Webinar on 'Enhancing students' innovation and reflection skills: the SISA programme' offered by the Robert Gordon University and the Scottish Institute for Enterprise (SIE). Presentation for OneHE Mindsets by Dr Pauline Bremner (Robert Gordon University) and Ann Davidson (Scottish Institute of Enterprise). Date: 1st July 2020

1. Contact: OneHEmindsets@gmail.com
Twitter:@OneHEmindsets

2. Ann Davidson
Enterprise Programme Director
a.davidson@sie.ac.uk
Dr Pauline A M Bremner
Lecturer (Robert Gordon University)
p.bremner@rgu.ac.uk

3. Dr Pauline A M Bremner
p.bremner@rgu.ac.uk
Ann Davidson
Enterprise Programme Director
a.davidson@sie.ac.uk

4. Students Innovating and
Reflecting - Scottish Innovative
Student Awards
SISA what is it
How we have incorporated it
To demonstrate the student enhancement

7. The Context: a framework for
developing innovation/enterprise skills
Ref: Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education: Guidance for UK Higher Education Providers.
QAA, Jan 2018
SISA 1
SISA 2
SISA 3

9. Scottish Innovative Student Awards (SISA)
Application for Level 1 Accreditation
Name of Institution Robert Gordon University
Your Name and Contact
Information
Professor Rita Marcella
School of Creative and Cultural Business
Garthdee Road
Aberdeen
r.c.marcella@rgu.ac.uk
Course/Module/Workshop to be
Accredited
Please state if the course is
curriculum or co curriculum 1
BS3922: Communication Project Management
Part of the curriculum for BA Media and BA PR
Discipline / Year Media and PR 3rd
year
Timings 2
1. Accredited workshops have to be no less than 2 hours long. The workshops can be spread
over different dates and times. SIE appreciates that many modules. Courses are longer but
the element being offered in support of accreditation should be a minimum of 2 hours.
2. Timings – please confirm how long your course/module runs for during the academic year.
This is to help with our planning of level 2 and planning for subsequent years
Please give details confirming why your Course/Module/Workshop outcomes will deliver SISA
Level 1 outcomes and demonstrate desired competencies. 3
You can attach supporting documentation here, for example, course or module descriptors or
information showing what students’ will gain from taking part in a workshop you are running.
Module outcomes include that students will be demonstrably able to:
Plan and design a communication project for a defined audience, in response to a (real) client
brief, applying relevant theoretical concepts and principles, and making effective use of
appropriate media.
Participate in a structured group task and evaluate individual contributions to the group effort.
Present a professional proposal to the client, incorporating clear accurate information and
workable, cost effective solutions.
The students are assessed on their individual contributions to the group oral pitch to the client
and the group written proposal, as well as on their individual report reflecting on the assignment,
their group effort in producing the proposal and the lessons they have learned. The clients are
business professionals, working in the commercial, public and third sectors and they mentor their
groups as well as providing feedback on performance during the pitches. The content produced is
used by clients.
The module content includes: working with clients, consultancy work, project management tools
and techniques, project planning, working as part of a team, organisational mission, vision and
values, preparing a costed budget, fundraising and sponsorship approaches, media production
and editing, media relations and social media marketing, risk analysis, event planning,
professional writing and presentation.
The module test students’ capacity to reflect on their own and team performance. They are asked
to seek both positive and negative feedback from their team mates in order to identify
improvement points and achieve a truer sense of self efficacy. It is always highly rewarding to see

11. Big shifts : Fitness
Self
motivation to
take exercise
and keep
healthy.
Easy access to
gyms and
more
information on
the benefits of
exercise
Using
technology to
monitor body
functions and
give real time
information
about
performance
and calories
burned.

14. Innovation Catalyst
Skills
✓ Managing ambiguity and
uncertainty
✓ Co-design
✓ Pitching
✓ Influencing, communication and
negotiation
✓ Innovation and intuitive decision
making
✓ Civic responsibility

15. https://rgu.cloud.panopto.eu/Panopto/Pages/View
er.aspx?id=857d2c89-413d-4d97-ad43-
abdc00d16102
Innovation
New ways of
Doing things
Pollution and
Climate change
Create a new
fashion feeling

16. Innovation Champion
✓ Demonstrates intent to take
action
✓ Able to critically reflect and
evaluate
✓ Able to research and plan in
order to develop an innovative
idea

19. Skills
Furthermore, they are crucial for everyone to utilise and keep
abreast of technological advances in a rapidly changing,
uncertain and interdependent world. Through its three levels,
SISA provides a foundation of core skills upon which our
students at RGU can confidently embrace the challenges and
opportunities of the ‘future of work’ as employees who can act
as catalysts for innovation and change or as future
entrepreneurs.
Now more than ever, Robert Gordon University, through our
partnership with SIE SISA, aim to ensure that key innovation
skills and the art of thinking innovatively and working
collaboratively will ensure that our students are responsive and
agile to the needs of the labour market, now and in the future.

20. https://rgu.cloud.panopto.eu/Panopto/Pages/View
er.aspx?id=406b5e9b-f1f3-4aeb-a3df-
ab90008046d8

22. References
FUGLSANG OSTERGAARD, S. & GRAAFLAND NORLUND, A. (2019) The 4
biggest challenges to our higher education model– and what to do about them
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/12/fourth-industrial-revolution-
higher-education-challenges/ [accessed Jan 12th 2020].
MILLER, J. P. (2019). The Holistic Curriculum, Third Edition: London:
University of Toronto Press.
Quality Assurance Agency, (2018) Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education:
Guidance for UK Higher Education Providers, available at:
https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaas/enhancement-and-development/enterprise-
and-entrpreneurship-education-2018.pdf?sfvrsn=15f1f981_8 [Accessed 30th
June 2019].

23. • Would SIE be open to collaborate
with international organisations
outside of Scotland to offer SISA
certification?
• Can university libraries that offer
information literacy/digital literacy
skills non-credit modules for
students take part in the SISA
certification programme?
• Is there a potential for SIE to
collaborate with other
organisations e.g. OERu,
Lynda.com and offer micro
learning certification?

24. Contact: OneHEmindsets@gmail.com
Twitter:@OneHEmindsets