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Prestigious win for Teesside University business students

31 January 2020

 

A team of students from Teesside University has won a prestigious competition organised by an international software company.

Principal lecturer Beverley Boden (centre) with the prize-winning students (from left) Billie-Jo Bowie, Abbie Waldby, Megan Maguire and Megan McCullow at the Bett Show.
Principal lecturer Beverley Boden (centre) with the prize-winning students (from left) Billie-Jo Bowie, Abbie Waldby, Megan Maguire and Megan McCullow at the Bett Show.

The team of four final year Business Management students from Teesside University Business School impressed the judges at the Adobe Prototype and Pitch Challenge at the British Educational Training and Technology (Bett) Show.

The students were given a day to design a cutting-edge app for the education market, using Adobe software, and then produce a crowd-funding video to support it.

The judging panel consisted of senior level Adobe representatives from the United States and Europe, along with experienced professional Adobe software users.

The app had to address one of the following themes:

  • Budgets, planning, and use of available resources
  • Improving student wellbeing
  • Improving staff wellbeing and retention
  • Integrating and collaborating with industry
  • Upskilling and developing educators and staff
  • The students beat teams from Cambridge and Coventry Universities with their idea for creating a one-stop-shop app that students can use to minimise stress, and increase levels of resilience, thus having a positive impact on academic engagement.

    The students had never used any of the tech before, yet collaborated to create an app called, HELP BOT.

    This app contained self-help notifications, such as, take a break, breathe, relax, suggested reading, and how to maximise your timetable.

    The team had just three hours to research, prepare and deliver a two minute pitch to senior Adobe educators, The Guardian and wider customers at the conference. The students won a year’s Adobe subscription and Amazon vouchers.

    Beverley Boden, a Principal Lecturer at Teesside University Business School who accompanied the students to London, said: 'The students fully embraced the opportunity and they not only showcased their ability to work effectively as a team, they demonstrated leadership, strong business acumen and innovation throughout the entire day.

    'The judges were extremely impressed with the team’s work ethic and resourcefulness and praised their approach and dedication to the task.

    'We are incredibly proud of the students, their work ethic and above all their professionalism.'

    The Business School is now looking at ways in which the students’ idea can be developed further across the University.

    Dr Susan Laing, Dean of Teesside University Business School, added: 'At Teesside University Business School we pride ourselves on our ability to develop graduates who can make real impact in the modern workplace.

    'This result is a fantastic achievement for our students and showcases how they can harness the latest technology and use entrepreneurial ways of thinking to add real value to their employers.'

    Bett is a leading education technology industry show which brings together over 800 major companies, 103 new EdTech startups and over 34,000 attendees. Teesside University has embarked upon an ambitious strategic digital transformation project to empower students and staff through the use of technology.

    Teesside University Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) Professor Mark Simpson and Academic Registrar Jonathan Eaton also visited the Bett Show to deliver a presentation on how the award-winning Future Facing Learning initiative is delivering teaching and learning excellence with the help of cutting-edge digital technology.


 
 
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