Heading decoration

KNOWLEDGE
EXCHANGE

Heading decoration

CEDI is primarily a Centre of Knowledge Exchange, building collaborative networks with the creative and digital industry sectors and leading to increased University/Enterprise engagement, increased student enterprise and employability, income generation, new research programmes and enhanced teaching.

The University’s current Learning and Teaching Strategy comprises of Imagination, Expanding Horizons and the Wider World. The University’s previous Learning and Teaching Strategy of  Student Engagement, Technology, Design and Innovation, and Employability provided the impetus for the creation of a centre of excellence in the areas of Enterprise, Design and Innovation focused at the Digital Creative economy (CEDI).  The focus on the current strategy broadens our focus in reaching a wider audience, linking University and student activities with creative, innovative and design-led organisations in the private, public and third sectors, with a focus on building Knowledge Exchange and Consultancy based collaborations. Engagement will be both direct, via academic staff and student research, and in-direct, by brokering interaction between external providers and businesses.

The Centre focuses on applied research and disseminating outputs both to relevant journals and to professional audiences through a series of online resources, articles and discussion pieces. The Centre also undertakes research into curriculum design and innovative teaching modes, supporting the knowledge exchange and consultancy functions.

The Centre will engage in knowledge exchange and consultancy activities in the following areas:

  • Design Thinking – User-Centred (UC), User-Experience (UE) and User-Interface (UI)
  • Digital Heritage Interpretation – Design and Visualisation
  • Creativity & Idea Generation
  • Concept Development, Simulation & Prototyping
  • Business Model Development & Analysis
  • Innovation Management
  • Diagnostic programmes
  • Training

The Centre will also support the development of new products, such as:

  • BSc in 3D Design and Technology – design thinking and 3D printing technologies combined with business modelling and strategic innovative thinking
  • BA Digital Illustration – with 4 pathways including Fashion Illustration
  • BSc Game Design & Development
  • BA Interior Design / Architectural Design
  • Embedding product design and digital media content into the BA (Hons) Marketing and BA (Hons) Fashion: Media and Marketing.
  • MSc Digital Media Practice TBC (to include AR/VR/Game World development with Unity /Unreal)
  • MA Interpretation Design, Museums & Heritage TBC
CEDI's Knowledge Exchange Activities:

Centre members have established links with a wide range of business organisations.  Examples of recent projects include:

  • Support for women entrepreneurs through the Growing Together network. This network has more than 80 members and is expanding from a Winchester hub to include additional hubs in Guildford, Alton and Petersfield.  The initiative is supported by National Westminster Bank through its regional advisors for women’s entrepreneurship.  This project is being led by Pam Iannotti.
  • Supporting 100 small- and medium-sized enterprises in the low carbon sector through support for the “Environmental Innovation Network” in an initiative led by Dr John Richardson. Students delivered social media and web reviews for client organisations.
  • The use of Virtual and Augmented Reality for lost heritage and international wildlife parks. Projects led by Debs Wilson for Hyde 900 in Winchester and Virtual Parks Ltd., an international organisation.
  • Market research into potential markets for online marketing information dashboards with Chief Marketing Officers of multi-national enterprises. The client is Dapresy, a global provider of information systems software.  The project is being led by Dr Mark Lowman and Tim Macer (Research Fellow).

Centre members have also developed a number of student-based knowledge exchange projects with business organisations.  Recent projects include:

  • Student involvement in iLabs for creativity and innovation management. The iLabs have been running for four years and challenge teams of students to develop robust and well researched innovation concepts for new products and services.  Clients have included Wychwood Brewery, Brides of Winchester and Wildflower Turf.  This project is being led by Dr John Richardson.
  • Debs Wilson and Paul Wilson have been working with Brian Peaston, Design Director at IBM Design UK and User Experience Architect, on Portfolio Workshops and Design Challenges such as the Urbanisation Challenge, running across a small number of selected universities.
  • Digital Media students undertake a ‘Pitch your Project’ workshop, where invited panellists from industry provide feedback on students’ enterprise business ideas. Winners are chosen for the most commercially viable ideas.
  • Dr Anca Yallop has for the past three years entered teams of applied market research students to the Nielsen Case Study Competition. Nielsen is a global leader in market research services and runs the Case Study Competition on an international basis.  Students from the Faculty of BLS have won the UK level of the competition twice in three years.
  • iPcreate – a student-led Intellectual property diagnostic service focussed on the needs of Creative businesses. Thirty businesses are being supported through the current pilot, with 120 students educated and 11 trained to undertake IP research. This project is being led by Dr John Richardson.also 
Please see below for a list of products available:

iLab Projects: Student Led business research programmes

 

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships: Graduate Level Knowledge Exchange

 

Intellectual Property: A Diagnostic Review

 

Website: A Diagnostic Review

 

Social Media: A Diagnostic Review

 

Business Productivity Technology: A Diagnostic Review

 

Cybersecurity: A Diagnostic Review

 

The Lean Business: A Diagnostic Review

 

The Green Business: A Diagnostic Review

 

Design Thinking: Strategy for Innovation

 

3D Printing: Modelling & Printing for Prototyping

 

3D Assets: Library of 3D Models available