“ The trend is for businesses to increasingly become co-creators of knowledge . Businesses are increasingly active participants in the development and delivery of the student learning experience ”
– Professor Elena Rodriguez-Falcon , New Model in Technology & Engineering
R & D budgets and , seemingly , an everincreasing speed of innovation .
“ For instance , a study by IBM in the US found that a majority of tech industry and academic leaders felt partnerships are essential to provide students with skills for these jobs . It noted that when comparing the past five years to the next , those involved expect such partnerships will help bring significant improvements in meeting industry demands and ensuring the employability of students .
“ Certainly , I have seen from my own experience how having students work closely with businesses has had a positive and inspirational effect . One such example from Sheffield University , where I taught previously , a group of students started their own company Handy Fasteners after having input that included local manufacturing businesses such as Gripple and Kingkraft . In another , a collaboration with Crown and Sheffield Hallam University resulted in the development of easy-open packaging .
“ Ensuring tomorrow ’ s graduates have the skills your business needs is one benefit from such partnerships . Another , very sizeable one is that they enable companies to make breakthroughs through accessing the leading-edge research and analytical skills universities have and , of course , lots of bright and inquisitive minds .
“ However , businesses and universities are very different beasts , and making such partnerships work so successfully is not always easy . I have been personally involved with very many , and from the start it ’ s important to create a joint vision that identifies clear purposes and goals for the collaboration . It ’ s also important to mention the
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