UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

Aiming University Learning at Work
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Female student examining some coloured liquids

Further information:

Business and the Biosciences (University of Glasgow)

The Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences (IBLS) are involved in two types of work-related learning activity:

  • Level 3 students are selected for a work placement year which they spend in bioscience industries, research laboratories, zoos, or museums, depending on their degree subject. They undertake a research project which forms part of a Masters degree award.
  • Level 4 students can choose to do their Honours project with a Business orientated theme, such as examining an aspect of bioscience commercialisation for a local bioscience company. Students undertaking such a project receive prior training in business and entrepreneurial skills from the Business and Bioscience course, which is a credit bearing, examinable part of their Honours degree programme. 

Types of commercial projects that employers may consider suitable are:

  • Market research for a new product
  • Establishing an existing product into a new market
  • Impact of new licensing regulations

How?

The AUL@W team are seeking to engage with employers who can offer a commercial project to students undertaking the Business and the Biosciences course. The employer benefits by having a piece of research work completed for free; the student benefits from the experience of producing a commercially relevant piece of work. As this is not a ‘placement’, the employer does not have any obligations with regard to the provision of training or employment. However, if work experience becomes a viable opportunity, the team would be keen to explore this with any employer. Ideally the employer will meet with the student at their premises and explain the project requirements, timescales, and establish a contact for the student. Contact will be mainly online or by telephone; the student will spend around 2 days per week over a 10 week period on the project from October to December, at the end of which a piece of research work will be produced for the employer to use. There will be a requirement for the employer to give some feedback on the quality of work produced.