Expertise for industry

Prototype created for the corporate university

A new Business Development Centre, recently launched by the OU, will make the University's expertise in vital areas including research, technology and learning available to support commerce and industry.

A new Business Development Centre, recently launched by the OU, will make the University's expertise in vital areas including research, technology and learning available to support commerce and industry.

Among business services being offered are consultancy and applied research, technology transfer, webcasts (on-line delivery of large scale live events), forums and a range of library services including business information, advice on knowledge management strategy, and training in Internet search skills.

Alongside these, the Business Development Centre team is also advanced on the development of a prototype for a corporate university, enabling big business to tailor in-house training programmes for their own staff at every level, to be delivered by the OU via the web.

The prototype is currently being piloted in partnership with a major national company.

The Centre is able to operate as a gateway to a vast range of experience within the OU, including the highly-regarded Knowledge Media Institute, which developed the virtual microscope and virtual field trip, the Open University Business School, as well as a national academic and research community.

Business Development Manager Marion Baldwin says: "Our aim is to increase the University's links with business and industry, and to establish our ability to respond to their needs by providing services that will benefit them and ourselves."

To contact the Business Development Centre call 01908 659494, e-mail: do-business@open.ac.uk