Student Innovation Festival celebrates big ideas

A Student Innovation Festival that puts creative ideas to work kicks off at Cardiff University next month.

Featuring a range of activities including an ‘Ideas Jam’, talks, displays and pop-up events, the Student Innovation Festival brings together students from across the University’s Schools with staff and community partners to explore new ways of solving ‘real world’ problems.

The festival (9-16 March) will pave the way for the launch of an ‘Innovation for All’ programme later in 2018 which will showcase impactful research taking place at the University, promote an understanding of innovation in the context of learning as well as giving Cardiff students support to enhance their entrepreneurial, innovative and creative thinking skills.

Professor Amanda Coffey, Pro Vice Chancellor, Student Experience and Academic Standards, said: “It is really important that we prepare tomorrow’s students for the world of work by helping them to think creatively and solve problems.

“The Festival forms part of our mission to equip students with the skills they need to succeed. Our Innovation for All programme will provide all our students with opportunities to benefit from being part of an innovative university –engaging with real world challenges, and learning through placements, programmes or projects.”

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A team of student ‘Innovation Ambassadors’ have helped to curate the festival, which will see a range of  events that surprise, challenge and encourage students to develop an innovative mind-set.

Ambassador and third year English Literature student Katherine Madge, 20, from Devon, said “We're hoping the festival will raise student awareness about the great research and innovation at Cardiff, whilst also sparking peoples' interest in exciting new things. More awareness around campus can help spark debates and bring our many schools together to work with new ideas.”

Fellow Ambassador and Postgraduate Cardiff Business School student WeiWei Qui, 24, agrees.

“Many people believe that investment, export and consumption underpin economic growth, but in my opinion, innovation is the real dynamic. A good innovator can beat the world’s most advanced computer to push our world forward. The festival will show how creative our students and research teams can be – and most importantly, it will create an innovative atmosphere across the Campus.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45VY-E0Uq3Y

Highlights of the week-long festival include:

• A Student ‘Ideas Jam’ on Saturday 10 March
• A Creative Cardiff ‘Show and Tell’ event on Tuesday 13 March
• A Cardiff University Innovation Network showcase on Wednesday 14 March
• News ideas in clinical innovation across the Heath Park campus throughout the week
• A ‘Star Wars’ lecture at the School of Physics and Astronomy, featuring an audience of students dressed as their favourite characters from the franchise.

More information on events for Cardiff students is available on the University’s student intranet pages: search for ‘Student Innovation Festival.'