BT Ireland is partnering with NovaUCD to deliver the 2011 BT Business of Science and Technology Programme. As an extension of the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition this Programme will enable BT Ireland and NovaUCD to prepare Ireland’s future business leaders by introducing them to entrepreneurial thinking.  

Caroline Gill, NovaUCD; Eric Moore, Blackwater Community School, a participant on the 2010 BT Business of Science and Technology Programme; Sophie Rafter, Alexandra College, a participant in the 2011 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition and Graham Sutherland, CEO, BT Ireland

The aim of the BT Business of Science and Technology Programme is to bridge the gap between the worlds of education and business by providing participants with the commercilisation skills necessary to transform scientific ideas to commercial reality. NovaUCD as the Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre at University College Dublin has a strong track record in commercialising technology and in supporting entrepreneurs and innovators. 

The 2011 Programme will involve award winners from the 2011 BT Young Scientists & Technology Exhibition. Award winning projects will be chosen and teams will be assigned to develop the projects’ commercial potential over the course of the week long Programme. 

In this year’s Programme BT Ireland and NovaUCD will be collaborating with a number of private and public-sector organisations to take students through an intensive and challenging week of workshops which will arm them with the business skills they need to turn their ideas into potential commercial opportunities. 

Dr Pat Frain, Director, NovaUCD, said, “We are delighted to be partnering with BT on this exciting and valuable Programme. The development of an entrepreneurial and innovation culture and embedding an ethos of innovation and entrepreneurship among second level students is critically important for Ireland’s future economic growth and development.”  

As an all-Island Programme, speakers from the University of Ulster and University College Dublin will be joined by successful practitioners in the area of entrepreneurship education. Real-world case study examples will be woven throughout the programme and successful university entrepreneurs and innovators will provide students with first-hand experiences of the journey and challenges of innovation.   

The 2011 Programme will take place at NovaUCD from 28 February to 3 March.

ENDS

7 February 2011

For further information contact Micéal Whelan, NovaUCD, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie, t: +353 1 716 3712.    

Editor's Notes

As an extension of the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition the BT Business of Science and Technology Programme is enabling BT to take a national leadership role in economic development. BT is collaborating with key private- and public-sector organisations to create an opportunity to mentor the next generation of Irish innovators and entrepreneurs.

NovaUCD, the Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre, is the hub of knowledge transfer activities at University College Dublin. NovaUCD is responsible for the commercialisation of intellectual property arising from UCD research and for the development of co-operation with industry and business. NovaUCD as a purpose-built centre also nurtures new technology and knowledge-intensive enterprises. NovaUCD has been funded through a unique public-private partnership that includes AIB Bank, Arthur Cox, Deloitte, Enterprise Ireland, Ericsson, Goodbody Stockbrokers, UCD and Xilinx.