Blog – University Alliance

The University of Hertfordshire’s holistic approach to research-led innovation and entrepreneurship
April 12, 2024
- Blog
In our latest ‘Innovators’ blog, Yanina Aubrey-Gimenez writes about how the University of Hertfordshire is providing dedicated (and multi-faceted) support to businesses and entrepreneurs. “Starting and scaling up innovation can be an uphill battle for entrepreneurs. The journey is fraught with challenges – particularly in the beginning – and statistically, the odds are against even the most promising start-ups. Entrepreneurs face a daunting array…

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Teesside’s Net Zero Ambitions
March 1, 2024
- Blog
Alliance Universities are anchor institutions as well as innovators – benefitting regional economies through vital collaborative research. For instance, since opening in July 2023, Teesside University’s Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre (NZIIC) is playing a key role in the decarbonisation efforts of the Tees Valley and beyond. In the latest instalment of the ‘Innovators Blog’, The NZIIC’s Director Dr Gari Harris explains how the centre is helpi…

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How Coventry University Group are driving ‘challenge-led innovation’
February 23, 2024
- Blog
Alliance universities are defined by their ethos of continuous innovation and collaboration. In the latest instalment of UA’s ‘Innovators’ blog, Paul Fairburn explains how Coventry University are delivering ‘challenge-led innovation’, supporting businesses and commercialising research to benefit regional economic growth “The pace of technological change and the disruptive nature of technology is continuing to transform our world. There is no hidi…

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Placed-based innovation at RGU Orkney
November 29, 2023
- Blog
“Orkney is a unique archipelago of islands, regularly ranked as one of the best places to live in the UK. But its appeal is much greater than this. Orkney has an entrepreneurial and innovative culture which lends itself to testing new and varied ideas. As an island group, it offers variety through its mix of towns, rural mainland areas and outer islands, each with differing demographics, service requirements and landscape. Orkney is large enough …

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‘Let’s Get Technical’: University Alliance publishes five policy asks for the next Government
September 29, 2023
- Blog
- News
- Publications
University Alliance, an association of the UK’s leading professional and technical universities, has today (Friday 29 September) published ‘Let’s Get Technical: How to harness the power of professional and technical universities to deliver for the UK’. Launched to coincide with party conference season, ‘Let’s Get Technical’ proposes five long-term goals for the next UK government, alongside a set of policy suggestions to help realise each goal. T…

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Collaboration and the social dimension at the heart of innovation
July 10, 2023
- Blog
Professional and technical universities like those across the Alliance have great links to the creative industries – but creative graduates often find the transition to employment difficult. Dr Edward McCaffrey, Senior Lecturer in Film Production at Middlesex University writes about how he worked collaboratively to boost employability prospects for creative arts graduates. “When I started thinking about this blog, an old business adage sprung to …

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Reflections on the DTA programme, fellows and new videos
September 28, 2022
- Blog
“It is hard to believe that the final year of the DTA3 COFUND programme is fast approaching. The past four years have been a whirlwind of activity from undertaking student recruitment to welcoming and inducting our new recruits, and then delivering a wide range of training and networking activities. It has been exciting to see candidate names written on application forms become PhD Fellows who we have got to know as they have developed in their s…

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Doctoral Training Alliance (DTA) case study: Ana Tendero Cañadas
September 27, 2022
- Blog
In this video, Ana tells us about her project on the ageing of the human bladder, and how she has found the DTA network beneficial in advancing her professional skills. “My name is Ana Tendero Cañadas and I’m a PhD student at the University of Brighton, in the Applied Biosciences area. In my project I study the effect that age has on the normal bladder mechanisms in order to investigate possible ways to prevent or treat bladder conditions that af…

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Doctoral Training Alliance (DTA) case study: Surya Maruthupandian
September 26, 2022
- Blog
In this video, Surya tells us about her project turning waste into construction materials and the benefits of being part of the DTA community “I am Surya. I am a third-year MSCA DTA3/COFUND Energy fellow, studying at the University of Hertfordshire. I am from a Civil Engineering background presently focusing on sustainable building materials. My research studies the feasibility of the use of a silicate-rich mine tailing for the production of ceme…

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DTA Summer School 2022 – Three days of Celebration, Collaboration and Community
September 26, 2022
- Blog
“After two years of online events, the Doctoral Training Alliance brought together cohorts from its four interdisciplinary (Applied Biosciences for Health, Social Policy, Energy and Future Societies) programmes for an in-person summer school. The summer school was held at the University of Brighton from 6th – 8th of July. The events of the programme were planned to reinforce community in research. (To know more read the University Alliance blog a…

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