Megs-KT the original pitch presentation made to the Jisc project funding committee Birmingham January 2012

1. A CROSS-INSTITUTIONAL LEARNING
FRAMEWORK FOR ENERGY CPD
Dr Andrea Wheeler, Dr Paul Rowley
MEGS-KT: An Innovative Knowledge Platform for Business
and Community Engagement
A co-developed service model for online continuing
professional development in the energy sector

2. CONTEXT
The need for this project is identified by an active existing
partnership which is a collaboration of Loughborough University,
The University of Nottingham and the University of Birmingham
with the energy community, which includes industry, local SME’s
and entrepreneurs.

3. PROBLEM
Addressing Energy Education Need and Demand
• The energy sector is lacking relevant, up-to-date, well
delivered and desirable Continued Professional
Development (CPD) opportunities.
“The interaction and learning from the cross-institutional consortium
will build on current work…” Jenny Cooper, National Grid
“The ability to access tailored knowledge and training from three
leading Universities in the field will be invaluable and represents a
unique opportunity…” Duncan Child, E.On.

4. THE RIGHT TEAM
• Through its existing multi- agency partnerships the Midlands Energy
Graduate School (MEGS) and the Midlands Energy Consortium
(MEC) can leverage existing research, training expertise and the
target partner employer community in co-development of an online
service.
• Senior management support. Loughborough University as lead
partners is committed to the proposed project. The Strategic Plan
supports business and community engagement: ‘…working with
industry to deliver flexible educational provision meeting needs of
employers and employees’.
• Centre for Engineering and Design Education (CEDE) many years
expertise in the development of technical solutions for the delivery
and support of innovative teaching and learning.
• The School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering and the CREST
group will provide the academic support and direction to the project.

5. OBJECTIVES
Deliverables and benefits
• To provide a leading-edge demonstrator service model and a
collaborative knowledge service for CPD for the energy sector
target employer community.
• To effectively meet need and demand with user-driven, user-
developed and user-tested content harnessing web 2.0
technologies and socially driven content.
• To develop good practice guidelines for the delivery of such online
educational services in HE, contributing to JISC objectives.
• To contribute to the LEP strategy building economically,
environmental and socially sustainable communities by providing
business opportunities for industry, local SMEs and entrepreneurs.

6. METHOD 1
Collaborative co-design and community of practice
• Building on existing JISC research which recommends tailored
relevant and mediated access to resources and networks of expertise.
• Co-development and collaborative design, critically adopting
Service Design to assess needs and utilising the MEGS and MEC
existing collaboration and partnerships: E.on, National Grid, Local
SMEs, entrepreneurs, local energy researchers and academics.
• Using existing links with KT organisations (KTNs, I-Nets, BCC,
Institutions...) to optimise dissemination.
• Community of practice: visiting MEC fellows (academic and
industrial), international fellows and interns to develop an academic
and industry community to contribute to and evaluate content and
delivery methods.

7. METHOD 2
Collaborative co-design and community of practice
Participative platform for knowledge sharing including:
• a mosaic of technologies;
• a repository of Echo 360 seminars, laboratories, workshops and other
materials;
• a directory of expertise;
• A variety in modes of engagement;
• together with a public facing interface for future tailored CPD
opportunities and open access e-learning materials.

8. RESULT
Impact and vision
• A tailored, appropriate and desirable innovative CPD model in the energy
sector providing a skilled workforce
• A Leading-edge business opportunity helping inform, improve and sustain
local businesses and entrepreneurs
• Ongoing industry impact far beyond the duration of the JISC funding
component through the MEGS partnership
• New partnerships between Higher Education and industry, enhanced
institutional capability with wide interest and application, and a service
model which can be transferred to other institutions and sectors.