StudentshIP case study: Develipr
The Develipr project at Anglia Ruskin University created a blended-learning programme to help IP-savvy graduates.
The Develipr project created a blended-learning programme for greatest impact on our student community to help 926 IP-savvy graduates.
Objectives
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To create a series of IPR workshops with specific learning outcomes. To be aimed at undergraduates, graduates and new graduates and delivered at our Chelmsford, Cambridge and Peterborough Campuses.
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To create a series of webinars/podcasts of the workshops and a series of talking heads for IP related themes and trends to reach a wider audience within our target group. These resources can be used as a refresher for attendees, to engage for new users and a sustainable resource for the future.
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To create a repository of open educational resources for IP and IPR training for use by students from all disciplines. This would include a blog-spot to encourage knowledge exchange and peer-to-peer learning as well as providing a route to our eight industry expert mentors.
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To broker relationships between the cohort and our expert contacts to encourage commercialisation and exploitation of latent IP. Selected students were also given an industry mentor who will work with them on commercialisation of their IP.
The project
During the bespoke workshops we created an enterprise setting. We asked the cohort to split into groups and form ‘a company’ that has created a new product process or idea. They worked together to decide which mechanism of IP management is the most appropriate, what impact this would have on future commercialisation and to create an exploitation strategy. In total, 261 students have attended the DevelIPR workshops. These stem from Allied and Public Health, Medical and Healthcare Science and Engineering disciplines.
Three PhD students have been integral in the delivery and design of the program to date. They gave feedback on the dry run of the three tailored workshops, slides and mechanism of dissemination. This led to the construction of the YouTube channel. They are from Allied and Public Health and Medical and Healthcare Science disciplines. The production of the YouTube channel workshop has successfully created an extra dimension. It opened up new audiences and enabled those who have attended the live sessions to refresh their knowledge.
Two further PhD students have spoken about the mentorship experiences and the incredible opportunity that they had to understand the facets of business and how IP knowledge has been critical to success.
We engaged eight industry mentors to pair up with some of our PhD students, for example:
- PhD student looking at a new form of cooling apparatus after acute MI. They worked with an industry mentor to advise on patenting the device effectively
- PhD student looking at a new prediction tool for likelihood of recurrence leading to repeat cardiac intervention (PPCI). They worked with expert mentors at NHS cardiothoracic centre to look at IP arrangements
- PhD student looking at self-management tools for dementia. They worked with a small business mentor to explore licensing options
- PhD student creating a nutrition and wellness programme aimed at men. They worked with a Health and Wellbeing mentor who has created bespoke packages for recovering cancer patients. They learnt about what IP could be protected
- PhD student analysing different choices for students and their texts, working with an ex IP Lawyer around issues of copyright
Benefits
The DEVELIPR workshop series has become integrated into the Research Seminar series for the Faculty of Medical Science which is open to all students. Planned events are in May, July and for the new September intake.
We have worked collaboratively with other Faculties. The Faculty of Science and Technology who have already had a bespoke workshop for Engineering students and have planned an additional session for May 2016. We disseminated this project to our Research, Innovation and Development Services (RIDO) to centralise the IPO training at our University. We look to fully integrate IP into our core courses, whilst continuing with the ad-hoc offering.
Aimi MacCormac, Business Manager, Faculty of Medical Science said:
The DevelIPR project has creaed a blended learning programme for maximum impact on our student community to facilitate IP-savvy graduates. The added dimension of access to industry mentors has allowed a number of innovators to scenario test their commercialisation and exploitation strategies in a real-world context with those who have a proven track record of success.
