RenewNet's posterous

Company Led Engineering Design Projects

Heriot Watt are going for their 2nd run of their successful "Company led Engineering Design Projects". RenewNet had 2 companies we had supported involved with the scheme (E&H Building Contractors and Seeking Simplicity) and both had excellent experience as well as outputs they felt really benefited their companies.


The projects provide companies with a great opportunity to gain access to expert academic input into their R&D activities as well as the resources that come with it. 


Each project is given a group of skilled and curious students to work on the companies R&D problem/idea and with the guidance of experienced academics produce solutions that are relevant to the companies needs.


It is a exciting scheme and if you want to be involved please check out the attached flyers or contact:

 

Dr Iain McEwan

School of Engineering and Physical Sciences 

Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh 

EH14 4AS

t: +44 (0)131 451 3750 

e: i.mcewan@hw.ac.uk 

w: www.hw.ac.uk

 

Click here to download:
HWU_Company-led-EngineeringDesign_projects-flyer.pdf (274 KB)
(download)

Click here to download:
HWU_companyled_EngDes_project_brief_template.doc (49 KB)
(download)

RenewNet: Some good news!

Some good news: we have new funding!

But it does mean our structure is changing a little. We are moving away from a feasibility fund type model and going towards a more secondment based approach.

We want to start creating a culture of cooperation in the Energy and Electrical engineering sectors in Scotland - where companies get access to the most informed knowledge to help them make the best decisions in their research and development.

We wanted to make this process as fluid as possible and easy for companies to get access to the knowledge they need and felt secondment and direct access to this was the best way to do it.

 

But how will this work?

The process itself will have 3 stages: S1, S2 and S3

S1 Projects: Scoping period

S1 projects involve one of the RenewNet KEFs visiting the company to scope out a project or to evaluate the resource needed for a project. This results in a project brief being produced for the company. The brief will include what a project will involve, what will be delivered, partner contributions, suggested future funding routes and the agreed milestones for the project.
The milestone is used to dictate the direction of the S2 project. 

All S1 projects are subject to RenewNet’s internal review panel th

at meets once a month

Click here to download:
RenewNet_Project_Document_example.pdf (197 KB)
(download)

S2 projects: Delivery period

The S2 projects can be up to 3 months in length and are guided by the project brief from S1. The aim of the projects is to give confidence to the company about their R&D targets and inform them that this is the most appriate direction to take. 

It invloves one of the RenewNet KEFs/Engineers working wtih the company on a real technical project up to the milestone agreed in S1. The project will be delivered in collaboration with the companies Engineers/R&D team and inline the companies technical strategic vision. The company are are expected match fund these projects with at least in-kind contributions. 

If a RenewNet KEF does not have the expertise/skill set needed to deliver this project RenewNet can set up a Secondment process where we will cover up to £5000 of the costs to second a PhD or RA from an relevant research group into the company. The company are expected to contribute at least £7,200 to these projects to cover the remainder of the secondee's costs.

S3 projects: Longer term R&D project

All S1 and S2 projects are designed to encourage the R&D projects to continue in the company beyond the RenewNet work, these could take the shape of: 

University/Science base collaborations:


Public sector funding

 

The orignal RenewNet project is currently funded by :The Scottish Government SEEKIT, Scottish Enterprise, University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde (finishing in December 2011)

The next phase of RenewNet is funded by: Scottish Funding Council, European Regional Development Fund ,University of Edinburgh,University of Glasgow,University of Strathclyde, University of Aberdeen and Heriot Watt University

 

Click here to download:
RenewNet_Project_Document_example.pdf (197 KB)
(download)