Andy Mew and Rebecca Slegg work in the Essex Startups team, part of the Research and Enterprise Office at the University of Essex. They share their experiences of the Inno4YUFE Project and how they are helping to support the expansion Europe’s community of student innovators.
Our role in Inno4YUFE
Our role specifically relates to the communication and dissemination of project activities and achievements to a broad range of stakeholders. It has been important for us to form strong relationships with our Inno4YUFE colleagues across Europe, to ensure outcomes and results are communicated accurately in a timely manner, and best practices are shared to maximise distribution.
Alongside our communications responsibilities, we provide guidance regarding the management of Intellectual Property (IP) and prepare policy brief recommendations for future support programmes dedicated to entrepreneurship and innovation within a Higher Education context.
Benefits for Inno4YUFE participants
At the University of Essex, we regularly host workshops and short courses to equip the entrepreneurs within our community with the training and support required to successfully launch their own businesses. Collaborating as a member of the YUFE Alliance on programmes, to be delivered as part of Inno4YUFE, allows us to learn directly from one another about the ways we can enhance our offering to meet the developing needs of our European community of entrepreneurs and the market challenges they encounter.
Looking to the future
As an institution, we have learnt a huge amount from our European colleagues about the ways we can best serve our entrepreneurial community with the practical tools and support to expand their global outlook and adapt to a range of market needs. For us it’s important to maintain the relationships we have forged and build on the success of YUFE by enhancing the opportunities for our students, graduates and staff that have been incorporated into the Inno4YUFE programme.
