1. Why Collaborate?
Professor Wendy Purcell
Vice-Chancellor
Plymouth University
South West Forum Conference
27 November 2012

2. Collaborate Because…
• Opportunity
• Better outcome (worth the effort)
• Socially responsible
• Fun!
“We are embedded and rooted in the community, and we are
inspired by the people and the world around us.”
“Delivering to the community we serve”
Professor Wendy Purcell

3. Win-Win?
… Promotes creativity and innovation
• We’re here and have resources
• Generates project solutions (e.g. KTPs)
• Financially beneficial
• Staff and student development
• Enriches our academic offer
• Enhances reputation
• Serve our communities

4. How we work together
• Training and consultancy
• VC Community Research Awards
• GAIN
• Knowledge Exchange (incl. KTPs)
• Formation Zone & Innovation Centres
• Student projects - SIFE
• Placements and Internships
• Recruitment Solutions – GradSouthWest
• Staff volunteering
• Social Enterprise University Enterprise
Network (UEN)
• Our students and graduates
• Networks and Forums
… and lots, lots more

5. VC’s Community Research Awards
• Unique UK awards programme
• Introduced in 2008, 23 awards, c£200k
• Connects world-class researchers with our
community
• Translates community questions into answers
• Next call for projects - closing date SOON - 30th Nov

6. The Spinal Injury Association (SIA)
Successfully bid for £350,000 Big Lottery Fund.
The research by the University undoubtedly helped us to secure these funds
by helping us to demonstrate the value of the service.”
Paul Smith
Executive Director of the SIA

7. The Alzheimer's Society
The Awards made possible vital research into the early diagnostic of
dementia, resulting in new training for national GPs.

8. “Plymouth is leading the way in its community approach to raising awareness of
dementia. From little acorns grow big oaks and this is very much the case here with
much thanks to the Community Research Awards.”
Ian Sheriff, Plymouth University
The Prime Minister urged communities to follow Plymouth’s example, singling out the
work being undertaken in the city as ‘incredibly heartening’
David Cameron

9. The Peninsula Growth Acceleration and
Investment Network (GAIN)
• Growth hub, bringing together £120 million of business
infrastructure, research facilities and expertise in a network
• Connects people, ideas
and resources
• Science Park, Innovation
Centres, Incubation Zones

10. Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP)
St Luke’s Hospice
Developing a nationally recognised research centre
for Palliative Care
Bombardier Transportation UK Ltd
Best of the Best KTP award winner 2011
Won - The Business Impact Award

11. Social Enterprise University Enterprise
Network (SE-UEN)
• Plymouth University is lead university
• Working with others to develop and support social
enterprise
• Founding partners :
– The Co-operative Group
– SERCO
– Social Enterprise Mark Company
– National Council for Entrepreneurship in Education (NCEE)
– Other Universities

12. Social Enterprise University
Enterprise Network (SE-UEN)
www.plymouthsocialenterpriseuen.co.uk
Plymouth University is lead university
National UEN
• Research
• Practice
• Creating and sustaining
• Impact

13. Social Enterprise @ Plymouth
University
• Social Enterprise Mark
• Inspiring Futures project
Accredited work based learning
module
- 641 students (Feb-Apr 2012)
• The Plymouth Award
- 460 students

14. Our Students and Graduates
• Students volunteered over 15,000 hours last
year
• Over 12,000 students in placements last year
• Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) projects
• FLUX competitions
• Plymouth Graduate Internship Programme
• GradSouthWest

15. Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE)
SIFE - University students working together to create
projects that improve quality of life for people
Project examples:
• Devonport Live
• Cycle Theatre
• Cultural Café
• Students and Refugees Together

16. • BOO Enterprise
• Established 2010 by Becky Barber - design graduate
• Award winning Fairtrade and Social Enterprise
business
• Established in Madagascar and the UK
• Supported BOO Enterprise through Formation Zone
• Provided start up office space and facilities

17. …… and lots, lots more
• Supported a successful bid to the BIG lottery fund for the Transforming
Local Infrastructure project.
• Successful bid to English Nature to be the national demonstration project
on Natural Connections
• Manage the Devon and Torbay Children’s
Universities
• Optometry Clinic

18. Call to action
• A revolving door
• Serve our communities together
• Enrich our academic offer, reputation and sustainability
• New funding opportunities
• WITH
• Our heritage – Anchor institution - Place making