• "Aspect is changing the way people gain recognition for their role in SHAPE"

    We’re dedicated to training opportunities that foster collective growth in SHAPE research innovation

    Aspect training is for professionals, academics, and the public, united in our mission to share experiences, ideas, strategies, and learnings

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    • Our training sessions are designed to empower university staff in SHAPE research commercialisation, enriching their skills to fortify and expand institutional ecosystems. Complementing these sessions are resources available on the Aspect Members’ Platform, ranging from templates to “Train-the-Trainer” toolkits, and knowledge shares from fellow members

    • We’re committed to delivering collective insights from our membership to assist academics in amplifying the impact of their research. With tailored training sessions and self-learning courses on the Aspect Members Platform, covering diverse subjects from expanding social media networks to establishing social ventures, there’s something for every researcher, from the inquisitive learner to the ambitious entrepreneur

      Are you ready to take your idea to the next level? Then the Aspect Research Commercialisation (ARC) Accelerator could be the route for you

    • Whether you’re an investor, consultant, public body, or visionary, SHAPE presents an exciting frontier to explore. Ventures emerging from university pipelines are reshaping concepts of impact investment, corporate social responsibility, ESG frameworks, and more. Join us in this dynamic landscape

    • We’re pioneering the recognition of roles and activities within SHAPE through Aspect Smart Badges. These blockchain-based micro-credentials validate completion of Aspect training and participation in our and our members’ activities, providing tangible proof of acquired skills and knowledge for career advancement

    Self-learning

    Recognising the demands of busy schedules and global time zones, we offer online training materials for Aspect Members to access at their convenience. Developed collaboratively to empower academics and professional support staff, our suite of resources includes pathways like The Social Venture Pathway, helping academics launch their own social ventures; the Games Development Pathway, offering insights from industry and academic professionals of converting research into both tabletop and digital video games, and Building on ABC developed by Aspect Members the University of Oxford, The University of Edinburgh, The University of Glasgow, University of Birmingham, York University, and Durham University providing a comprehensive knowledge exchange training programme.  We also collaborate with a number of external organisations to share their learnings, with courses on embedding sustainability, legal structures for ventures and tools for effective project communication and marketing

    Collective-learning

    Since our inception, we’ve championed experimentation and collaborative learning to foster SHAPE ventures’ growth. Uniquely, our network is built by members, ensuring that our collective knowledge is shared and utilised for the benefit of all. Our upcoming training sessions cover topics such as the nuances of licensing, consultancy, and contract research; strategies to promote research, identify collaborators, and enhancing scholarly impact on LinkedIn, and approaches to structuring CPD programmes, leveraging research outcomes, and engaging partners effectively, all designed to enhance skills and impact. These training sessions are held online with time commitments from four hours to 10 depending on the course. As with all of our training, participants will be issued with micro-credentials via our Smart Badges upon completion to attest to the knowledge and skills gained

     

    Watch, Listen, Read

    Since 2018, our members have been actively collaborating on the development of resources and materials derived from the Aspect Testbed projects

    These initiatives provide valuable insights, tools, and resources to navigate the dynamic SHAPE ecosystem, empowering individuals and organisations to maximise positive impact from SHAPE research

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    258 Resources | Page 3 of 15

    SHAPE Pre-Accelerator 2023

    The SHAPE Pre-Accelerator is an online programme that supports researchers from the Social Sciences, Humanities
    and the Arts explore routes to generating sustainable impact at scale.

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    The University of Bristol are offering free training sessions!

    The University of Bristol are offering free training sessions run online to support academics to understand the potential impact of their research and supporting them with how to get there.

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    An introduction to Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (Innovate UK)

    The Methods for Change (M4C) team delivered a session organised by Dr Temidayo Eseonu on Innovate UK funding, in particular, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) that link businesses, academics, and inspiring graduates and post-graduates.

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    Aspect Translational Impact Accelerator Hub: SHAPE Pre-Accelerator Showcase

    Join in with a day of interactive, in-person, showcases and workshops with ASPECT’s Translational Impact Accelerator Hub and Cardiff University!

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    Let’s talk about games

    On Saturday the 22nd October 2022 at the Scottish Youth Theatre in Glasgow, the KE & impact team of the COSS, University of Glasgow, held an event tilted Let’s talk about games within the Festival of Social Science (FoSS) funded by the ESRC.

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    Event: Methods for Change – Social science methodologies for 21st century problems

    Join the Methods for Change Team two interactive events on a diversity of social science methods for understanding and addressing 21st century challenges!

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    Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Map

    Interactive map detailing the entrepreneurship offerings at member institutions.

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    Aspect Learning Gain Report 2021

    Our annual summary of insights and learnings from across the Aspect programme

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    An exploratory look at social sciences intrapreneurship

    An overview of intrapreneurship; why it’s important and examples of university intrapreneurship.

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    Research Commercialisation Toolkits

    A selection of tools to support and show the possibilities of research commercialisation.

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    Introducing ASAP Club…

    Many students have innovative ideas that would benefit from further guidance and support, whether they end up building ventures or not. Continuing to extend support to an already actively interested group is an efficient avenue for stimulating and growing the social science innovation pipeline. 

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    Social Science Commercialisation Case Studies

    Sharing insights and examples that inspire social science commercialisation.

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    Methods For Change: Showcasing Innovative Social Science Methodologies

    A detailed Final report by the Methods for Change project team.

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    Case study template for Comms and KE COP

    Template of questions to help create case studies for comma and KE

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    ABaCuSS Student Reflections

    Six students from the Universities of Glasgow and Manchester were placed into intrapreneurship-based placements within companies for 8 weeks, to test working models of intrapreneurship. This is what they found…

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    ABaCuSS Final Project Report: Programme Overview and Learnings

    Sharing ‘good practice’ learnings from the ABaCuSS pilot programme.

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    A look back at the challenges faced in engaging and supporting social science entrepreneurship

    One of the key challenges discussed among Aspect Entrepreneurship CoP members concerns the language around entrepreneurship. Are the ways in which entrepreneurship has been communicated relevant to some social sciences disciplines?

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    Aspect: Stimulating the pipeline workshop report

    A report sharing outputs from a workshop series on stimulating the pipeline for social science research commercialisation.

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    258 Resources | Page 3 of 15

    Toolkit

    The Aspect toolkit captures the lessons learned during Aspect’s first three years, disseminating shared knowledge and providing practical guidance that other institutions can use for inspiration in their own activities

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    The Aspect Network welcomes applications from like-minded organisations across the world to become members

    Join us in contributing to solutions for the global challenges we encounter. Reach out to us today to discover how the Aspect Network can support you

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