EEUK

Presentations for this event can be downloaded below.

University of Sheffield Enterprise (USE) has a long-standing history of providing support for academic colleagues in many departments of the University to develop their own, tailored taught modules which not only have an enterprise focus but which also involve innovation for a social purpose.  This work has fed into the development and delivery of Making Ideas Happen (MIH), an interdisciplinary University-wide module worth 20 credits.  This innovative unit is delivered using a ‘blended’ approach to delivery: predominantly through the University’s Virtual Learning Environment but supplemented by ‘live’ input from external partners, postgraduate student mentors and academic staff.

Delegates who attended this event had the opportunity to: 

• Learn more about USE’s use of blended learning for interdisciplinary enterprise education from both an academic and student perspective
• Hear about alternative approaches being employed at Loughborough University
• Explore the challenges and benefits of such pedagogical approaches
• Share and take away ideas, practical knowledge, experience and techniques for delivering effective interdisciplinary enterprise education using technology and distance learning methods
• Explore ways in which the MIH model might be adapted to delegates’ own institutional settings
• Share their own experiences through contributions to discussions and practical sessions

The MIH module provides an introduction to the areas of enterprise, entrepreneurship and innovation and focuses very much on ideas generation and development. The blended approach to delivery is a new approach for many undergraduates at the institution, and offers great flexibility to a diverse cohort of students grappling with busy schedules.

The opportunity to solve real business problems of a genuinely social nature, and take part in practical learning activities with sound, theoretical underpinning, has allowed our students to acquire valuable knowledge and experience. The chance to work on group projects with peers from a range of other subject disciplines offers a distinctive, truly interdisciplinary opportunity within the curriculum to develop interpersonal skills crucial for potential recruiters and employers.

MIH was made available for the first time during the spring semester of 2010-11 to undergraduate students at Levels 2 and 3.  A total of 37 students, representing 10 academic subject disciplines, studied the module for the first time in spring 2011, including a number of students based overseas and collaborating remotely with their UK peers.  Following a very successful pilot stage, MIH is currently undergoing roll-out to a larger cohort in 2011-12.

Speakers and facilitators included:

Elena Rodriguez-Falcon, Director of Enterprise Education, University of Sheffield and Board Member, EEUK
Dr Julie Holland and Dr Amanda Berry, the Glendonbrook Centre for Enterprise Education at Loughborough University 

Professor David Hornby, Chairman of Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield
Lucy Marris, Careers Adviser, University of Sheffield Careers Service
Anna Nibbs, Enterprise Learning Development Officer, University of Sheffield Enterprise
Dr Jenny Moore, Enterprise Learning Co-ordinator, University of Sheffield Enterprise

• David Hornby presentation.pdf
• Anna Nibbs presentation.pdf
• Julie Holland Amanda Berry presentation.pdf
• Lucy Marris presentation.pdf
• Breakout group summaries.pdf