The Winchester Research Apprenticeship Programme (WRAP) pairs over 300 undergraduate students with more than 220 staff members on over 200 research projects each year. Sample projects include event venue research for a textbook, analyzing police data collection, and examining the benefits of exoskeleton suits. Students gain skills in communication, research, time management, and can explore career interests like pursuing an MBA. The programme benefits students, academics, and the university by fully inducting students into research culture. Students apply to projects, then work with staff through steps of the research process and present their findings. Feedback shows students find WRAP a great learning experience.

1. Engaging undergraduate
students in research
through the Winchester
Research Apprenticeship
Programme
Dr Sabine Bohnacker-Bruce
Learning & Teaching Fellow
Faculty of Business, Law and Sport
University of Winchester
It’s a WRAP

2. What is WRAP?
 200+ research projects
 with 220+ staff members
 and 300+ UG students

4. Sample project 1
EVENT MANAGEMENT
Researching event venues for an
undergraduate text book

5. Sample project 2
LAW
Intelligence-led policing in the age of
Big Data: a practical perspective
A project to analyse responses to
Freedom of Information requests
received from police forces within the
UK to determine if inconsistencies exist
in the treatment of ‘intelligence’ and to
investigate the use of algorithmic
policing methods.

6. Sample project 3
SPORT
Does the Eksoskeleton (bionic
suit) elicit physiological and
perceptual benefits for patients
with spinal cord injury?

7. …and many other projects:
Communicating in
a Crisis: BP and
Gulf of Mexico Oil
Spill
An Analysis of
First Degree Awards
amongst the 2010
House of Commons
Composition
The use of
Heavy-Load Squats
as a Warm-Up for
100m Sprinting
Review of funding
requirements under
the EU Northern
Periphery Programme
Visual case material
for Global Fashion
Marketing textbook
Harassment
law – a visual
representation of
the law
Identification of
key features of
Advergames in
the UK

8. Funding

9. Why WRAP?
Students “need to be fully inducted into the
culture and community of researchers” in
order to develop essential skills of critical
inquiry (Brew, 2006, p.13).

10. Students

11. Academics

12. University

13. Step 1: Project proposals
Main Criteria
 effective learning opportunity for students
 genuine contribution to the research of the
staff member

14. Step 2: Recruit apprentices

15. Step 3: Projects
<a href="http://liparts.co">Clipart.co</a>

16. Step 4: Project evaluation

17. Step 5:
WRAP presentation lunch

18. Positive outcomes
I have gained a variety of skills.
They are communication skills,
collecting information and collating
it, organising, time management.
The experience was relevant
for my FYP for the final year.
Moreover, I have gained a
clearer perspective about the
MBA programme, which I
might pursue in the future.
I learnt more about ethics in conducting
research, collecting primary data though
interviews, how to arrange all the
research data in an orderly manner, how
to arrange my schedule for different
tasks.

19. Obstacles

20. And finally…
 “I would recommend to everyone in the future to apply for
this project because it is such a great experience, the
work is manageable! …And it is really fun!!!”
 “No suggestions, just keep doing what you're doing
because the project was a great experience.”
 “More please, this is a fantastic opportunity for both
students and staff.”
For further information contact: Sabine.Bohnacker@winchester.ac.uk