Employer Study Partnerships

The purpose of the Employer Study Partnership initiative is to develop links with employers through tailor-made research projects that support the development of an existing employee. It is coordinated by Swansea University’s Institute of Innovation, which is responsible for creating and maintaining relationships with business and academia alike, and enjoys academic input from schools and departments across the University.

The aim of the initiative is to develop projects that are based on the work that the employee is currently undertaking for the company, thereby maximising relevance to both the employer and employee while minimising any additional burden. Projects can be developed in fields ranging from engineering, to social and physical sciences, public policy, business and beyond. Once a project idea has been identified, it will be allocated to an appropriate school and academic mentor.

Each project will form the basis of an MPhil (Masters level) degree, undertaken part-time over 2 years, which will be assessed through development of a thesis. Throughout this time, the employee will have access to all the support normally available to a student at Swansea University, together with more specialist assistance. This will include a dedicated ‘e-Portal’, with tailored resources and an online community where students can seek assistance and collaboration. A dedicated ‘hot desk’ area with facilities such as reading materials will also be available for use while on campus.

Up to fifteen scholarships are available per year to support employees undertaking part-time study through this initiative. A scholarship will cover the costs of fees (approximately £3,240 over two years) and will provide a laptop to enable access the online support portal.

Example Employer Study Partnerships

The Institute of Innovation is constantly exploring new opportunities and is open to new ideas and collaborations. Partnerships can be set up in any field or sector, drawing upon the wealth of expertise available at Swansea University.

An example of a current Employer Study Partnership is Calon Cardio-Technology Ltd - a spin-out company that is developing a micro heart assist pump.