Conference 2010

Bradford School of Management

20th and 21st May 2010

The Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEIM) at Bradford University School of Management will host the Engage HEI conference 2010 in their new state-of-the-art Learning Resources Centre which will provide first class facilities within a physical space that melds the best of historic Victorian and modern architecture.

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are engaging with large companies, SMEs, NGOs and community groups. What is the role of Universities in open innovation and knowledge exchange with industry? The building of networks supports this work and draws on university-based expertise to build capacity at local, regional, national, European and international levels. Given the growing debate around the nature of open innovation in knowledge-based economies and the role of universities, it is timely to explore and debate the role of HEIs. Tthe purpose of this conference is to explore how we, as academics and practitioners, understand these outreach activities, frame our work theoretically and incorporate learning in order to improve engagement.

Purpose and Aims

We suggest that studies of the above three areas framed within the outreach context will not only help to improve our understanding of the scope and success of these activity but also enhance our understanding of the nature of these three learning processes and their transferability to other contexts. This two-day conference, on 20th and 21st May 2010, aims to provide a forum for paper presentations and discussions to share ideas and theories from regional, national, European and international outreach activities and find ways of combining these with theoretical perspectives to produce publishable work.

Cost

The conference delegate fee is £95. This includes networking event, visit to local innovation centre, and sponsored dinner hosted at Heaton Mount and the new state-of-the-art Learning Resources Centre at Bradford University School of Management. Overnight accommodation is available at Heaton Mount and the nearby Ibis Hotel.

Detailed presentation schedule

Day 1: Thursday 20th May

10.00 Keynote by Prof James Powell OBE: ‘From Engagement, via better Leadership to Universities for a Modern Renaissance (UMR)’

10:30 Presentation session 1
1 Bantock: ‘Spaces of Generative Possibility- Action making for a BDM’
2 Darabi and Clark: ‘Customer Relationship Management & the Role of Trust: Business Development & Collaboration between universities and SMEs’
3 Howells et al: ‘The Role of Higher Education Institutions in an Open Innovation System: Myth or Reality?’

12:00 Presentation session 2
4 Burns: ‘Reflections on supporting design in SMEs’
5 Mortati and Cruikshank: ‘The Net approach: Social Networks in action and Design cognitive tools’
6 Wyman et al: ‘The Development of Multidisciplinary Partnerships between HEIs and their Clients’

14:15 Presentation session 3
7 Davies and McAdam: ‘Knowledge Transfer Partnerships in Small Businesses: Drivers and Barriers from the perspective of the Academic’
8 Kelly and Sladen: ‘Nanofactory: the Commercialisation of Nanotechnology in the Yorkshire & Humber Region’
9 Padilla-Melendez and Garrido-Moreno: ‘Determinant factors affecting technology transfer in a university environment. The researcher's perspective’

Day 2: Friday 21st May

9.00 Presentation session 4
10 Hodgson and Whitehurst: ‘Regional Policy Makers, Higher Education and Clusters: Regional Strategic Human Resource Development?’
11 Owen: ‘Building the SME Knowledge Network’
12 Sparrow et al: ‘Assessing changes in university academic staff knowledge intensive business service skills’
13 Vega et al: ‘Setting Up University Support to Small and Medium Enterprise Innovation: Managerial, Policy and Research Implications’

11:00 Presentation session 5
14 Banks et al: ‘Towards HE and Industry Partnership Best Practice, “the right mix”’
15 Eleanor Clyde-Evans: ‘Community Enterprise – a social practice based approach’
16 Rose et al: ‘Opportunities and contradictions: The policy paradox of entrepreneurial education and university-business engagement since 1960’
17 Whicher et al: ‘Industry/Academia Links in Innovation Policy and the Role of Design’