Project Case Study: Prof Alison Truelove - Developing Business-Aware Academics
Professor Alison Truelove (Business School) will soon embark on a four-year project that aims to bridge current gaps between businesses and investors and universities. The project plans to engage business schools across England to trial a variety of activities and resources that introduce early career researchers (ECRs) and doctoral students from a range of disciplines to business approaches that explore the applications of their research.
Initial scoping into the opportunities and current work in this area shows that although there are some excellent frameworks and provisions for the development of ECRs and postgraduate researchers (PGRs), they only touch on business awareness. By bringing together a range of high-profile industrial partners, professional bodies and academic leaders, the project will seek to create a dynamic network for collaboration and skill development that broadens the horizons for early career academics.
“This will require a campaign to win hearts and minds and an active network to maintain the momentum” - Prof Truelove.
As a result of the project, a greater number of PGRs and ECRs will have the skills, confidence and desire to explore opportunities for engaging with private sector organisations. This will improve the cross-fertilisation of research and innovative thinking between academia and industrial partners, and will create a culture of support for researchers operating across these domains.
Further information about the project can be found here.
