
This September is the last chance for local graduates to take advantage of our free Supporting Graduates in Employment course. The course provides graduates in employment or those who have been recently made unemployed with the opportunity to improve their competency in their management and leadership skills. Attendees can practically apply the theories and knowledge from the course to their current employment, or use it to improve their level of proficiency and knowledge to prepare them for application to the competitive job market.
The course is set out in weekly sessions and provides an integrated package of training and development to improve delegates’ working expertise and deliver personal development planning, in addition to advice and guidance from highly experienced professionals. On successful completion attendees will gain a Certificate in Leadership and Management accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
This course has been invaluable to previous candidates, with former delegates saying:
“I was able to promote myself at a job interview by talking about the course and show my management potential. “
“It was interesting and has definitely broadened my horizons.”
“It is providing me with knowledge and skills that I have taken straight into the workplace.”
The twelve week course will commence in September 2010 and will be conducted at the University of Bedfordshire’s Bedford Campus from 4pm until 7.30pm once a week, with two additional weekly sessions covering personal development planning and a Masterclass on ‘Leading through Adversity’.
Prospective candidates are required to be in current employment or recently unemployed (within the last six months) and live within Bedfordshire (excluding Luton LU1-LU4).
Supporting Graduates in Employment is a project funded by the European Social Fund (ESF), Central Bedfordshire Council and Bedford Borough Council.
For further information click here.
Fourteen students on the new MSc in Project Management have successfully secured their PRINCE2® Project Management Foundation and Practitioner qualifications through the Knowledge Hub. They were presented with their certificates by Professor Denise Bower, the course’s external examiner from the University of Leeds.
The new MSc Project Management course started in September 2009 and has recently been hailed by top external academics as progressive as it combines basic project management with quality and risk management theory, as well as human resources and financial modules. It also allows students to deliver a real project for a client. MSc Project Management students can also take their PRINCE2 qualifications as part of the course (at a reduced price).
The MSc course is offered both on a full-time basis and as a part-time course for professionals who are in a full-time job. Current part-time students are from various organisations and sectors, such as Barnfield College, NHS, Glaxo Smith Kline and the construction industry.
David Owen, course leader, said: “The course develops knowledge and skills to manage projects effectively in the commercial, public and voluntary sector and can provide an academic underpinning for those who have already achieved their PRINCE2 qualifications. Delegates gain both academic and professional qualifications as well as real world experience of managing a project which is vital in providing a rounded set of skills for a potential employer.”
The next intake will be September 2010. Click here for further information.
If you are an experienced manager or team leader, you could become a creativity champion and unlock innovative potential by studying for the University of Bedfordshire’s new Postgraduate Certificate in Creative and Innovative Development.
The new one year part-time course aims to teach students how to mobilise organisational creativity and innovation and offers high potential for personal and organisational development.
Starting in October 2010, the course combines e-learning with monthly Saturday workshops providing an opportunity for full-time workers to participate and also opening up opportunities for students from across the EU. Delegates receive membership to our exciting New Ideas Club and can also benefit from numerous networking opportunities. Students wishing to continue their studies might also be eligible for partial exemption for the Masters in Business Administration (MBA).
Dr Pauline Loewenberger, Course Director said: “Properly channelled innovation contributes to organisational growth which is good for businesses and for the greater economy. Our new Postgraduate Certificate in Creative and Innovative Development offers aspiring individuals and organisations the opportunity to develop creative capability and enjoy the benefits that innovation can bring.”
The Postgraduate Certificate in Creative and Innovative Development will be held at the Putteridge Bury campus. For further information, click here.
Are you thinking of taking your management skills to the next level? If so, a part-time Executive MBA (Masters in Business Administration) could be just what you’re looking for.
The MBA course is suitable for individuals with at least three years’ management experience looking to develop their existing management skills as well as accelerating their career progress. The programme combines core MBA disciplines such as marketing, operations management and strategy with innovative subject areas such as entrepreneurship and e-business, which are increasingly important to today’s business community.
If you’d like to try the MBA programme for yourself before registering for the course, the University is running a Bedfordshire MBA Experience evening on 17th June 2010. The event gives prospective students a taste of the course and will send them home with practical skills and techniques to implement in a management and business environment. There will also be the opportunity to meet with the alumni of the MBA programme and take a look around our Putteridge Bury management centre at our MBA Open Evening on 8th September 2010. Both events are free to attend.
The next intake of the Executive MBA programme commences on 9th October 2010 and is open to managers from the public and private sector, as well as owner managers. The programme is studied part-time at our business school weekends at the Putteridge Bury campus. For further information, please email the MBA team on mba-admin@beds.ac.uk , telephone 01582 743418 or visit our website.
Over 150 people attended a special business innovation event on 21 April. Innovation Day 2010 attracted a wide range of businesses from all over Bedfordshire and Luton. The main themes for the day were health, digital industries and green technologies.
The day encouraged local businesses to look at innovation in a whole new way through a variety of keynote speeches, interactive workshops, professional advice and networking.
Professor Alan Barrell, Visiting Professor of Enterprise at the University of Bedfordshire, opened the day with a keynote speech on Turning Research and Ideas into Business. Other keynote speeches came from Jon Block, Product Innovation Lead, ITV.com who spoke about Innovation – Where Novelty Meets Need. Steve Head, High Performance Specialist was the final keynote of the day and talked about Building on Success.
Delegates took part in a series of interactive workshops, and had the opportunity to view various exhibitions and network over lunch. It was a great opportunity to find out how other businesses are innovating, and to see what the University has to offer local businesses in terms of training, research, and support.
Dr Wesley Randle, the University’s Director of Innovation said: “This
was our second Innovation Day and I had a lot of positive feedback. There was
plenty of energy around and a great of deal of connections made on behalf of
the University, local business and the councils.”
Innovation Day was a partnership event between the University of Bedfordshire’s Knowledge Hub, Luton Borough Council, Central Bedfordshire Council, Bedford Borough Council, the Federation of Small Businesses, Bedfordshire and Luton Chamber of Commerce, Business Link and Basepoint which manages the Innovation and Business Centre. Click here for more information about Innovation Day 2010.
Stories and experiences are a key tool in teaching and learning. Our 16th annual International Reflective Practice Conference takes place from 23rd to 25th June and will be headlined by poet and novelist Ben Okri OBE.
Ben Okri OBE is the author of ten novels including The Famished Road, as well as collections of poetry, short stories and essays. The conference will provide the opportunity to hear the views of this award winning author in the context of reflective practice.
In 2010 the conference becomes truly inter-professional, spanning the breadth of the University’s portfolio from business to midwifery, from theatre to social work, from psychology to sports science and many places in between. What unites these professions is a common interest in reflective practice as professional practice, education and research. Reflective practice is a well-established technique in the nursing and teaching professions and is becoming more prominent in businesses, whether you’re an HR professional or a business owner there’s scope for you to use reflective practice in your work.
The conference, which now attracts an international audience and organisations from across the world, will also include keynote speeches from Professor Jennifer Moon, Associate Professor at Bournemouth University and Kathleen Armour from the School of Education at the University of Birmingham, who will be talking about the importance of reflection in human learning. To book your place and to find out more, click here.
The Knowledge Hub can help you learn how to manage, control and organise any project through internationally recognised PRINCE2® qualifications in project management.
We are now offering four intensive PRINCE2® courses to guide students of all levels towards project management certification: Foundation, Conversion, Practitioner and re-registration.
The three-day Foundation course covers all aspects included in the PRINCE2® Project Management Method and is suitable for anyone working on any type of project. Study concludes in an exam, on completion of which delegates will be able to recognise the factors which enable successful projects, know the main PRINCE2® processes, recognise the terminology and be able to describe key PRINCE2® management products.
A five-day Practitioner course takes students through all aspects of PRINCE2® and includes additional elements such as planning and risk assessment. Each student sits the Foundation exam on day three and the Practitioner exam on day five. This course is suitable for practising project managers who manage or are considering managing using PRINCE2®. On completion, delegates will have learned a structured approach to project management and have knowledge of planning and risk assessment. They will be able to distinguish between PRINCE2® processes, identify terminology used in project management, apply PRINCE2®to a scenario and will have gained an internationally recognised certificate.
The two-day Conversion course prepares successful Foundation students for the Practitioner exam which they will sit at the end of the course. It is also appropriate for those who have attended a Practitioner course, successfully passed the Foundation exam but were unsuccessful in the Practitioner exam and wish to re-sit.
PRINCE2 certificate holders must re-take a re-registration exam every 3-5 years to remain a registered practitioner. This one hour exam makes sure that all registered PRINCE2 practitioners are up-to-date with the latest revisions in the theory.
All courses are held at Putteridge Bury Conference Centre, Luton, or for a minimum of 6 students, the courses can be taught on site in any organisation. Prices start at £750 + VAT per person including materials, examination fees, refreshments, lunch and parking. For further information or to book your place, click here.
