Businesses of all shapes and sizes are discovering the benefits of working with students from Scottish universities through tie-ups which bring fresh thinking to tackle workplace challenges. 

And it appears that it’s a win-win situation as almost 60% of the students go onto employment or secure additional work with those companies.

Lack of resource or money often means that an idea stays an idea, even if it hinders business growth.

But thanks to a number of initiatives linking businesses with universities, working with Scotland’s top-class graduates and students from a diverse range of disciplines is bringing new skills into the workplace.

For companies that have been established for a year or longer, University of Edinburgh’s Enterprise Consultancy Project could provide a good solution.

An individual or team of undergraduate students studying entrepreneurship undertake an 8-week project, for free, which addresses a particular business hurdle. Market research, identifying new customers or suppliers, analysing the impact of new legislation or regulations, or business planning can all be carried out for the business.

One business to benefit from this initiative is Acting Up, an Edinburgh-based company set up in 1997 by actress and writer Emma Currie to tackle behavioural change in the workplace, particularly among hard-hat wearing employees, through film and theatre.

Emma took on Emmanuelle Sangster, a business student at Edinburgh University doing an  MSc in human Resources for a short-term project. However, her skill-set proved so useful she helped with other aspects of the business and has been offered part-time employment once she graduates this autumn.

Emma explained: “Having Emmanuelle work with us has given my business access to Generation Y skills that I would not otherwise have sought out.  I imagined that the company needed someone with more experience, but I realised how differently younger people can think. As well as doing her dissertation, Emmanuelle has been helping with our newsletter, which we were struggling with technically. She had it sorted within 20 minutes.

“I decided to take Emmanuelle on two days a week once she has graduated. It really was a great way to “try before you buy” for my business.”

Willie Biggart, Chairman of Spoonfed, an online management software application for drop off caterers and restaurants, tells a similar story.

“Chih-wei Chou came to work with us on her dissertation on international marketing for her MBA, looking specifically at the Taiwanese market, which we wanted to explore. She came to the conclusion that it was a market for Spoonfed and identified other markets too.”

Chih-wei went on to complete a 12-week project with Spoonfed handling international enquiries, and is now the permanent International Business Development Manager.

“Doing this allows us to work with potential employees, for them to get a good feel for us, and us for them.

“It’s also an opportunity to invest in people and we realised that we needed to have the resource to handle proper development. It’s a win-win situation,” Willie added.

Livingston-based start-up Cobra Simulation makes hardware and software technology for training. It has benefited from the input of two student teams – and filled a key senior position as a result of a collaboration with engineering students.

Managing Director, Alexander Bradley, said: “We were allocated four students to develop a solution which they produced over six months. Their creative input was a huge bonus. We were recruiting for a technical sales executive at the time and out of the relationship with the  university we found someone who started with us recently.”

A second project with MBA students brought experienced professionals to the table from established businesses, and prompted Alexander and his team to reposition the company.

“They pulled the business apart – in a positive way – and understood our challenges, and that led to an expanded team, a newly structured website, new business and a completely different outlook for us.

“The students helped me to adapt as a business owner who really did everything, from being a designer to attending events. They brought fresh brains and thinking to our business when I was stuck in a rut. It’s been invaluable and had a big impact.”

Santander bank recognised that small businesses are key to economic recovery – and contribute significantly to UK employment. The Santander Universities SME Internships programme has proved hugely successful, linking 4,000 final year undergraduates and recent graduates to businesses for fixed-term projects lasting 3-6 months. The business and Santander contribute financially to enable the internship to go ahead.

“It’s a mutually beneficial partnership, with graduates gaining invaluable experience in the workplace, and SMEs accessing talented and ambitious graduates,” explained Simon Bray, Managing Director, Santander Universities UK.

Edinburgh University has placed over 100 students in the last two years with SMEs through the Santander scheme – last year half of the internships led to full or part-time roles or extensions to their original internship.  

The University’s Internships Manager, Jennifer Dixon, said: “We tend to work with a number of start-up and high potential growth organisations in the Edinburgh area and really enjoy developing relationships with theses SMEs.

“The SMEs seem to really benefit from the simplicity of the Santander process and engaging and working with our final year students and recent graduates.  

“It is a great opportunity for students and graduates to experience working for an SME and gaining an understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of this sector.  However, we do find the majority of students and graduates love the dynamic, flexible environment where they can gain a multitude of experience and responsibility in a very short time, compared to working for a large organisation.  We also find SMEs are more interested in the students’ attributes and work ethic than necessarily the perfect skill set which provides opportunities for our students and graduates to gain meaningful work experience.”

Louise Arnold is a Business Engagement Executive at Interface, a free service which matches businesses to academic expertise. She has been spearheading Interface’s drive to connect SMEs with students through a number of initiatives.

“There are great opportunities for businesses to gain additional support, at low cost, or co-funded which could make the difference between hiring an intern or not.

“The feedback we get from both businesses and universities is very positive with the businesses often delighted at the progress made and discovering additional benefits of  working with students.

“I would encourage any business to have an initial conversation about the other opportunities of working with universities and discuss what could benefit their business. Working with students often opens the door to more businesses-academic partnerships.

“We know from our research that a lack of time or resource can prevent businesses from developing products and services and moving their business forward, so this could be a solution they may not have considered.”

Deadlines for some of the initiatives mentioned above are in August, with projects starting in September, whilst others are open all year round.

More information about University of Edinburgh’s involvement in the Santander Universities SME Internship scheme can be found at http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/careers/looking-for-work/interns…

To discuss all opportunities for business working with students please contact Interface interface-online.org.uk Tel. 0845 013 0536. 

New legal templates to streamline the process of businesses working with universities are to be rolled out across Scotland.

Scotland’s 19 universities have agreed to use the new legal documents, which have been developed by Universities Scotland and Interface, for projects funded through the Scottish Funding Council’s Innovation Vouchers Scheme.

They provide a simple solution for business and university partners to agree legal terms and to clarify the ownership of Intellectual Assets at the outset thereby strengthening working relationships and building trust.

Following approval by all Scottish Universities, the new templates are now available on Interface’s website. The Scottish Funding Council has agreed that these will be adopted as terms and conditions of being awarded a standard Innovation Voucher. A standard Innovation Voucher offers up to £5,000 for a first-time collaboration between businesses and universities, and is matched by the business in cash or kind.

Interface Director, Siobhán Jordan, said: “We are delighted to introduce these standard legal templates, which will not only save time for everyone involved, but will address concerns about sharing and developing ideas. In collaborations between businesses and academics, Intellectual Assets are fundamentally important and these standard templates will introduce much needed clarity for businesses partnering with academia. Each collaboration generates Intellectual Assets and all partners should be clear from the outset about who owns the Intellectual Property and how it will be commercialised.  

“We hope that the harmonisation and simplification by Scottish universities will encourage more small-to-medium-sized businesses to think about how they could tap into the rich seam of academic expertise on offer in Scotland.”

Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland, said: “Scotland’s universities work with 19,000 Scottish businesses every year, helping to develop new ideas for products or processes. We’re keen to grow that number and make it easier than ever for business to innovate with us. Issues around ownership of intellectual property kept on coming up in conversation with business as a potential sticking point so we’ve acted on their feedback and have sought to address these concerns through a new streamlined set of new legal templates. We’d encourage any business with an innovative idea to think of universities as a partner in making it happen. Interface is the place to start.”

Melfort Campbell, Chair Innovation Scotland forum, added: “There are many advantages for companies collaborating with our world-class universities and research institutes and we hope that a one-size-fits-all legal template for projects funded through Innovation Vouchers will make it easier and give peace of mind to companies as they enter collaborations.” 

New legal templates to streamline the process of businesses working with universities are to be rolled out across Scotland.

Scotland’s 19 universities have agreed to use the new legal documents, which have been developed by Universities Scotland and Interface, for projects funded through the Scottish Funding Council’s Innovation Vouchers Scheme.

They provide a simple solution for business and university partners to agree legal terms and to clarify the ownership of Intellectual Assets at the outset thereby strengthening working relationships and building trust.

Following approval by all Scottish Universities, the new templates are now available on Interface’s website.  The Scottish Funding Council has agreed that these will be adopted as terms and conditions of being awarded a standard Innovation Voucher. A standard Innovation Voucher offers up to £5,000 for a first-time collaboration between businesses and universities, and is matched by the business in cash or kind.

Interface Director, Siobhán Jordan, said:

“We are delighted to introduce these standard  legal templates, which will not only save time for everyone involved, but will address concerns about sharing and developing ideas. In collaborations between businesses and academics, Intellectual Assets are fundamentally important and these standard templates will introduce much needed clarity for businesses partnering with academia. Each collaboration generates Intellectual Assets and all partners should be clear from the outset about who owns the Intellectual Property and how it will be commercialised. 

“We hope that the harmonisation and simplification by Scottish Universities will encourage more small-to-medium-sized businesses to think about how they could tap into the rich seam of academic expertise on offer in Scotland.”

Alastair Sim, Director of Universities Scotland, said:

“Scotland’s universities work with 19,000 Scottish businesses every year, helping to develop new ideas for products or processes. We’re keen to grow that number and make it easier than ever for business to innovate with us. Issues around ownership of intellectual property kept on coming up in conversation with business as a potential sticking point so we’ve acted on their feedback and have sought to address these concerns through a new streamlined set of new legal templates. We’d encourage any business with an innovative idea to think of universities as a partner in making it happen. Interface is the place to start.”

Melfort Campbell, Chair Innovation Scotland forum, added:

“There are many advantages for companies collaborating with our world-class universities and research institutes and we hope that a one-size-fits-all legal template for projects funded through Innovation Vouchers will make it easier and give peace of mind to companies as they enter collaborations.”

Scotland’s universities have a wealth of expertise that can help companies with new product processes and development. However, it is not just expertise and know-how services that companies can engage with and access, there is also a vast range of equipment and technologies which can support industry.

Facilities and equipment to test, create & develop new ideas

Hundreds of pieces of equipment and cutting edge facilities are used every day for scientific research throughout Scotland and are widely available for commercial use for testing, creating and developing new ideas.

From 3D printers for prototyping, to environmental test equipment such as wave simulators and environmental chambers; sensory suites to gain consumer feedback, and tools for materials analysis, Scotland’s universities are a rich resource for company support.

Using university equipment is a cost effective solution, saving company expense from in-house purchases and staff training for advanced top of the range equipment that may only be required for short term project specific use.

Technologies to fast track your research & development

Research carried out in our universities leads to innovations that can improve our everyday lives and these technologies are available for companies to develop into new commercial products and services. Working with academics who are experts in their field can provide a company with a more efficient product development process leading to new product lines, new services and faster lead time to market.

Dermofit is a great example of this academic to industry technology transfer process. The University of Edinburgh created a digital training tool utilising an extensive image library of skin lesions and growths. This technology was then licensed to a digital healthcare company and is now being developed as a training app for medical professionals to help improve early skin cancer diagnosis. 

To ensure your products are underpinned by market and scientific research contact Interface who can help to locate the equipment, innovations and expertise no matter what industry you are from or what product you are developing.

Proof that business/university collaborations are productive has been shown by the fact that in the four regions of Scotland – Perthshire, Tayside, Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway – covered by two Interface Business Engagement executives, funded by Scottish Enterprise, who work with companies to enable access to university resources, 62 collaborative projects have been established in the past 18 months with a value of more than £487,785.

Added to this, the Interface service helps businesses to improve products, streamline services and develop processes which will enable them to increase their profits, maximise their export potential and create and safeguard jobs in these areas creating further benefits for Scotland’s society and economy.

An Interface survey¹ showed that engaging academic support is beneficial to businesses. In that research, 79% companies which had engaged with academia have, or expect to increase their turnover as a result of their project. Fifty per cent of companies stated that their development project would not have gone ahead without academic collaboration.

Dr Siobhán Jordan, director at Interface, comments:

“Such findings demonstrate that where companies do engage with Scottish universities they experience positive outcomes. Therefore, it is a missed opportunity that almost three out of four rural businesses are not currently engaging with universities as, clearly, there is benefit to be had. There may be several reasons for this – they have not heard of Interface, they do not realise that collaborating with Universities can develop their new ideas, they are focused on other means of building their businesses, they do not think they have time and so forth, but we are determined to continue building on the progress we have made to date.

“The Interface Business Engagement executives have been in place for two years now and are delivering positive results. It is encouraging to note that in 2014 the number of collaboration projects was up by 150% on the previous year, from 20 in 2013 to 50 in 2014.

“As well as assisting  companies find academics who can help them develop their products and services, our Business Engagement executives are also able to advise businesses on a range of funding opportunities, notably the Innovation Voucher Scheme which provides businesses with funding of £5,000 – £20,000 to offset the costs of their project. Since the scheme was created in 2009 more than £4.5m has been distributed to encourage and support business and academic collaborations.”

Interface works throughout Scotland, connecting organisations of all sizes and from all sectors to the right academic expertise which enables them to increase R&D activity, which, in turn, leads to the creation and development of new products, services and processes.

This free service has connected almost 1,800 businesses to Scottish academia, helping them to become more competitive and enabling them to increase their profits, maximise their export potential and ultimately become more sustainable.

¹ In 2013 Interface carried out a survey of 142 companies which had worked with universities and research institutes.

CASE STUDIES

Annandale Distillery Company Ltd – Dumfries and Galloway

Loadfast Systems Ltd – Perthshire

Tsarina Imperial Dacha – Ayrshire

Trellis – Perthshire

A successful scheme that matches small Scottish businesses with world-leading university expertise has been expanded.

Set up in 2009, the Scottish Funding Council’s Innovation Voucher Scheme provides small and medium-sized businesses with up to £5,000 to work with academic experts to develop their businesses or solve problems that are holding them back. Over 800 businesses have benefitted since the scheme began.

Now, more innovations are set to build on the success of the vouchers. The scheme is to be piloted across Scotland’s 13 regional colleges for business operating in the construction sector. The scheme will also be opened up to include research institutes for the first time.

In a separate development, the existing links between small businesses and universities have opened the way for Masters and PhD students to be placed inside a growing company to accelerate the rate at which they can develop new products and services. Students also gain through the potential to make their mark in a growing company and the chance to be involved at the heart of the business from the start.

Deputy First Minister, John Swinney said:

“Innovation is one of the key enablers of growth and supporting it in all its forms is explicit in both the One Scotland Programme for Government and in the Scotland CAN DO approach. The Innovation Voucher Schemes have been instrumental in providing financial support for many projects and access to academic expertise and facilities. Scotland is internationally recognised and respected for its quality, innovation and collaboration with businesses and educational establishments. I am delighted that this programme is expanding to include Scotland’s colleges, adding value to the Scottish economy and helping to develop our areas of industrial strength.”

Laurence Howells, chief executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said:

“The Innovation Vouchers Scheme has been a huge success, linking hundreds of Scottish small businesses with universities’ expertise.

“Entrepreneurs have been able to develop their products in ways they would have struggled to do by themselves. It’s produced brilliant innovations like a small rapeseed oil company being able to sell its products in Harvey Nicholls because they could demonstrate its antioxidant levels and a folding guitar you can take on an aeroplane. I look forward to seeing the exciting developments that construction companies can make through working with colleges.”

Dr Siobhan Jordan, director of Interface, said:

“We are delighted that SFC has instigated these new developments to assist even more businesses and academic teams to collaborate. In particular we are very excited about the new scheme which will help post graduate students understand businesses and in turn embed new innovation and skills in small companies” 

For more information on funding or to apply for any of these schemes please visit interface-online.org.uk/how-we-can-help/funding

A growing number of businesses are benefiting from collaborating with Scotland’s Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), figures released have shown.

Interface – The knowledge connection for business, matched more than 200 businesses to Scotland’s universities and research institutes to develop a range of products and services last year – a 19% increase in the number of businesses supported on the previous year.

The impact on the Scottish economy last year was £17m and those collaborations helped create 360 jobs across Scotland, including in rural areas. Most notably, it was also found that academic partnerships with Highlands & Island businesses contribute £3m to Scottish economy, with £2.2m staying in the Highlands & Islands.

Creative industries and businesses working in food and drink sector accounted for almost half the businesses involved in the academic collaborations assisted by Interface, with energy, engineering and technology making up around a quarter. Businesses working in tourism, life sciences, agriculture, social enterprises and chemical sciences also worked with academic experts on product or service developments.

Dr Siobhán Jordan, Director at Interface, said: “We are at a really exciting time for innovation in Scotland and Interface is playing a key part in making sure that businesses know about the benefits of working with the Higher Education Institutions, from testing new products or services to developing existing ones.

“There are some fantastic examples of this, from the development of a cascade chute system for transporting materials vertically, to a commercially viable tank-based seaweed cultivation system – both deserved winners of the 2014 Interface Excellence Awards.

“In fact, 79% of the businesses we have helped have seen an increase in turnover and a growing number have returned to work with academics and researchers to further develop a product or service, having realised the benefit from the first time round.

“Since we were established in 2005 we have had more than 2,700 enquiries from companies resulting in more than 1,000 collaborations.

“However, many companies are still unaware that they could work with higher education institutions in the first place, or of the knowledge, specialist facilities and technologies which exist and which could make a real difference to their business.

“Collaborations could range from simple product development using off the shelf technologies to ground-breaking research which can impact on an entire sector of industry.

“The businesses can bring a new aspect of research to a Higher Education Institute, and they can bring about solutions to real-life social issues, so these collaborations are mutually beneficial.

“Businesses can be concerned about the costs of working with universities and research institutions. There is a range of funding opportunities which Interface administers through Scottish Funding Council’s Innovation Voucher and Follow-On scheme, so I would encourage businesses to speak to us about what may be available to them.”

Collaborating with Scotland’s Higher Education Institutions has helped to secure more than 60 jobs across the Highlands & Islands over the last three years, and that number is expected to increase to more than 100 by 2017.

A new report looking at the impact of Interface in the Highlands & Islands found that nearly a third (31%) of businesses that had undertaken an Interface-facilitated project said that between 2011-2014 63 jobs were created or secured as a direct result of working with the organisation; and by 2017 a further 54 positions will also be safeguarded.

Since Interface was established nine years ago, more than 120 collaborative projects have been completed with companies based in the Highlands & Islands, which are reported to have contributed £2.2m to the local economy.

In addition to the safeguarding of jobs, the report which was compiled by BiGGAR Economics, found that almost two-thirds (61%) of business owners questioned for the report believe they will be increasing their number of employees over the next three years.

“Businesses should be aware of the positive effects that working in collaboration with Interface and Scotland’s universities can bring them, said Dr Siobhán Jordan, director at Interface.

“Of the companies based in the Highlands & Islands that we have helped to establish projects with the universities, 86 per cent said the collaboration has had a positive impact on their business; more than a quarter (28%) have developed new products to bring to market; and the same amount feel that their exporting potential has increased.

“The loss of jobs, regardless of location is always devastating, but in some areas across the Highlands & Islands it can have a notable effect on communities, so to be able to say that more than 60 positions have already been safeguarded as a direct result of undertaking collaboration projects is significant,” she said.

More than four in ten businesses (44%) expect their profits will increase as a direct result of linking in with Interface.

Fergus Ewing, Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism added:

“I’m very encouraged by the findings of this study.  Since 2005 Dr Jordan and the Interface team have been facilitating collaborative projects between Scottish businesses and experts within our academic communities.

“This study provides proof positive of the economic benefits realised by businesses in the Highlands and Islands that have used Interface as a conduit into our HEIs, with almost three-quarters (72%) of businesses saying that their projects would not have gone forward had it not been for the Interface service.”

Charlotte Wright, director of Business and Sector Development at Highlands & Islands Enterprise concluded:

“Interface has delivered tangible commercial benefits for the businesses it has assisted and these benefits have been translated into substantial quantifiable economic benefits for the Highlands & Islands economy amounting to more than £2m GVA a year and over 60 jobs since 2011.

“The fact that these companies have gone through the brokerage process with Interface and are now realising the benefits that working with the organisation in tandem with Scotland’s universities is testament to the service it offers.

“We must encourage more businesses to consider collaborating with universities and research institutions, and help them realise what assistance they can access, from funding and academic expertise, to the use of facilities or student placements.”

Other findings include:

A recent NESTA report highlighted the five themes for smaller countries that support and foster business innovation;

– 1.  The importance of downstream innovation, not just basic research

– 2.  Openness to the world, its ideas and opportunities

– 3.  A government whose wider policies support innovation and technology

– 4.  Strong but flexible institutions

– 5.  A sense of national mission

Over the past few years, the activities undertaken by the Interface team to support businesses and Scottish academics to collaborate have evolved considerably and chime with the key themes from the NESTA report.  Our core mission since inception remains “to enable business-academic collaborations for economic and societal benefit”.    

Through our local business engagement staff, Interface supports companies of all sizes and sectors throughout Scotland, the UK and internationally, encouraging them to collaborate with Scotland’s academic knowledge and expertise.  We also enable groups of businesses from key industry sectors to work together to provide critical mass and greater impact as a result of academic collaboration; the Interface Food & Drink’s Common Interest Groups are an excellent example of this.

Through our promotion of university assets, both technologies and facilities, we are actively encouraging downstream innovation; enabling businesses to commercialise technologies, intellectual property and assets and ultimately become more innovative.

Underpinning the Interface service is a continued programme to catalyse and connect with more businesses; the administration of the Scottish Funding Council’s Innovation Voucher scheme; and the development of mutually beneficial relationships with each of Scotland’s eight Innovation Centres.

The support that Interface offers, the connections that we can make and the opportunities that come from academic collaborations have been demonstrated time and time again resulting in significant economic and societal impacts.

Over the past nine years, and having facilitated almost 1,000 collaborative projects, we have helped businesses to create and improve products, streamline services and develop processes which have enabled them to increase their profits, create and safeguard jobs, maximise their export potential and ultimately become more sustainable.

Our core mantra is “get it right for business” and so we are excited about the new developments that are emerging in Scotland; developments that will improve and simplify the experience of businesses who work with Scotland’s universities to develop and exploit innovative ideas. Together with our partners; Scottish Funding Council, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Universities Scotland; Interface supports practical ways to facilitate more connections between businesses and academia.  It is a win win for all, so if you have an idea you want to explore, a product you would like to develop or just need some expert and impartial advice, contact us, and see how we can get it right for you.