IP-City - It's all go in education
Date published: 18th April 2003
Leading ICT recruitment specialist Ifftner, based at Wherstead, commissioned some research last October into how IP-City and the Hi-Tech Corridor could address the issue of generating and sustaining young talent in the region.
The study focused on communication between higher education establishments
and local business and their mutual awareness of each other's activities and needs. It was clear that in both cases it was limited, but each said time and resource constraints made it difficult to improve this situation.
Businesses recognised the high demand for the hi-tech skills they require, and expressed an interest in finding ways to develop graduates from alternative sources, for example mature students with business backgrounds or developing existing staff through modular courses.
Both education and business felt they would like to get more involved with the local community to improve the retention of local talent.
Ipswich web communications firm A Recipe For Success and Essex University are a great example of the benefits of collaboration between business and education. They have teamed up under the Government-funded Teaching Company Scheme to work on a technology transfer development project.
Stephen Tang, a developer at ARFS who recently completed an MSc in Computing at Essex University, is working one day a week with leading researchers at the University. Working on the project gives the company, through Stephen, access to cutting edge research and gives the academic researchers at the University the chance to work closely with an innovative company and ensure their teaching remains up-to-date with industry needs.
"There are many opportunities under Government funded schemes to break down barriers to innovation," says Jeff Hume, a director of A Recipe For Success, which also won a Smart award to help develop its successful e-KIS e-commerce toolkit. The TCS was another mutually beneficial opportunity, with 60% of the costs paid for by the scheme."
Hi Tec, research and e-commerce higher education
While calls for an under-graduate university in Suffolk may still need to gain teeth, the arrival of two prestigious post-graduate universities at Adastral Park, the development of a multi-million pound technology research park near Colchester, and the creation of two e-commerce degree courses in the region isn't bad going.
Add to that the strong prospect of a new technology institute for Suffolk on Ipswich Waterfront, and the arrival of a third university research centre at Adastral Park (more will be revealed in the coming weeks), then it could be viewed as actually pretty good going for the future of developing young hi-tech talent on our doorstep.
When University College London opened a £15 million research facility at BTexact's Adastral Park in March 2001, BTexact was hopeful that its long-standing relations with the Cambridge- Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge would follow suit and blossom into a physical presence at the site.
The hope wasn't misplaced. CMI, which seeks to foster entrepreneurship in technology, opened a research facility at Adastral Park in June last year. Its postgraduate students are focusing on developing new paradigms on how business and technology work together.
CMI also runs high profile executive events and concentrates on professional development for local technologists to help them gain greater commercial awareness, inevitably linking in with BT's Brightstar incubator project. Construction of a purpose-built facility for CMI is underway, where BTexact will be able to co-host customer events with CMI.
One of the highlights this year, if it goes through, is a bid by Suffolk College to develop one of the Government's proposed new technology institutes on the Ipswich Waterfront. The bid has succeeded through to the second round, and a decision is due within the month.
"A technology institute sponsoring a broad business area would support the training needs of current employers as well as stimulating interest among students in the technology sector," says Professor Dave Müller, principal at Suffolk College. "It would be a very significant move," says Stewart Davies, chief executive of BTexact. "I can't underestimate the importance to Ipswich and IP-City of raising the profile of tertiary education, and providing access to a skilled labour force."
A technology institute in Ipswich would also complement the proposed technology research park at Essex University, which the university sees as specifically forging links with local businesses in Colchester and Ipswich. Pending planning approval, Essex University is close to appointing a developer to the project and work should begin before the end of the year.
Both Essex University and Suffolk College have e-commerce degrees up and running. Suffolk College won Government funding last year for the part-time e-commerce foundation degree course, which it has branded the IP-City degree. The course launched in February, and the College is hopeful of starting a full-time foundation e-commerce degree next year.
Meanwhile, interest Essex University's MSc in e-commerce technology has risen steadily since it was introduced in October 2000 when there were 66 applicants, to 220 applicants last year. Applicants for this October have already reached 114. "The course is going from strength to strength," says Jenny Grinter, a spokeswoman for the University. "It was introduced in close liasion with industry to bridge the gap between the skills and knowledge of first degree computing graduates and the most specific skills and knowledge that industry needs."
Last year, the University also began an MSc in computer studies (e-commerce), which has 38 students in the first intake, and this October is launching an undergraduate degree in the same field.
The study focused on communication between higher education establishments
and local business and their mutual awareness of each other's activities and needs. It was clear that in both cases it was limited, but each said time and resource constraints made it difficult to improve this situation.
Businesses recognised the high demand for the hi-tech skills they require, and expressed an interest in finding ways to develop graduates from alternative sources, for example mature students with business backgrounds or developing existing staff through modular courses.
Both education and business felt they would like to get more involved with the local community to improve the retention of local talent.
Ipswich web communications firm A Recipe For Success and Essex University are a great example of the benefits of collaboration between business and education. They have teamed up under the Government-funded Teaching Company Scheme to work on a technology transfer development project.
Stephen Tang, a developer at ARFS who recently completed an MSc in Computing at Essex University, is working one day a week with leading researchers at the University. Working on the project gives the company, through Stephen, access to cutting edge research and gives the academic researchers at the University the chance to work closely with an innovative company and ensure their teaching remains up-to-date with industry needs.
"There are many opportunities under Government funded schemes to break down barriers to innovation," says Jeff Hume, a director of A Recipe For Success, which also won a Smart award to help develop its successful e-KIS e-commerce toolkit. The TCS was another mutually beneficial opportunity, with 60% of the costs paid for by the scheme."
Hi Tec, research and e-commerce higher education
While calls for an under-graduate university in Suffolk may still need to gain teeth, the arrival of two prestigious post-graduate universities at Adastral Park, the development of a multi-million pound technology research park near Colchester, and the creation of two e-commerce degree courses in the region isn't bad going.
Add to that the strong prospect of a new technology institute for Suffolk on Ipswich Waterfront, and the arrival of a third university research centre at Adastral Park (more will be revealed in the coming weeks), then it could be viewed as actually pretty good going for the future of developing young hi-tech talent on our doorstep.
When University College London opened a £15 million research facility at BTexact's Adastral Park in March 2001, BTexact was hopeful that its long-standing relations with the Cambridge- Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge would follow suit and blossom into a physical presence at the site.
The hope wasn't misplaced. CMI, which seeks to foster entrepreneurship in technology, opened a research facility at Adastral Park in June last year. Its postgraduate students are focusing on developing new paradigms on how business and technology work together.
CMI also runs high profile executive events and concentrates on professional development for local technologists to help them gain greater commercial awareness, inevitably linking in with BT's Brightstar incubator project. Construction of a purpose-built facility for CMI is underway, where BTexact will be able to co-host customer events with CMI.
One of the highlights this year, if it goes through, is a bid by Suffolk College to develop one of the Government's proposed new technology institutes on the Ipswich Waterfront. The bid has succeeded through to the second round, and a decision is due within the month.
"A technology institute sponsoring a broad business area would support the training needs of current employers as well as stimulating interest among students in the technology sector," says Professor Dave Müller, principal at Suffolk College. "It would be a very significant move," says Stewart Davies, chief executive of BTexact. "I can't underestimate the importance to Ipswich and IP-City of raising the profile of tertiary education, and providing access to a skilled labour force."
A technology institute in Ipswich would also complement the proposed technology research park at Essex University, which the university sees as specifically forging links with local businesses in Colchester and Ipswich. Pending planning approval, Essex University is close to appointing a developer to the project and work should begin before the end of the year.
Both Essex University and Suffolk College have e-commerce degrees up and running. Suffolk College won Government funding last year for the part-time e-commerce foundation degree course, which it has branded the IP-City degree. The course launched in February, and the College is hopeful of starting a full-time foundation e-commerce degree next year.
Meanwhile, interest Essex University's MSc in e-commerce technology has risen steadily since it was introduced in October 2000 when there were 66 applicants, to 220 applicants last year. Applicants for this October have already reached 114. "The course is going from strength to strength," says Jenny Grinter, a spokeswoman for the University. "It was introduced in close liasion with industry to bridge the gap between the skills and knowledge of first degree computing graduates and the most specific skills and knowledge that industry needs."
Last year, the University also began an MSc in computer studies (e-commerce), which has 38 students in the first intake, and this October is launching an undergraduate degree in the same field.
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