BedsBiz Issue 5 December 2014 Winter Edition

STUDENT ROOM

TALKING BUSINESS

Business School

RESEARCH POD

IN THE NEWS

BedsBiz WINTER EDITION | December 2014

Issue 5

10 REASONS WHY UBBS IS THE PLACE TO BE

From the Classroom Radical changes to Marketing and Public Relations degrees to make students work-ready

IN PARTNERSHIP - UBBS Network, Businesses working with schools

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EDITORIAL

Welcome to the Winter issue of BedsBiz Magazine It’s been as difficult as ever to choose from the many articles and stories that have been submitted, as it has been an exciting few months. BedsBiz is an affirmation of the work we are doing in the Business School to prioritise the student experience and provide the knowledge, skills and attributes for the future workforce. I’d like to highlight a couple of things that stand out in this edition.

Our staff have developed new and exciting portfolios at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels – we now have courses that are distinctive, aligned to our vision and embedded in the core of what we offer to our students.

As a result, our students can now benefit from an innovative and practice-rich curriculum. The cover story offers only one aspect of these

changes and, although there is still work to do, the achievements so far have been remarkable.

We also have some notable students in the Business school and there are profiles of just some of them in this edition.

What stands out is the enjoyment of the students in their courses here at

NSS score ent tud 87% sfaction satis rsonal on pe pment o devel

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WINTER EDITION | December 2014

the Business School and the success that has followed.

These students highlight the extra and co-curricular activities that gave them the know-how, confidence and practice intelligence to take opportunities and succeed: whether working for Enactus, winning the National Student Employee of the Year award or in an industry placement with Toyota UK. As you will also see here we are continuing to grow our contacts with our businesses and communities: connections that present our students with the contexts in which to test, apply and advance the theoretical rigour our courses offer.

I wish you all continuing success in the new year.

Dr Gordon Mellor Executive Dean

Issue 5

CONTENTS 2

Editorial

12 Alumni Stories

Cover Story

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• Radical changes to Marketing and Public Relations degrees to make students work-ready

• 10 Reasons why UBBS is the place to be

From the Classroom

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• StEPs projects - Feedback: Students telling students about feedback

• StEPS projects: Co-facilitating professional values

Thought Leadership

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• Research, Teaching, Practice: Friends, Acquaintances or Enemies?

8 Student Room

• Business School student wins National Student Employee of the Year Award

• Thomas Hedison – Enactus Marketing Manager and student Employee of the Year

• Jordan Lewis – BedsSU President

• Bedfordshire’s best legal brains outclass

Cambridge to progress in national championships

• Mark Newton, Executive MBA graduate

• International audience at Inaugural Alumni Event in London

13 In Partnership

• UBBS Network – Businesses working with schools

• Mock debate at the School of Law Summer School

14 Talking Business

• Real Business, Real Practice: Using Business School ideas in the workplace

• Business Matters - A new source of Business Practice for students

• HSBC event working with schools

• Training courses at Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre

• Sebastian Bosslet - placement at Toyota UK

17 Research Pod

• Knowledge Transfer project with Cambodia and China.

• The Centre for Research in Law (CRiL) workshop on Access to Justice in the Asylum Process 10

• Community Resettlement Support Project 19 (CRSP) - ‘Making CRSP Famous.’

• Keech Hospice – Diversity in volunteers

• Business Pods Revitalised with

• Saracens RFC – Expanding the global network £50,000 investment

Practice Weeks

In the News

SUBMIT YOUR STORIES NOW FOR THE NEXT ISSUE This magazine depends on the excellent stories of success our staff and students generate. Please email your stories and photographs for inclusion in the next issue to:

bbsdirect@beds.ac.uk

WINTER EDITION | December 2014

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Issue 5

COVER STORY

Radical changes to Marketing and Public Relations degrees to make students work-ready

By Neville Hunt, Senior Lecturer in Marketing Over the past five or six years there has been a transformation in the advertising, marketing and public relations industries - driven by the inexorable rise, rise and rise of digital communications and more specifically social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr. Practitioners in these areas hadn’t heard of these ten years ago and yet now they are fundamental to the way they do business.

As a result, we are making significant changes to what we teach and how we teach it in our three marketing orientated degrees, BA (Hons) Advertising & Marketing Communications, BA (Hons) Marketing and BA (Hons) Public Relations. Our students will be fully up-to-date with current practice. Given that they are ‘digital natives’ who fully embrace social media in their own private lives, the transformation to social media for business will be relatively straightforward for them, particularly if they see how it works in practice.

What is the nature of the changes

we have made? Overall we have embedded digital and social media into the teaching at all three undergraduate levels and confirmed that industry bodies recognise our courses – the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) for BA (Hons) Advertising & Marketing Communications and BA (Hons) Marketing and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) for the BA (Hons) Public Relations.

This commitment to professional bodies underpins the University of Bedfordshire Business School’s practice vision that balances academic theory and rigour with real professional practice using real projects and real experiences for students in real time. In this way our advertising, marketing and public relations students will have the advantage of greater employability skills and should be the first in line for the future workforce in their respective fields when they graduate.

It is all about us helping students to take control of their careers

group presented at Cirkle offices

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and career prospects early on.

Equipped with the skills and knowledge for today’s marketing environment we want our graduates to make a positive contribution to their future employers from day one. We provide students with the skills and attributes that employer seek in the graduates they employ.

We are also helping students to become professionals by encouraging them to do the sandwich variants of their courses that we offer. Third year sandwich placements are now available to all undergraduate students. We know that if students take a year out in an internship or placement they put their learning from the first two years into practice.

This new curriculum takes the best aspects from our courses and transforms them for the distinctly different conditions of today and beyond. The students will enjoy enormous advantages in terms of employability, their potential for success and as leaders of futures in the companies they join.

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10 Reasons why UBBS is the place to be Not all business schools are the same. UBBS has a vision to take global management education, research and practice in imaginative new directions.

We deliver academic success and focus on bridging the gap between study and that first job. It’s a commitment from the Business School to our students, to not only give them a unique learning experience enriched by employer engagement, but also to prepare them as the future workforce.

Ten benefits of our Practiceled courses at UBBS:

7. We have appointed Professors

for business practice: so you hit the ground running at work, with the confidence and focus to bring rapid results to any firm.

8. We design our buildings to

in Management Practice who bring years of top level business experience to show you how it’s done. Their expertise is available to all students.

1. We’ve redesigned our courses

reflect how you learn: open work spaces for team work, Pods for a business experience, superb learning resources and relaxation as well as study areas.

2. All business students work on real projects in their first year learning how companies work and getting the skills and attitudes that employers want.

9. Academic staff engage in

3. Most of our Business and

Marketing courses have a ‘sandwich pathway’ option with work placements in year three: more work experience as part of your course

4. Many of our courses, particularly in Human Resource Management, Law, and Accounting and Finance are professionally accredited to give instant recognition of quality to employers.

practice-based research with our partner companies, bringing leading edge materials into the classroom.

10. The Leadership Futures

Lecture series brings inspirational speakers into the University to stretch your reach and your aspirations as leaders of futures.

The opportunities are there to gain not only a qualification but to embark on a personal development journey that will equip students with the skills and knowledge to achieve their goals.

5. Through Practitioner Panels of employers we know we are developing courses to fit with the needs of the future workforce so you’ll be ready for work.

6. Practice Weeks bring external

projects into UBBS. Students completed over 40 projects last year in public and private sectors and charities. All real projects with real results. Practice Weeks are fun while stretching students to achieve.

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Issue 5

FROM THE CLASSROOM

By Carol Matthews, Learning Development Manager at UBBS

Feedback: Students telling students about feedback Feedback and professional values are hot topics this summer! Two UBBS projects are in full swing with students and staff joining forces to improve the student experience of learning and teaching.

These StEPs projects produce student-driven resources communicating messages which students themselves have highlighted as significant to them: feedback and peer behaviour in the classroom.

Cathy Minett-Smith’s presentation at the HEA Annual Conference in early July on the ‘Feedback’ project resonated with many delegates. In fact it generated so much interest at this major national conference that it trended on Twitter. The ‘Feedback’ project team is working with students on resources which raise awareness of the variety of feedback opportunities embedded in the entire learning experience. Feedback occurs, not only on assignments but also in conversations with teaching staff or classmates, on discussion boards in BREO and in preparation for classes. In recognising these opportunities feedback empowers students as active agents in their own learning. The key is in perceiving feedback as something to be engaged with rather than merely received.

The team is adding to and revising resources in response to our focus group findings and planning student-driven events in the near future. And, as Cathy Minett-Smith’s presentation demonstrates, students telling students about feedback is a timely and significant topic.

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By students for students: Co-facilitating professional values in the classroom In response to student concerns about challenging peer behaviour in the classroom staff and students are working in partnership to answer these questions: • What are professional values?

• Why do they matter in the classroom?

• How can we articulate professional values to students?

Focus groups were held earlier in the year where students discussed the nature of professionalism, related their experiences and expectations of peer behaviour and contributed ideas about the extent to which the university supports the development of professionalism as part of the learning experience. A steering group comprised of students and staff then analysed the results and the students worked with an external facilitator to identify the key messages before designing a communication strategy which articulates a code of conduct in terms of professional values.

Students are working on bringing that message to life: producing and evaluating resources to take key messages to the wider student body and planning launch events.

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Research, Teaching, Practice: Friends, Acquaintances or Enemies?

There is a common tendency When am I learning? When am I in universities, and even more in asking questions or finding answers? the popular press, to talk about These activities seem inextricably research and teaching as if they bound together, like a length of 3-ply were very different activities, done knitting wool. Try to disentangle by very different people and in very one and the whole thing unravels. different universities. Phrases like I think what unites all three activities; ‘research intensive’ universities, research, teaching and practice, is and ‘teaching’ universities, are far more than what divides them. used frequently in discussions and Researchers, teachers, managers articles about higher education in share a deep sense of curiosity and the UK. And then, there’s practice. a desire to do things better. Even at Practicing managers, working in their most philosophical, researchers ‘real’ jobs (what’s an ‘unreal’ job, I into organisational dynamics are wonder?) want practical solutions concerned with the practical, the they can actually use in their work. day to day, what really happens in But I’ve occupied all three roles and organisations – they just like using I don’t think they are so different. very long words to describe them!

At the moment I spend about equal There are differences, of course. time on teaching and research. And Researchers will take two years (or before I started working in higher more) rewriting an article to get it education I was a manager, for exactly right, precision and accuracy over 20 years, in a number are more important than of different voluntary speed. Managers need organisations. When to be able to get e Th at h t I was a manager, the gist of an idea , s em i g you l b especially as a quickly; it is often o r p rnin nd say a e l chief executive, better to make a h wit re a right e h I was really ‘good enough’ t t i can s this is the s, but decision today hungry for anything that than to delay until well o do thing arn e would help me circumstances way t have to l for to make sense have changed. you ight way of experience.

Most teaching the r ourself. y I didn’t want is performance models, or gimmicks, and conversation; or games; I wanted much research (or wisdom. I wanted to at least writing about it) understand. When I started teaching takes place in quiet rooms with I wanted to excite my students no-one around but yourself, with the ideas I had found helpful your computer and your data. and inspirational. And when I am ‘There’s nothing so practical as carrying out a research project a good theory’ wrote Kurt Lewin, I spend hours talking to people one of the earliest proponents of working in very challenging and action research, in 1952. A few difficult jobs, often achieving great years ago I carried out an action things against enormous odds. And research project into my own I am often humbled and inspired teaching practice. Lewin’s comment by them. So when am I teaching? was echoed by one of my students,

who I interviewed about a unit / module I had taught. She said, ‘It’s weird, because although it’s the most theoretical module, for me it’s been the most practical… weird because in theory it shouldn’t be. But I’ve just found it the most practical in terms of day to day use. In terms of the organisation that I work for… no actually, I don’t think the word theoretical is correct. It’s more philosophical I should say, rather than theoretical….the problem is, that with learning you can sit there and say well this is the right way to do things, but you have to learn the right way for yourself. And it enables you to do the right thing for yourself which is what makes it practical.’

They can put that on my tombstone!

Christina Schwabenland Reader in Public and Voluntary Sector Management Department of Management and Business Systems

WINTER EDITION | December 2014

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Issue 5

STUDENT ROOM

National Student Employee of the Year Award University of Bedfordshire Business School student Thomas Hedison has won the prestigious National Student Employee of the Year – Step up to Leadership award, following on from his success at winning the regional title in the same category.

21-year-old Thomas, a third-year Advertising and Marketing Communications student, combined his degree study with part-time work as a retail assistant at Next PLC, where he was quickly promoted to office manager. Thomas also works as a Student Ambassador for the University and is Co-President of the Bedfordshire Enactus Society.

Thomas was nominated for his award by Next store manager Craig Stevenson and the University’s Recruitment Services Manager, Priya Chauhan. Craig praised Thomas stating that ‘his communication and team working skills are exceptional’. And Priya, who was delighted at Thomas’s success, said that he is ‘an excellent student role model and ambassador. Thomas is someone that fellow students should aspire to emulate.’

Fellow University of Bedfordshire Advertising and Marketing Communications student Kristina Saulenaite also shone, winning the Regional Award for Student I’d Employee of the Year in the ‘On mendget m o c e r Campus’ category, beating ts tuden uch as s competition from students at w e m n ed as specially universities across London v l o v in and the South East region. can, eudent y e h t Kristina worked part-time as a ith st and the w Marketing and Events Assistant ies societ ent Union within the University’s Careers Stud and Recruitment office. She was praised for her social media strategy in implementing new forms of student communication through social media.

Thomas Hedison

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THOMAS HEDISON Enactus Marketing Manager and student Employee of the Year BA (Hons) Advertising and Marketing Communications

The programme is designed more for a person who would like to work in a design agency rather than a company.

Highlights would include working with agencies and on real-life projects, including companies like VW among others.

My favourite project was working with Autism Bedfordshire on the first Practice Week – we designed a new branding for them, including new logo, website, letterheads, and a newsletter. We were then able to pitch these ideas to the management of the charity.

I’ve been working with Enactus for the past year as their Marketing Manager, soon moving on to become team leader and co-president. I helped lead a team to a national Enactus competition presenting what we have achieved within a year. This has helped me greatly in looking for jobs.

The University is educationally stimulating and a friendly place to be. I’d recommend new students get involved as much as they can, especially with student societies and the Student Union. And you should also get to know your faculty and careers staff as they will have the connections that can help you in your future life.

Issue 5

STUDENT ROOM Bedfordshire’s best legal brains outclass Cambridge to progress in national championships A team of law students at the University of Bedfordshire came out on top in the second round of the English Speaking Union (ESU) National Mooting competition against a Cambridge University team.

Having overcome the University of East Anglia in the first round of the knockout tournament, where students argue both sides of an appeal from a fictitious lawsuit in a mock court, second year Law students, Krystle Lewis and Yusupha Janko, progressed to defeat the Cambridge team.

Krystle and Yusupha, who are both undertaking the LLB course at the University of Bedfordshire, competed strongly for their win at the Luton campus, as they presented a contract law case where the claimant had his car damaged in a public car park.

“In the research we conducted, all the cases we found were judged in favour of the appellant,” said Krystle, “so we had to find snippets which we could use in the argument instead.”

Tom Mortimer, Head of the University of Bedfordshire’s School of Law, commented: “The

judge complimented Krystel and Yusupha on their research, preparation and the professional attitude in the court environment.

“They are proving fantastic ambassadors for the University and highlighting the good work being done in the Law School.”

Yusupha Janko

Krystle Lewis

Jordan Lewis BedsSU President BA Event Management graduate (2014)

From the beginning of the course we were encouraged to get experience in the events industry, gain contacts and network. This is how I ended up working with BedsSU where I was closely involved in RaG and fundraising events for charities.

Through this, I learnt that even attending an event for charity has impact.

For example, we ran a jail break, where students start at the University and travel as far from the University as possible without spending any money. They are sponsored for a minimum of £50. Teams raise money for charity from family and friends through online fundraising pages. The winners got as far

as Malaga in Spain!

I learned how to promote such an event and build relationships with people, also build a buzz around it.

It also helps me in my current role. Ultimately this is about communicating with people effectively in order to achieve your goals.

I might stay in the HE sector as I believe in the University’s mission to widen participation and support students. Bedfordshire is a great model for how education changes lives.

WINTER EDITION | December 2014

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Issue 5

PRACTICE WEEKS

Community Resettlement Support Project

Making CRSP Famous The Community Resettlement Support Project, a small local charity working with offenders and ex-offenders was the June 2014 Practice Week partner for Business school postgraduate students.

CRSP Director Maggie Rich asked students to deliver a marketing strategy with the aim of ‘Making CRSP Famous’ in Bedfordshire and North Hertfordshire. Five groups of students addressed the challenge, conducted competitor analyses and structured very different outcomes to meet this brief.

On June 20th, students presented their findings to CRSP and a group

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WINTER EDITION | December 2014

of judges. Solutions put forward with passion through partnering covered areas of awareness, and developing a strong fundraising and recruitment of CRSP brand by ‘becoming volunteers: all designed to meet known by what they are.’ the aspirations of CRSP in offering CRSP Director Maggie Rich a better service. These included: commented on their work, its • A range of activities to engage application to the brief and families and communities such relevance to CRSP by as story telling an improved saying ‘I’m taking website, YouTube videos something from every and social media. brief, this was a I’ve e m • Fundraising activities most wonderful o s seen ic ideas morning and such as walks and ‘changing minds, I’ve seen some ntast I will a f changing lives’ fantastic ideas t a th to that k c T-shirts I will take a b take SP • Finding volunteers back to CRSP.’

CR

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PRACTICE WEEKS

Keech Hospice – Diversity in volunteers

NEWS

A group of five MBA students, Sheriff Shitu, Lon Chamborey, Thomas Ojuderi, Boyong Zhang, and Mohamedsuhail Amanullah presented their Practice Weeks findings to the Volunteer Services Coordinator, Marie Govier, from the Keech Hospice.

The project, a real-life brief set by representatives from the Keech Hospice, focused around volunteer recruitment; in particular increasing the number of young volunteers, greater male participation, and expanding the diversity of Keech Hospice’s existing volunteer demographic.

As part of a social media campaign the students created a functioning SQ Code that linked directly to the volunteer page of the Keech Hospice website. The students also suggested an App that simplified the sign up procedure to encourage more young people to join up and boost the charity’s presence on social media.

Marie Govier from the Keech Hospice was excited by the student’s suggestions and is keen to implement and develop the ideas further. The Keech Hospice is interested to see what the next group of MBA students from the University of Bedfordshire Business School offer next semester.

Saracens RFC – Expanding the global network Students were given a brief

by Simone Shepherd, Sport Development Manager for Saracens Rugby Football Club (RFC) to address issues facing Saracens in expanding their global network. Saracens RFC are currently setting up clubs in six countries around the world; Russia, Malaysia, Brazil, Tonga, United Arab Emirates, and Kenya.

The students chose one of these six emerging markets and suggest innovative ways for Saracens to ensure the organisation’s brand of honesty, humility, discipline and hard work is translated consistently to the new areas.

Two groups, PICN and HOPE, had only 3 days to consider the brief and come up with proposals

More Firsts than ever before in Accounting and Finance

Undergraduate Accounting and Finance course results are at an all-time high: more Firsts than ever before at almost 10%.

Accounting & Finance courses approved

All our Undergraduate Accounting and Finance courses approved for another five years.

New Courses in Economics

to present to their client.

• PICN focussed on introducing a university rugby league in Sao Paulo with the aim of branching out into other Brazilian university towns.

• HOPE selected Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as their market. HOPE’s presentation style was unique in adopting a ‘talkshow’ format to show their communication strategy to educate young people on rugby union and ensure that personnel were trained to deliver Rugby Union in schools.

The students from both groups have also been invited to Allianz Park, the home ground of Saracens RFC, to have a tour and meet other staff members to talk over their ideas.

Accounting & Finance provision expanded with new courses in Economics and more flexible courses in Accounting with Management

Members writing retreat featuring Professor Brewis

Christina Schwabenland ran a writing retreat with members of the Centre for Leadership Innovation (CLI) in July featuring external expert, Professor Brewis.

WINTER EDITION | December 2014

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Issue 5

ALUMNI STORIES

Mark Newton, Executive MBA graduate The programme was attractive to me because of the flexible options around study. The modules offered were relevant and delivered at the time when I was able to access the study with direct access to tutors.

It wasn’t by post. It was face-toface at a time I could manage.

Areas I really enjoyed were new areas – expanding areas for me.

We do a lot of leadership in the police and it was bringing my skills up to date. You only have limited exposure to areas such as strategy, finance, innovation and marketing as a public servant, coming through the ranks. Those modules were really valuable and new areas for me – I struggled, found it hard, but got through and learnt an awful lot.

We had good interaction with others on the course as we run a high-risk business. Whilst they challenged us over lack

of commercial nous, we challenged them on some of the ethical issues and basics of public service: for example, return on investment for shareholders – is it the only thing that’s of value?

I don’t think I would have been promoted without the Executive MBA. Within the police service you’ve got to have that bit around organisational development to move to an executive level.

The MBA gave me confidence to know what I was talking about and was able to ensure that strategies I put forward are based both on evidence and on the learning from the course.

If you’re only looking for a few letters after your name or something on a CV – you’re wasting your time.

It’s a fantastic course, it expands your knowledge and it makes you a more attractive option in terms of employers. More importantly, you’re more rounded.

So – commit to self-development and then seek that development. If it’s appropriate to your environment a very good way of doing it is through an MBA. Mark will be speaking at the next Leadership Futures event - 15 Jan, 1pm in G101, Campus Centre, registration at http://www.beds.ac.uk/ leadership-futures

International audience at Inaugural Alumni Event in London March 18th 2014 saw the Inaugural University of Bedfordshire Business School (UBBS) Alumni Event with speaker Tudor Brown MBE, former President of chip and software developer ARM Holdings plc (ARM) as keynote speaker.

An international audience of alumni from India, Iraq, Oman, mainland Europe and the UK reflected both the global reach of the University of Bedfordshire and the potential for the future of the alumni group as a force in shaping the future of the Business school and its students. Over three hundred alumni expressed interest in the event and ongoing engagement with the Business school.

Tudor Brown shared experience of his many senior positions in ARM with his audience. He spoke

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passionately about the features that he looked for in potential staff and the practice they brought into the organisation.

“One of the first things I ask of anyone about to join the organisation is what they regard as their greatest failure. It’s not the failure itself that is important, of course,” he continued, “but how you deal with that failure and what you learn from it.”

He looked for the ability to “fit in” and to work in a team: making an impact in different areas of business showed the flexibility of function that was required by employees in today’s contexts.

The next Alumni Event is planned for March 12th 2014 in Luton. Please contact through Business School Alumni on LinkedIn for details.

WINTER EDITION | December 2014

CONNECT

with the University of Bedfordshire’s Business School alumni on LinkedIn!

www.beds.ac.uk/linkedin-bedsbiz-alumni

Issue 5

IN PARTNERSHIP

UBBS Network – Businesses working with schools

By Christian Elwis, Final Year Journalism Student

School pupils and year 12 students had their business minds put to the test as the University of Bedfordshire Business School hosted two days of problem solving challenges.

Run under the name of The UBBS Network, students from Barnfield College and Kimberley College were challenged by representatives from Vauxhall to identify ways of communicating their social responsibility policy to their employers, and their existing and potential customers.

The day gave the students experience of what it’s like to study University courses in business and of working with people in industry. Toni Corrigan,

from Barnfield College, said: “Today I’ve learnt that even with huge businesses, small ideas can make a big improvement… this is good training for us.”

The next day, Year 9 and 10 students from All Saints Academy and Oakwood School were introduced to David Blakeman, a director at Luton Town FC,

who asked them to suggest solutions to a very real problem of increasing the diversity of people attending their matches.

Jacqueline Jack, from All Saints Academy, said: “I am looking to come to University in the future, because I want to teach my brothers and sisters to do the same thing so they can achieve something in life and do the best with what they have.

I’ve really enjoyed it today.”

Jodie Leigh, Graduate Access Fellow from the Access Partnership Team, set up the network alongside the Business School, and was delighted with how the two days went. She said: “The buzz and excitement from students working on a problem for a real company was great. It has been wonderful receiving such positive feedback from the teachers who are requesting to be involved again next year and with more students!”

Mock debate at the School of Law Summer School As part of the Business Faculty summer school, the School of Law made use of controversial issues to run a mock debate and discussion for summer school students.

The topic chosen for the debate was whether or not this country should intervene militarily in the Syria crisis. The students were treated to complementary lectures on key areas of international law, jurisprudence and contemporary politics in relation to the perennial problems associated with the question of intervention of states

into internal conflicts in other states.

The quality of research and the standard of presentation were amazing and the students who participated came out enthusiastic and challenged for further work as budding advocates, politicians and future policy makers.

In a separate workshop, students engaged in a critical legal discussion. The topic related to the well-known 19th century case of Dudley and Stephens in which a court decided whether ‘necessity’ could be used as a defence against

murder. After students arrived at their decision staff showed the contemporary relevance of this case by considering one that appeared before the House of Lords in 2000 concerning the separation of conjoined twins.

Both events encouraged students to engage in critical discussion of real, controversial and interesting areas of law providing an excellent forum for continuing outreach in nurturing the potential of the students to make impact in our local communities.

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Issue 5

TALKING BUSINESS

Real Business, Real Practice: Using Business School ideas in the workplace Bristol-based Antifriction Components Ltd, which is owned by Italian industrial giant Bianchi Mondial, has outlined an ambitious scheme to increase their turnover to £26 million by 2016.

As part of the UBBS’s Practice Weeks programme a team of MBA students were asked to work up ideas to aid Antifriction in reaching their turnover target.

‘By working with the University of Bedfordshire Business School, I saw how students’ ideas could help grow Antifriction,’ said Alan Horn, who serves on Antifriction’s Board of Directors.

Mr Horn was speaking to an audience at the UBBS’s Real

Business, Real Practice evening at the Postgraduate Centre at the Luton campus, where local and national businesses and organisations saw how they could benefit from the work UBBS students already undertake with partners.

Team member Thomas Ojuderi, added: “To have been given

the chance to apply the theory I have learnt at the University of Bedfordshire into practice, with a big national company like Antifriction, was a tremendous experience.’

UBBS’s Executive Dean, Dr Gordon Mellor, concluded: “The audience were treated to an excellent video of UBBS’s work with Antifriction.

“It epitomised our work to make Practice in all its expressions central to every student’s experience at the Business school.”

Founded in 1976, Antifriction supplies bearings, gearboxes, lubricants and other components to manufacturers.

The Real Business, Real Practice Event 2015 is planned for May 2015.

To watch the 3 minute video please click here - http://tinyurl.com/kg7uppv

Business Matters- Q&A with Professor in Management Practice Stephen Hyde What’s your role at UBBS?

SH: I’m one of five Professors in Management Practice. I work outside UBBS as a company director and business consultant and have in the past held senior finance roles at Tesco including International Finance Director. My role at UBBS is to help students understand what goes on in the real world of business in various ways including seminars, Practice Weeks and now Business Matters.

We are starting new sessions for students called Business Matters in the Business school, what’s it all about?

SH: Informal discussion sessions hosted by a Professor in Management Practice (PMP) with one or more additional participants – either other

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PMPs or visitors from the business world – chatting (not lecturing) about business topics (these could be topical items or general issues). Questions and participation from the “audience” will be very much encouraged.

How does it work?

SH: Each session will be 45 minutes long on Wednesday lunchtimes. Just drop in with your coffee and join in the discussion or just listen in. Topics could include: Handling difficult HR situations, Social media and marketing, Future of UK retail – are big stores dinosaurs? Managing tight

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cash situations, Why being an accountant is exciting.

Why is it important?

SH: Business Matters will help students become more aware of real-world business issues and how things are dealt with in the real world. This will help them to have more confidence in job interviews, starting their first jobs and will complement their academic studies. But most importantly it should be relaxed, fun and something a little different!

So when does it start?

SH: Business Matters runs most months. Make sure you follow @BedsBiz on Twitter and look out for posters with details. See you there!

Full list of events can be found at http://www.beds.ac.uk/ business-matters

Issue 5

TALKING BUSINESS

HSBC event working with schools

By Christian Elwis

Schoolchildren and year 12 students were given a unique experience of the world of stock market trading, as the University of Bedfordshire hosted two days of business competition.

Around 100 year 10 pupils from schools around the regional area had their teamwork, risk-taking and analytical skills put to the test as they took on the Stock Market Challenge.

Jhanserb Qaisar, from Barnfield West Academy, said: “It’s quite different; it’s nothing like anything I’ve been to before, and this could help me later in life as well, so I’m enjoying it a lot.”

The next day, 80 year 12 students took part in the Investment Challenge. Students experienced investment trading as it is today. They played a dual-screen simulation game, working in pairs to increase the value of their starting fund by trading company shares and products.

Callum Barrett, from All Saints College, was pleased with the day: “I only had a basic understanding of how this stuff works, but today is helping me understand it better, which can only help with my studies, especially as I’m looking at doing a business course at University.”

The events were organised by the student recruitment department and the Access Partnership Team within the University, in partnership with 10 Lane Learning. The initiative was funded by HSBC as part of their goal to increase young people’s understanding and interest of the business world.

Jodie Leigh, Graduate Access Fellow for the Business School said: “I think the students got so much out of these two events. These last two days have played an important part in the way these pupils view the world of business.”

Training courses at Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre

By Tricia Smart, Course Manager for MA in Intercultural Communication In June, Dr Vladimir Zegarac and Tricia Smart, paid their second visit to Accra, Ghana at the invitation of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Ghana. This time they delivered three short courses in Intercultural Communication over a period of five days. KAIPTC is recognised internationally as a ‘Centre for Excellence’. Its mission is to provide “globally-recognised capacity for international actors on African peace and security through training, education and research to foster peace and stability in Africa” http://www.kaiptc.org 8/7/2014 .

The first course of three days was delivered to Military Peacekeepers and UN Officials, as an addition to their Masters in Gender, Peace and Security.

The second one day course was delivered to staff at KAIPTC and the final course to Senior Police Officers. The theme underlying the three courses was mindfulness in avoiding stereotyping as a prerequisite for successful intercultural communication and creating reflective narratives which engage stakeholders in peacekeeping and development. Both Vlad and Tricia found this a very rewarding experience as all participants were

able to reflect on their own practice and relate the concepts discussed to their day-to-day duties in the field.

Along with other officials, including the British Defence Attaché, Tricia and Vlad were invited to a lunch hosted by Major General Akwa, the Commandant of KAIPTC. Colonel Emmanuel Kotia, Chief Instructor & Academic Programmes Coordinator of KAIPTC, visited the University to deliver a series of lectures on Gender, Peace and Security. The first of the series was open to all members of staff and students and gave a unique insight into these very serious issues which threaten the world today.

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Issue 5

TALKING BUSINESS

Sebastian Bosslet - placement at Toyota UK

Enactus Team

I’m studying on the BSc (Hons) Business Decision Management. The course focuses on decision modelling, forecasting and data analysis. And it also includes human resources and marketing – it’s a good mix.

In December 2013, alongside Alex Iftime, the UBBS Course Rep, I became co-president of Enactus, a student society focusing on entrepreneurship. Enactus Bedfordshire is part of Enactus UK, a community of student, academic and business leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives, supported by advisors from companies such as HSBC, Tesco, Wilkinson as well as a network of Enactus alumni students.

With support from the Careers Department I found a job description for a sandwich I’d er placement at Toyota and d oth ge n e m a started at Toyota this recom ts to eng side n t summer, working with stude ivities ou thout Product Manager for the in act ourse. Wi lar ABC sector that covers c their tracurricu’re not models such as Aygo, ex ou Avensis and Auris. I ies, y ared for t i v i t undertake sector analysis, ac prep research into trends in their reallyanything car segment and recommend how we can improve the product lifecycle and add value.

I’d recommend other students to engage in activities outside their course.

Without extracurricular activities, you’re not really prepared for anything. The most important skill you need is the ability to network: this is not something that courses alone can provide.

Business and Management Research Institute 82% of postgraduate (PGR) students expressed overall satisfaction with the Business and Management Research Institute 16

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Enactus Team at KPMG

Sebastian Bosslet

CRiL providing external expertise

Contract for CRiL to provide external expertise on fundamental rights to the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament renewed for 2015

Issue 5

RESEARCH POD

Knowledge Transfer project with Cambodia and China Professor Yanqing Duan from the Business School visited China and Cambodia recently as part of a research project activity on improving Cambodia’s information and knowledge transfer in the agriculture sector using mobile internet technologies. The tenmonth project is part of the AgriTT Programme (AgriTT.org. uk) which is funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID).

The project involves four partners from China (Foreign Economic Cooperation Centre of China’s Ministry of Agriculture, SuperMap), the UK (UoB) and Cambodia (Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute). AgriTT brings development practice and research expertise from

China, the UK and developing countries in Africa and Southeast Asia together to improve food security through technology transfer and knowledge sharing.

The key theme of the research is Innovation in Knowledge Sharing and Communication which aims to develop a platform to share knowledge and experiences on technology transfer partnerships between China, the UK and developing countries with policy-makers, agricultural practitioners and researchers Professor Duan said that ‘Emerging ICTs are playing an essential role in facilitating information dissemination and knowledge transfer. I am fascinated by China’s achievements in transferring information and knowledge to the

hands of farmers using emerging ICTs, especially using smart phones, and the impact of the knowledge transfer on improving agricultural productivity. It is very important for low income countries in South Asia, such as Cambodia, to learn from China’s experience and adapt their best practice.’

During Prof Duan’s visit to China, she was invited to give a talk on ‘Big Data and Analytics in the Agriculture Sector’ in China Agricultural University. The agriculture sector is experiencing a revolution with the applications of Internet of Things and Big Data Analytics. The new technologies are transforming traditional farming practice to a new era. Technology and innovation transfer is the key for speeding up this transformation.

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Issue 5

THE RESEARCH POD

Access to Justice in the Asylum Process workshop On 3rd July 2014, CRiL organised on Asylum and Access to Justice and hosted a workshop on the (the AAJ Project), funded by BMRI implications of current and future legal in November 2013. The aim of the aid reforms on access to justice for project is to explore the impact of the asylum seekers and refugees. The reforms introduced by LASPO as to workshop, which was attended by the availability of state-funded legal over thirty academics, practitioners assistance, as well as other proposed and charity workers, considered the future reforms, upon the ability of issue from a variety of perspectives, refugees and asylum seekers to drawing on empirical analysis, obtain meaningful access to the UK theoretical perspectives and judicial system. The project is led the experiences of service

by Dr Silvia Borelli and Dr providers and lawyers Ryan Hill, and involves working with asylum Dr Andreas Yiannaros, The k c a seekers, refugees a former PhD b d fee and the and so-called student within CRiL; d e ch ‘failed asylum Emma Borland, receiv ation whihe t m r seekers’, including a PhD student at m o f o r in ed f , will g r those detained Cardiff University, e em kshop l specialising in asylum a in the Yarl’s n r fi o w to theport Wood Immigration and immigration n i d e fe re t Removal Centre matters, and Ben c e j Pro in Bedford.

Stanford, currently a The issues discussed PhD student within CRiL. by the speakers included The workshop offered an the impact of the reforms introduced opportunity for the presentation of this by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and empirical research and of the interim Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 findings of the project by the two (LASPO) on different types of junior researchers, Dr Yiannaros and claims, including claims for family Ms Borland. The feedback received reunion. This particular aspect is and the information which emerged when refugees seek to bring to from the workshop, will feed into the the UK close family members who final Project report, to be published they had to leave behind when

by CRiL in the autumn. The full fleeing their country of origin. workshop report can be downloaded The workshop was organised as at http://www.beds.ac.uk/research/ part of the CRiL research project bmri/centres/cril/cril-conference.

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Issue 5

IN THE NEWS

Business Pods Revitalised with ÂŁ50,000 investment Business Pod spaces have been given a makeover with new IT equipment and furniture demonstrating the Business school commitment to the Business Pod concept. The Pods were first built in 2008 and over 2000 students have been through the Pod unit and sat at those tables.

The new look includes dual projector setup with extended desktop to make it easier to display information to students and reduce the amount of printing. There are also repeater monitors and new monitors in the meeting rooms.

The Business Pod unit replicates the office environment so we have writable walls and whiteboards to encourage creativity. Students are encouraged to bring their own computers into the Business Pod and will have great connectivity with the newly upgraded wifi. The new tables were custom made to make it easy for 5 students to work in groups and new colours bring a fresh look. In addition to the space update the unit materials are being updated for 2014 to bring fresh life to this innovative unit.

National Student Survey (NSS) highlights n Overall student satisfaction with UBBS up 5% to 86% - an all-time high

n 87% student satisfaction on personal development – top quartile for all UK Universities

n Travel & Tourism: overall satisfaction up 20%

n Law course in Bedford: overall student satisfaction up 15%

n 100% student satisfaction with Business studies Finance course

n 75% satisfaction with assessment n 100% student satisfaction with and feedback is above the sector International Finance course average for all UK Universities n 100% satisfaction with Travel n Business Studies (Finance): overall and Tourism courses satisfaction up 40%

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