Whether working in classrooms, health-care settings, or hospitality we all recognise the emotional labour of “putting on a show” when we least feel like it. Flourishing means more than minimising distress – it is about recognising our sources of nourishment, meaning and purpose, which can include the work we do.
UWE CPD at Bristol Business School are pleased to be offering a new 2-day course; “Flourishing at Work” in April 2023.
This course goes beyond a palliative approach to wellbeing which assumes stress is a failure of someone to cope with an emotionally challenging workplace, offering instead strategies to forget or survive things.
The pandemic accelerated our understanding of work as a place to go; work instead is a place to be in complex and multi-layered networks of relationships. If you are interested in understanding flourishing as understanding your place in relationally-complex environments, recognising boundaries and monitoring what we “spend” of ourselves, then this course is for you.
The facilitator, James Costello, is author of Workplace Wellbeing – A Relational Approach and has decades of experience as a psychotherapist, trainer and supervisor across the private, third and public sectors and more recently through working with complex organisational dynamics at the UK Home Office.
In this experiential course, you will explore issues including:
Understanding the pressure-points in the context of your unique setting.
Develop your listening skills, enabling you to diffuse emotionally-charged situations differently.
Learn to notice emotional “triggers” and have different outcomes.
Reflect on your negotiating style when resolving conflict.
Become more aware of boundary issues regarding relationships that go beyond face-to-face, which includes virtual real-time and out-of-time working.
On completion of this course participants will gain:
An understanding of the boundaries between home and work.
Insights into working structures to inform change processes in your context.
The capacity to understand yourself and others in your context.
UWE CPD at Bristol Business School are pleased to be offering a new 5-day course; “Creativity & Innovation for Strategic Leaders”.
This course is designed to familiarise participants with the important aspects of innovation and provide frameworks and practical tips to implement innovation in their own teams / organisations. By learning about why organisations struggle with innovation, participants will come away with insight into how they can overcome this to create and capture value.
On completion of this course participants will:
Understand the need for innovation within an organisation
Assess an opportunity for innovation and improvement in own organisation
Understand organisational and team-level factors required to support creativity and innovation
Gain and use a range of tools and techniques to generate and lead innovative options to deliver the improvement identified
Understand the innovation implementation process and how best to organise for innovation to enhance performance
The learning on this course is experiential and enquiry based. Each of the five days include a balance of theory input, practice exercises, peer feedback and discussion.
If you are interested in this course, the dates and further information can be found below:
First year students on Bristol Business School’s BA (Hons) Business: Team Entrepreneurship programme recently took part in a learning activity delivered by the NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator based in Bristol. During the week-long activity, known as the NatWest Bootcamp, the Team Entrepreneurs learned about key entrepreneurial concepts such as growth mindset and customer validation while also developing their skills in developing business ideas, working effectively in teams and pitching their ideas.
During the NatWest Bootcamp students were allocated into teams and tasked with developing a business idea aimed at solving a real problem. Teams were encouraged to explore the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for inspiration of which problems to focus on, as well as reflecting on their own experiences as students and consumers. The week culminated in a pitching event held at the NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator Hub in the City Centre in which the teams pitched their ideas to a panel of entrepreneurs, receiving invaluable feedback on their ideas.
During the week the Team Entrepreneurs benefitted from a workshop on pitching, delivered by NatWest’s Entrepreneur Acceleration Manager Andrew Jackson. The pitching structure shared during the workshop follows the same approach used by entrepreneurs on the NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator programme when pitching for investment. Team Entrepreneurs were also able to gain feedback on their pitches during a practice pitch session with Andrew Jackson which allowed them to finesse their pitches before the final day.
The partnership between Team Entrepreneurship and the NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator has evolved over the past five years and the NatWest Bootcamp represent a key milestone in the academic calendar for the year 1 Team Entrepreneurship students, providing a strong foundation of entrepreneurial skills and knowledge. Speaking of the partnership, NatWest’s Entrepreneur Acceleration Manager Andrew Jackson commented:
“The Team Entrepreneurship Bootcamp has been a regular appointment in the NatWest Accelerator’s diary for a number of years – supporting the UWE students through a series of workshops and challenges from the Power of Mindset through the concepts associated with ‘Knowing Your Customer’ to creating and delivering a great Pitch. I’m constantly impressed by the way the students apply themselves to the challenge of considering creating an idea, validating their assumptions and developing a credible solution to real-world, real-time issues. It’s a pleasure to be involved and a privilege to be able to help and support the development of the next generation of creative, entrepreneurial thinkers.”
The NatWest Bootcamp is a strong example of an academic-industry partnership which is adding real value to the student experience. Many of the Team Entrepreneurship students that have taken part in the Bootcamp have continued developing their business ideas further and some have stayed in touch with Andrew Jackson and his team for further mentoring and guidance as they grow and develop as entrepreneurs.
As part of our Business and Law Student Spotlight 2022, we spoke to accounting graduate Hannah Carr about her journey so far at UWE Bristol. Hannah has just completed her third year and will be starting at Mazars as a Trainee Financial Planner in September.
What has been your biggest achievement so far?
“I’ve really enjoyed my time at UWE, especially the different experiences and activities that have been available throughout my degree. For example, I was able to work in the Business Advice Clinic, providing real external clients with advice and gaining valuable career experience that I could then reference in interviews and future roles.
I think my biggest achievement during the course has been to reach the shortlist for ‘Accountancy Graduate of the Year’ in the PQ Magazine Awards this year. I was honoured to be nominated and make the top five nationally, and for me it reflected my hard work but also the significant support and encouragement that the lecturers provided during the degree to push me to succeed and achieve more than I thought possible.”
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
“I think it would be to try everything and put yourself out there to get involved with as much as possible, even if it doesn’t seem 100% relevant to your degree or future career plans. For example, I was involved with the Peer Assisted Learning scheme and the Student Ambassador programme, and these roles gave me some invaluable experiences that were useful in interviews as well as my personal development.”
What has been the highlight of your UWE experience so far?
“It sounds a bit cliché, but I would say the people. I’ve met some amazing friends and some truly passionate lecturers who want to see you succeed and will push and encourage you to reach new heights. I’m so grateful for those I’ve met during my degree, and I’m definitely sad to be leaving now! But of course, excited for my new graduate role and the next chapter.”
We recently ran a series of guest lectures from experts in the FinTech and Financial Services industry for our MSc FinTech students. MSc FinTech is a course that equips students to address the pervasive impact of disruptive financial technologies. This programme is jointly run by Bristol Business School and The Department for Computer Science and Creative Technologies.
The aim of the guest lecture series was to give the students real insight into what it takes to start, run and grow a FinTech. From day one we wanted to ensure that understanding around the importance of compliance, risk and legal were understood. If our students go on to start their own ventures in the future, better that they understand these requirements from day one.
The series gave students an insight into the different types of technology and applications, helping them to imagine and innovate. This included Open Banking, AI, Blockchain, NFTs, Metaverse, Payments, Automated Investing and Cyber to name a few.
We also regularly share news articles from the world of FinTech and discuss the impact they might have on the future of finance. Four lucky students attended FinTech Talents event in London where they heard from headline speakers from across the world of FinTech and Financial Services.
Below is a summary of each of the guest speakers that came to campus to present to the students and what they discussed:
What FinTech roles and opportunities are there in the region?
What are the skills employers are looking for?
The difference between applying and working for a start-ups versus a larger corporate
You don’t have to be a coder to work in FinTech! It is much more than that and includes all the supporting functions – marketing, compliance, legal, design, project management etc.
Julian is behind FinTech North and FinTech West, which make up part of the National FinTech Network. Julian discussed the UK fintech ecosystem and clusters and reflected on the Kalifa review. A government backed review into FinTech in the UK that identified Bristol and Bath as a fintech cluster.
Tim Hegarty – Founder of Blockchain Ventures Ltd / Early NFT pioneer
Tim discussed the history of blockchain and the early explorations into the new technology.
Anna Lisa Wesley – Founder of start-up advisory Sapphire & Steel
Creativity, design, advertising, marketing and NFTs.
Reid Derby – Director of Strategy at CyNam and Strategic Advisor on Innovation at Golden Valley Development
Golden Valley Development and the cyber tech ecosystem in Cheltenham and opportunities to develop a career in this sector.
Karin Rudolph – Collective Intelligence UK
“It was a fantastic experience to have delivered a guest lecture to the students of the Masters in Fintech at UWE.
The students were very engaged and interested in the topic of AI ethics, and the session sparked tough provoking and interesting conversations about the ethical considerations of technology and their impact on society”
Karin Rudolph – Collective Intelligence UK
Glenn Smith – Founder Roqqett
“It was a pleasure being able to give a talk to the UWE Fintech Masters students. The audience was super engaged and asked loads of pertinent questions. They were really interested in both previous experiences and my views on how various areas of Fintech were developing. Overall, it was great to have such enthusiastic interest from an audience and to get their perspective as well on emerging trends. “
We are delighted that Bristol Business School has been shortlisted as Business School of the Year 2019 in the Times Higher Education Awards.
The University has been shortlisted in recognition of our outstanding achievements over the last 12 months in three categories: Outstanding Entrepreneurial University award; Business School of the Year; and Outstanding Strategic Planning Team of the Year.
Widely regarded as the ‘Oscars of higher education’, this year’s awards will see the biggest celebration yet of UK universities, recognising outstanding work across a wide-range of HE activity.
Our innovative approach to enterprise has been recognised by making the shortlist of the Outstanding Entrepreneurial University award.
UWE Bristol has enterprise and entrepreneurship at its heart which assessors recognised as a huge contribution to our award of TEF Gold.
Our submission highlighted the leadership culture across the institution, creating an enterprising and ‘can-do’ attitude amongst students and staff. Through the Enterprise 2020 strategic programme, the University has embedded enterprise in over 300 programmes across all faculties – from Aerospace and Animation, to Law, Nursing and Wildlife Ecology.
The submission also highlights our state-of-the-art facilities that bring enterprise alive including the University Enterprise Zone. Home to budding entrepreneurs and generating hundreds of jobs, the UEZ has contributed over £50m to the local economy.
The Bristol Business School has also made it onto the shortlist for Business School of the Year for the third year running. We hope to go one better this year, building a submission around impactful research, engagement with business and innovation in entrepreneurship.
The final award the University has been shortlisted for is Outstanding Strategic Planning Team of the Year.
Our submission centres on how our strategic approach has seen the University achieve its highest ever student satisfaction ratings.
Programme Leader for UWE Bristol’s BA(Hons) Business and Management programme Paul Bennett and Lecturer Mubarak Mohamud are presented with the award of Most Significant Positive Impact in the NSS award 2018 by Deputy Vice-Chancellor Jane Harrington and Chair of UWE Bristol Governors Sonia Mills
Focussing on our taskforce approach that shares best practice with programmes and areas requiring support, this has led to quickly resolving issues of performance and identify trends across the University. This culture of institutional performance has led to our highest ratings in the National Student Survey (NSS) and Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTSE), placing the University in the top 10 of higher education institutions for student satisfaction in the country.
Paul Brown, CEO at MHI and UWE Bristol Business Management
Advisory Board member, picked up the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bristol
Post Business Awards at the end of June 2019.
This prestigious award recognises hard work, dedication and
commitment to Bristol, commending his passion for the local community and
businesses. Previous winners include George Ferguson (first elected mayor of
Bristol), Nick Park (Aardman Animations), Colin Skellett (CEO of Wessex Water)
and Steve Lansdown and Peter Hargreaves (Hargreaves and Lansdown).
In an article by Bristol Post, it was said that ‘Paul is
known by his colleagues as someone who uses his position and company to benefit
the local community in everything that they embark on.’
During his time as an advisory board member for Business
Management at UWE, Paul has advocated for a Triple Bottom Line and has had a
huge impact. His other focus is ensuring these soon-to-be graduates are
prepared for SME life when their time comes to enter the working world.
Paul also plays an active role in investing in and
supporting Bristol-based start-ups, using his 26 years of experience to
influence and guide them.
‘Humbled and honoured to be acknowledged for his services to
Bristol over the last 26 years, the award is not something that Paul will take
lightly – for he is an individual who truly cares, not only about Bristol and
the South-West, but beyond too.’ – MHI news.
Congratulations Paul, you are a truly deserving winner and an asset to UWE Bristol.
The below blog post has been co-authored by Edina Opoczki (BA International Business student) and Hayley Iovannelli- International Recruitment Manager for the Faculty of Business and Law.
Hi! My name is Edina and I’m currently studying the International Business programme here, at UWE Bristol. Now I’m in my final year, I decided to continue my studies overseas as part of the ‘Study Abroad’ scheme. I chose to study at one of UWE’s partner institutions (ESSCA) as it provided me with the opportunity to study in two countries; Angers (a city in western France, about 300 km (190 mi) southwest of Paris) and I’m currently in Shanghai, China.
It has been an interesting journey so far, and I wanted to share my experiences to help anyone who may be thinking about doing this.
Things I now know (that I did not know before)
I spent a lot of time researching the institution and the area in France and China. But, as I discovered, there’s always more you can and should do!
Here are my top tips:
Try to learn a bit of the language before you go – not everyone will speak English and if you can speak even the basics this will really help. And your language skills will evolve as you’ll have lots of opportunities to speak with other students.
Find out
about the local amenities and services – I needed a dentist quite urgently
when I was in France and it just wasn’t something I’d considered before, so
well worth finding out about local English speaking amenities
Work out
your budget – some areas are more cost effective than others so it’s worth
scoping out the different places to live and eat
Reach out
and speak to students who have done this before – they can give you
valuable information about what to expect, places to visit to really make the
most out of your time there
Be prepared for the cultural differences – find out the basics about how you should meet and greet people, restaurant etiquette, tipping etc. as each country is different
Enjoy
yourself! – take every opportunity to explore, discover, practice the
language and make the most of it!
Things I wish I had done differently
While I was in Angers during my first semester, I felt like I was missing out on the opportunity to make close friendships with the other international students because I found my accommodation privately rather than staying in the dormitory where most of the students were. On the other hand, in terms of money – value proposition, my room seemed to be the better option and that is why I choose it in the end.
When preparing to head out to Shanghai, the only thing I wish I had done even more before arriving was saving up money for travelling around the country. Life in Shanghai is more expensive than in Bristol so be prepared. Travelling around this huge country is costly and time-consuming because of the distances so I would advise everyone planning to study in Shanghai to save up as much as you can.
Why France and China?
The reason why I chose France to study is because I wanted to make sure I can build more international experience through my ‘Year Abroad’ scheme and France just seemed to be one of the perfect locations to do so. My goal was to live in a country which is a founding member of the EU and is totally different from the UK in terms of culture.
China has always been one of those destinations I have been dreaming about ever since I was a child. When I found out ESSCA has a campus in Shanghai I was beyond happy. China for me is the Rome of business world where all businesses leads to China. Because of the nature of my international business studies, I wanted to further build my experiences in a country taking a lead of newness, innovation and world trade.
How do I find my way around in Shanghai?
Before I came to China, I already downloaded multiple apps on
my phone, saved all important addresses both in English and Chinese, made sure
I always had a copy of UWE Travel Insurance on my phone and I already
familiarized myself with the metro lines. There are several websites and apps
you can take advantage of, and these are the ones that I found to be the most
helpful:
TripAdvisor
(guidance when visiting other cities)
Bon App!
(like TA but more complex with local metro map)
SmartShanghai
(detailed list of services, shops, information about SH)
Moovit
(navigation app)
Sherpa’s
(food delivery)
Epermarket
(online supermarket for Western style grocery shopping)
This list is not full and there are many other apps and websites available.
How did I develop personally and professionally during
‘Study Abroad’?
‘Study Year Abroad’ allows me to further extend my knowledge and experience on the following topics: cross-cultural management, international human resources, international marketing, artificial intelligence, the energy sector, old and contemporary European and Chinese history and politics, the European Union, French and Chinese languages, doing business in China and many more.
As well as personal development, I have gained and further extended my academic skills and abilities. Both France and China have prepared me to take on the next challenges. I believe, with cultural awareness my ability to adapt to change of circumstances and openness for newness has prepared me to gain new experiences and makes me brave enough to apply for international jobs in the future.
We were delighted to be finalists at this year’s Guardian University Awards but are over the moon to have actually won! This award means so much to everyone who’s been involved in developing and delivering the Equity Programme ever since our first pilot event in October 2016. It’s been a long and sometimes challenging journey to introduce a progressive positive action scheme like this. Working with students, local employers and national diversity thought leaders, we’ve created something which the University can be really proud of and which offers BAME students a chance to leverage leadership and enterprise skills as they embark upon their graduate careers.
The Equity programme has 4 pillars: 1-2-1 mentoring, identity and leadership coaching, enterprise education workshops and large evening networking and guest speaker events. National statistics on the performance and progression of ethnic minorities in the labour market (as highlighted by the MacGregor Smith Race in the Workplace Review 2017) have to change and we are proud to be leading the way on the role universities can play in this regard. Finally, we want to thank every facilitator and the external guests who attend our events and enrich our student experience.
Equity evening events run throughout the academic year and are open to the public to attend. We warmly encourage alumni to consider attending the evening events to give our students networking opportunities as well as being part of the collective challenge to diversify the talent pipeline. To find out more please visit www.uwe.ac.uk/equityor email raceequality@uwe.ac.uk
Post written by Dr Zainab Khan- Equity Programme Lead
Are you interested in upskilling your workforce and does the cost of training seem a barrier to accessing local talent?
This event provides an opportunity to hear first-hand accounts from existing businesses who have apprentices at UWE, and how to make it work. In addition to this, we will be highlighting upcoming degree apprenticeships and further opportunities for your business to train your employees at degree level with the funding available.
UWE Bristol is the only university in the region with funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) to support non-levy employers and has secured funding to support apprentices from Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
David Barrett, Director of Apprenticeships at UWE Bristol, will welcome you to the event and alongside the Degree Apprenticeship Hub team will be able to help identify your training needs and suitable solutions. Spaces are limited for this event, so please register below.
If you have any questions about this event or degree apprenticeships please feel free to contact Ellen Parkes.
We are looking forward to meeting you and beginning the degree apprenticeship partnership journey.
The event takes place in the University Enterprise Zone on Frenchay Campus from 15:00 – 17:00.
