Your Partner in Energy by Robert Gordon University

YOUR partner in energy

University partnerships with business and industry are a dynamic and essential force for economic growth and development and social regeneration. Many universities, and RGU in particular, are instrumental in driving fundamental changes to the way learning is conducted, and how knowledge is exchanged with and utilised by industry. The challenges and opportunities that are facing the global energy industry in the 21st century will require innovative and practical solutions. At RGU we are rising to these challenges and look forward to having the opportunity of travelling with you on a journey of discovery and change. Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski Principal and Vice-Chancellor

A Partnership for Growth Robert Gordon University (RGU) has a long standing partnership with the energy sector in the North Sea region and internationally. RGU has over 40 years association with the oil and gas industry and a reputation for delivering job-relevant courses and career-ready graduates with appropriate skills and usually placement experience. Ongoing course development is frequently in conjunction with the industry and partnering in this way has helped RGUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clients to build employee competencies and capabilities. However, RGU offers a much wider range of university-business engagement and partnering opportunities. This publication looks at key areas where we work with clients to help business development, growth and reputation.

01 D eveloping your people: Opportunities for professional staff to develop the skills they require 02 R ecruiting future talent: The benefits of student work placements and corporate scholarships at RGU 03 P artners for innovation: Consultancy and research expertise within RGU and the potential for technology transfer 04 E nhancing your reputation: Opportunities for partnerships with RGU to enhance corporate reputations

First Contact Not knowing who to contact at any university can be a significant barrier to engagement. At RGU we have created a new single entry point for enquiries for those who do not already have an existing point of contact. The Business Development team at RGU can assist companies, from start-ups to multinationals, channelling enquiries to the correct people in the University and providing a wide range of business support and advice from customised courses for staff development, consultancy, competency and capability assurance to research commercialisation and collaboration. Every business wants to thrive. Regardless of size and maturity, companies understand that employee recruitment and development, research and innovation, technology knowledge transfer and corporate social responsibility are fundamental for competitive success. To make first contact and find out how RGU can help support business in all of these areas, please contact: business@rgu.ac.uk or visit www.rgu.ac.uk/business-services

01 Developing your People RGU has a proven track record of working in collaboration with industry to develop and deliver high quality professional learning worldwide, from award-bearing educational programmes to customised short course training. RGU offers industry-relevant programmes, from undergraduate to Masters and MBAs, the majority of which are professionally accredited. RGU can also work with companies to design, develop and customise practical short course training and work-based learning to meet specific business needs. The learning and development solutions offered by RGU draw on the academic knowledge and practical industry expertise from across the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three Faculties, providing industry with solutions for management and business, energy engineering, health, safety and environment, all geared to the needs of the next generation of energy professionals.

Postgraduate Energy Portfolio RGU provides a recognised focal point for the delivery of accredited learning materials related to the energy industry.

Track Record RGU has established a proven track record working with national oil companies, oil majors and service companies around the world. Our Business Development team at RGU works with clients to understand their specific business requirements, helping them engage with the appropriate people within the University to achieve required outcomes.

RGU’s past and present client base includes: Shell, BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Sonatrach in Algeria, PdVSA in Venezuela, PetroChina, Halliburton, Bank of Angola, Sonangol, The Scottish Government, Technip, Total, Stork Technical Services and Tullow Oil.

Our long-standing partnership with industry has driven a strategy for flexible delivery of learning. Whether the desire to do a postgraduate degree is a personal development decision, to improve prospects or convert to an energy-related career, or companysponsored staff development, RGU understands the importance of flexibility in the creation and delivery of career-relevant courses. Delivery options include: full-time, part-time, online and blended learning. Many international and local clients find blended learning – online delivery supported by in-country or in-house classroom workshops – a great benefit with personnel working a variety of shift patterns around the world.

We offer the following energy-related courses: Oil and Gas Engineering

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

“ Chevron has worked closely with RGU to deliver online training programmes in the area of Supply Chain Management for over 11 years, most recently regarding Logistics, Mentoring, and Procurement for Practitioners.

Petroleum Production Engineering

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Drilling and Well Engineering

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Asset Integrity Management

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Subsea Engineering

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Offshore Renewables

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Energy and Sustainability

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Having an online suite of courses to offer our global employees is extremely valuable to us.

Project Management

— Graduate Certificate/MSc

Purchasing and Supply Chain Management

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Commercial Practice for the Energy Sectors

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

RGU’s tutors and administration show a level of commitment to our learners that is unique. Their expertise, technology, and partnership makes RGU a great supplier to work with.”

Energy Management

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Oil and Gas Management

— MBA

Oil and Gas Law

— LLM/MSc

Oil and Gas Accounting

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Health, Safety and Risk Management

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Health Improvement and Health Promotion

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Corporate Social Responsibility and Energy

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Occupational Health Practice

— BA

Sarah Jialanella Learning and Development, Chevron, Houston

Postgraduate Energy Portfolio RGU provides a recognised focal point for the delivery of accredited learning materials related to the energy industry.

We offer the following energy-related courses: Oil and Gas Engineering

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Petroleum Production Engineering

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Drilling and Well Engineering

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Asset Integrity Management

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Subsea Engineering

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Offshore Renewables

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Energy and Sustainability

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Having an online suite of courses to offer our global employees is extremely valuable to us.

Project Management

— Graduate Certificate/MSc

Purchasing and Supply Chain Management

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Commercial Practice for the Energy Sectors

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

RGU’s tutors and administration show a level of commitment to our learners that is unique. Their expertise, technology, and partnership makes RGU a great supplier to work with.”

Energy Management

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Oil and Gas Management

— MBA

Oil and Gas Law

— LLM/MSc

Oil and Gas Accounting

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Health, Safety and Risk Management

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Health Improvement and Health Promotion

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Corporate Social Responsibility and Energy

— PgCert/PgDip/MSc

Occupational Health Practice

— BA

Sarah Jialanella Learning and Development, Chevron, Houston

Industry Partners KCA DEUTAG, the international drilling and engineering contractor, is locating its DART simulator (Drilling and Advanced Rig Training) in a new, bespoke and stateof-the-art complex within the Energy Centre at RGU’s Garthdee campus, opening 2013.

“ This alliance with RGU acknowledges that DART is

The DART facility in Aberdeen provides a full-scale reproduction of an offshore platform or land rig, complete with stateof-the-art touch screen consoles for both driller and assistant driller. As the driller operates the rig floor equipment, the simulation depicts realistic and dynamic graphics and sounds to simulate what the driller would see and hear on the rig.

an industry-leading means of training oil and gas personnel, allowing bespoke training to be conducted for high-cost and critical operations in a safe and

RGU will use the facility for postgraduate training programmes, while KCA DEUTAG will continue to provide internal training courses to employees and training to external clients and the wider drilling community as well as exposure to RGU’s many existing relationships with national oil companies. There is also an excellent opportunity to design tailored courses with RGU to suit oilfield drilling industry requirements with a focus on producing graduates with exceptional training experience.

controlled environment. KCA DEUTAG is very happy to be strengthening its relationship with the University around training and development and we look forward to jointly developing many more relationships with independent and national oil companies.” Phil Hassard Global Operations Manager KCA DEUTAG DART

ENERGY CENTRE The Energy Centre, within our School of Engineering, is a focal point for industry for the development and deployment of all accredited learning material related to the oil and gas, and renewable industries. The Energy Centre works with businesses to develop learning materials with the objective of increasing the capacity and capability of the graduate engineering resource in the energy sector, building upon the University’s reputation for producing graduates who can make an early impact on the performance of their companies.

“ This alliance with RGU acknowledges that DART is

an industry-leading means of training oil and gas personnel, allowing bespoke training to be conducted for high-cost and critical operations in a safe and

Competency and Capability Assurance Attracting, retaining and developing the best employees is of great importance, particularly in challenging economic conditions. Ensuring those employees have the appropriate competencies and capabilities to perform their jobs efficiently and effectively is crucial.

Competency is a combination of experience, training and qualification; capability identifies particular skills that will make an immediate difference. Bridging competency and skills gaps can deliver a workforce that is driven and focused and will contribute to process and bottom line improvement. RGU works with companies to create and deliver customised programmes that meet their specifications and needs, and also deliver tailored assessments to provide the assurance that employees have achieved the required outcomes and standards of competency. This can apply not only to RGU programmes but also that of third party or a company’s own existing learning programmes. Competency assessment can provide both a framework for a company, and also enable individuals to attain credits, which could be accumulated towards an academic qualification.

Today’s business environment requires increasing agility, future thinking and market responsiveness. To compete successfully, the skill sets and competencies required to address internal and external stakeholder relationships, process improvements and workforce development have to be demonstrated to a set of industry standards. Partnering with us can enable organisations to independently and robustly verify competency and capability, both to themselves and to others, thus maximising staff potential and helping deliver the management and leadership to deliver future success.

Adding value to Shell Shell is one of an increasing number of oil companies who have their own established training programmes but who are looking to add value by working with us to validate their training courses. The Shell programme with RGU enables Shell employees to work towards recognised qualifications at Bachelor (BSc) or Master of Science (MSc) degree level while gaining their industry standard Round 1 and Round 2 drilling qualifications.

“ The Master of Science degree accredited by RGU is a unique learning opportunity for Shell Well Engineers. Shell Wells staff that complete the internal comprehensive and advanced competency development programme, Wells Distance Learning Programme (WDLP), and successfully pass the specified level exams can enrol with RGU and

execute a project, which is a requirement for the Masters degree. Achieving a Masters degree in Well Engineering or Completion and Well Intervention Engineering through the partnership of Shell and RGU is not only very attractive for Shell Well Engineers in terms of their personal development, but also benefits the company as it provides a business improvement project for the business. It undoubtedly raises the competencies that are key for safe and top quartile Wells performance in wells and provides an opportunity to improve the employee value proposition.” Davie Stewart Vice President Wells Discipline, Shell

Partnering with BP RGU has an extensive partnership with BP which ranges across the engineering, computing and business disciplines. Students can benefit from a number of guest lectures, visits to the company HQ in Dyce, undergraduate prizes and placements for internships. In addition, BP supports a number of individual projects including our New Ideas initiative in the School of Engineering and has sponsored the end of year degree show for Grayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School of Art for the past nine years. The University is also working with BP on global e-learning opportunities and a technician development programme.

Course Development Partnering â&#x20AC;&#x153; The relationship between BP and Robert Gordon University is now firmly established and we have been working closely with the University to develop a variety of projects ranging from the provision of lectures, to visits, to attending careers events. These activities all support our aim of raising the profile of careers in the oil and gas industry and helping to ensure that science and engineering courses stay relevant to current oil and gas industry needs.â&#x20AC;? Tim Smith Vice President Communications & External Affairs, Scotland

RGU views the creation of industry-relevant learning programmes, and the need to keep them current, as critical in order to meet industry needs. We have always worked closely with the energy sector in developing relevant award bearing programmes, in particular our energy engineering and business management portfolio, as well as non-award bearing training courses.

RECENT COURSE DEVELOPMENT INCLUDES: MSc Commercial Practice for the Energy Sectors

MSc Corporate Social Responsibility and Energy

A course specifically developed to enhance professional commercial skills. The course has been developed in close collaboration with industry and includes a contemporary industry perspective from sector experts from all parts of the supply chain, aimed at developing core commercial competencies much in demand by the oil, gas, renewables and decommissioning industries.

Another course developed following industry research and discussion addresses the CSR challenges that face energy sector companies, such as concerns about global warming, social development, environmental disasters, human rights and business ethics. This course provides a comprehensive understanding of energy-related influences and impacts through exposure to a number of different areas associated with CSR. These include architecture, business studies, cultural studies, economics, engineering, gender studies, political science, research methodology, sociology and urban studies.

RECENT COURSE DEVELOPMENT INCLUDES: MSc Commercial Practice for the Energy Sectors

MSc Corporate Social Responsibility and Energy

Aberdeen Business School at RGU worked with Stork Technical Services to create a Business Leadership programme for employees from director to middle manager and supervisor levels. Based around MBA business simulations, the programme blended online study material and workshops. The emphasis was on technical skills, demonstrated through performance on business simulation, and soft skills of team work, motivation, employee engagement and communication. “ Stork successfully collaborated with RGU’s business school on the design and delivery of a bespoke management training course – the Business Leadership Challenge. The course has been designed to support our business strategy, vision and mission and presents an ideal opportunity to share knowledge, skills and experience across the wider management team. I have no doubt that this course will bring real and tangible benefits to our global business and customers.”

Dave Workman CEO, Stork Technical Services Ltd

Training programme development The ability to provide flexible short courses or training in specialist areas is recognised by many clients internationally as a real benefit to company development and growth. At RGU the key elements of effective business education engagement are: – Understanding a client’s business environment – Clarity about the relevant business drivers and requirements – Appropriate application of learning to those requirements - Award-bearing and industry accredited education, or - Customisation of a training solution to meet competency outcomes RGU has created customised programmes for clients from China to Venezuela; from two-week deepwater engineering training and four-week management courses to full Masters level degree programmes with the addition of company-specific workshops.

“ Tullow has been working with Robert Gordon University for two years to deliver Introduction to Oil and Gas courses to some of our key community and local government stakeholders in our countries of operation including Ghana, Uganda and Kenya. The courses are seen as such an effective way of explaining the basics of our industry, through a respected third party, that we’re gradually extending these to higher levels of government and to stakeholders in new oil exploration frontier countries. It’s a great chance for everyone to develop some understanding of oil and gas and to destroy some common myths...and the courses are almost always oversubscribed!” Lesley Coldham External Relations Manager, Tullow Oil plc

Dave Workman CEO, Stork Technical Services Ltd

Health Improvement At RGU we are identifying new ways of approaching health protection and health promotion, advancing the premise that a healthier workforce will be a safer workforce and a safer workforce is a healthier workforce. The integration of health protection and promotion activities can improve safety and decrease workplace injuries and illness. Through the Faculty of Health and Social Care RGU offers: – Development of health improvement strategies – Health promotion activities – Sickness absence management review – Improving the health of the workforce – Health needs assessments that consider the short, medium and long term global needs of energy industry clients. These strategies aim to improve the health of employees, long term functional status and productivity, ultimately extending the wellness message into the wider community. 13

Remote Health Care Skills Ensuring that the skills set and competencies of healthcare practitioners working in remote environments are at an appropriate standard is a continual challenge for employers and service providers. The changing nature of the workplace, as well as the demography and associated health needs of the workforce, is placing greater demands on employers. Employers need to be assured that healthcare practitioners providing services to their employees remain safe, effective and current in their practice. RGU’s Faculty of Health and Social Care is addressing this need with a new portfolio of learning opportunities. These courses will enhance the skills of the remote health care practitioner by providing education specifically related to clinical assessment, judgement and decision making as well as the immediate care of the deteriorating or critically ill or injured patient. Occupational health and safety, management of minor injuries and ailments in remote and difficult situations, such as the offshore environment, are further components within the portfolio being offered.

Fit For Work Sickness absence from work is an important issue for employers both in the public and private sectors. Its effect on productivity, as well as its personal impact on the people affected, their families and their colleagues, is being increasingly recognised. RGU offers a range of advanced services and facilities at the Faculty of Health and Social Care. Work Related Assessments include Functional Capacity Evaluations – comprehensive, objective and performance based measurements to compare an employee’s physical capabilities with work demands to determine their ability to return to work following injury or ill health. Neuropsychological Assessment – identifies the need for any work adjustments or modifications, management of potential risks or to guide further rehabilitation. Worksite Assessment – assesses the individual’s job demands and supports return to work decision-making. 15

“ Robert Gordon University thoroughly deserves to be The Sunday Times Scottish University of the Year (2011). It is the model modern university producing dynamic graduates capable of making an immediate contribution to life, work and wider society. The annual graduate employment data over many years have shown Robert Gordon standing shoulder to shoulder with – and often half a step in front of – Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London and the London School of Economics. This is no accident. Students follow courses that have in many cases had a significant input from employers; the end product is both an academically and vocationally relevant education.” Alastair McCall Editor, The Sunday Times University Guide 2011

02 Recruiting Future Talent At RGU we have a long and successful track record of providing high calibre graduates for companies throughout the world. In 2012, we were ranked ‘Best Modern University in the UK’ and in 2011 ‘Scottish University of the Year’ by The Sunday Times University Guide. The Times University Guide 2012 said “A degree from Robert Gordon University is as near to a guarantee of a job as you can get.” Indeed, in recent years, we have consistently appeared in the UK top 10 for graduate employment. This reflects the vocational nature of many of our courses which ensures that graduates gain a practical approach to work and appreciate the importance of personal skills such as leadership, team working, time management and the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues and customers. RGU works in close collaboration with industry to design and maintain up-to-date and relevant courses. We firmly believe in the value of placements as a mechanism for students to develop and enhance their skills so they ‘hit the ground running’ when they enter the workforce. These close industry links are also underlined by the number and quality of scholarships available at RGU. This section looks at how companies and potential employees benefit from these close ties.

Testimonials

“ Over the years, we have been continually impressed by the calibre of the students we have employed as a result of the University’s placement programme.” Morven Spalding Senior Specialist – Organisational Development, Aker Solutions

“ As part of the Electronic and Electrical Engineering course, we heard from lots of external industry experts who gave us an insight into practical applications of what we were studying. The ability to do a large amount of practical work, even extending beyond the electronics industry, gave me a wider understanding of industry requirements and challenges. During my career I have often reflected back to what I learnt and it still helps me in my day-to-day role.” Richard Moir Technical Director Cisco Systems Ltd

“ We are delighted with the calibre of students that we are able to attract for our placement scheme. This course prepares students for the world of work and our objective is for RGU students to come back to us to study for professional exams.” Iain Abernethy Learning and Development Director with Johnston Carmichael

“ The Law and Management course really allowed me to concentrate on the legal areas that I was interested in. It also proved to be the ideal stepping stone in allowing me to obtain entry into the LLB and the Diploma in Legal Practice programmes, as the course covers a lot of the Law Society recommended subjects. The lecturers are approachable, innovative and pragmatic and are always ready to share their profound wealth of knowledge with you.” Alaina Morrison Solicitor with John Wood Group PLC

Testimonials

The Power of Placements Many of our degree programmes provide a combination of study and practical experience â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with some 90% of them offering work placements which vary in length from several weeks to a year.

Many companies already work with RGU providing placement positions; many are considering offering our students the opportunity to work with them. Placements not only allow students to put theory into practice and gain essential workplace skills, they also offer employers a range of benefits. Companies gain a motivated and cost-effective resource with valuable up-to-date knowledge and fresh ideas. Having a placement student could help overcome staff shortages, and

potentially move projects forward which have stalled or would not otherwise have been done. And, of course, employing a placement student could be viewed as an enhanced interview process for a prospective future employee. Making use of placement opportunities provides a good return on your investment of time and resources. For further information please visit our website: www.rgu.ac.uk/placementopps

THE TALISMAN SCHOLARSHIP The Talisman Scholarship was launched in April 2006. Working in partnership with RGU and The University of Aberdeen, Talisman is providing financial support for students at both universities over a ten year period, in one of the largest scholarship programmes in Scotland. The aim is to give promising students, who would like to pursue a career in the oil and gas industry, the opportunity to gain an advanced education without many of the financial worries often faced at university.

â&#x20AC;&#x153; This was and remains an exciting opportunity for Talisman to play its part in supporting future talent for the oil and gas industry. We take our investment in young people seriously, and are committed to helping students achieve their full potential. We believe this significant investment has and will continue to foster excellence among those who aim to forge a career in our sector.â&#x20AC;? Geoff Holmes Senior Vice-President, Talisman Energy (UK) Limited

SECURING THE BEST SCHOLARS Recruitment from many RGU courses is very competitive with the best graduates in fields such as engineering being highly sought after. Indeed, such is the competition that many companies including Talisman, FMC Technologies, Sparrows Offshore, KCA Deutag, Bureau Veritas, Wood Group and Technip have offered scholarships to our students, enhancing their engagement with the University.

T ransferring knowledge via KTP RGU works closely with industries and organisations through the UK-wide Knowledge Transfer Partnership programme. This funding and support mechanism is designed to help improve competitiveness and productivity through better use of the knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK knowledge base.

One such example is RGU’s collaborative project with Viper Subsea, a company based at Portishead, but with offices in Aberdeen. The company supplies specialist engineering consultancy services related to subsea production controls and electrical/hydraulic distribution systems.

The company also supplies subsea distribution hardware and fault identification equipment. RGU is supporting Viper to develop a fault analysis tool for subsea wellhead control systems. This will exploit the latest machine learning techniques to deliver a diagnostic tool that can be integrated topsides with a wide range of existing subsea production control systems. This will monitor the systems’ health-care data on a continuous basis, identifying potential problems before they impact on the production of oil and gas.

For students, winning a scholarship can put them on the fast track to career success. For employers, the benefits can be equally appealing. It can help attract the most ambitious and talented personnel. Successful applicants are able to demonstrate academic potential and personal characteristics such as enthusiasm, energy, determination and commitment. As a result, employers can identify early those potential employees who are highly motivated and keen to succeed – both academically and professionally.

CAREERS CENTRE The RGU Careers Centre offers companies a range of services to engage and recruit our students and graduates. The RGU Careers Centre works with employers to help with recruiting students and graduates. We can help you promote your graduate opportunities on campus and at RGU career fairs. Get in touch if you’d like us to visit you to discuss your organisational needs and tailor solutions to meet your recruitment requirements. Contact the Careers Centre: careers@rgu.ac.uk

03 Partners for Innovation At RGU we have a commitment to research, consultancy and technology transfer. We believe it is an essential element of an educational environment that fosters innovation and enterprise. We also believe in partnering with the business community to create a research and commercialisation environment which will help drive economic growth. Strong research refreshes and enhances the quality of teaching and provides opportunities to interact with the wider community through knowledge transfer. Indeed, we are always looking for commercial partners with the development and marketing skills and infrastructure to take new ideas and technologies arising from our research activities to the market. RGU provides innovation services to industry through a variety of mechanisms including consultancy, technology licensing, intellectual property protection and knowledge transfer partnerships (KTPs). We also help students and staff to commercialise their research. On the following pages we look briefly at the services RGU offers to industry and how potential commercial partners can benefit from our expertise.

Research to Commercialisation RGU has an excellent track-record in conducting multidisciplinary research to develop innovative ideas which are subsequently brought to market.

Our Research and Enterprise Services unit operates as a hub for the three Research Institutes, the Faculties, Schools and individual researchers at RGU, and works closely with the Business Development team to promote opportunities and excellence in research and technology transfer by providing support and facilitation services.

The unit prepares and submits research proposals and provides support to enable collaboration in research and knowledge transfer, contract research and consultancy. It provides guidance on intellectual property protection, contractual support, and new company creation. To explore potential collaboration opportunities please contact: business@rgu.ac.uk

Research to Commercialisation RGU has an excellent track-record in conducting multidisciplinary research to develop innovative ideas which are subsequently brought to market.

A Rich Pool of Expertise

Institute for Health & Welfare Research (IHWR)

RGU has been a centre for research in a range of disciplines for many years. Our three Research Institutes (RIs) provide the focus for this delivery of research and knowledge transfer within the University.

Our Environmental & Occupational Health research employs cutting-edge techniques to address health problems that present within both the environment and the workplace. We focus on clinical and basic science research into environmental health and physical and mental wellbeing from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Our interests include monitoring of dietary intake, lower back pain, movement and gait analysis, self management of chronic conditions, exercise and physical activity, medical evacuation procedures and emergency preparedness and response to major traumatic incidents from a psychosocial and mental wellbeing perspective.

An integral part of the RIs purpose is to build a research base of staff and students who undertake highly relevant, leading edge research that advances knowledge and provides tangible benefits to the wider economy and society. The RIs cross Faculty boundaries with each Institute being thematic, rather than discipline based.

Institute for Management, Governance and Society Research (IMaGeS) Business & Enterprise Governance & Society Information & Communication IMaGeS draws on expertise in areas such as entrepreneurship; management; accounting and finance; information management; policy and law. This multidisciplinary environment enables the development of new perspectives and approaches to challenges in society. Our energy research and consultancy addresses issues related to energy policy; transport policy; health and safety; information and knowledge management; skills and labour market analysis; and consumer and community responses within a complex energy society. The work of our doctoral candidates adds richness and diversity across our three themes with particular clusters of activity focussed in areas such as entrepreneurship, oil and gas, African contexts, and environmental issues. We work closely with industries, professions and government to extend the reach and impact of our research, empowering enterprise, business development, management and governance within a global knowledge society. Professor Dorothy Williams Director, IMaGeS, RGU E: d.williams@rgu.ac.uk www.rgu.ac.uk/research/images

Environmental & Occupational Health Neurological & Mental Health Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disease

rofessor Cherry Wainwright Director, IHWR, RGU P E: c.wainwright@rgu.ac.uk www.rgu.ac.uk/research/ihwr

Institute for Innovation, Design & Sustainability (IDEAS) Energy, Environment & Sustainability Digital Technologies Creativity, Design & Innovation Our research develops novel technologies that are highly relevant to the energy industry. A multi-disciplinary research base combines expertise in engineering and environmental science with leading edge computing and design. Oil & gas research includes flow assurance, sand management, condition monitoring, acoustic sensors and project management. Environmental science covers sensors and tracers, photocatalysis, bioremediation, and waste management. Research in renewables complements sustainability from low energy buildings. Computing research contains data mining, modelling and visualisation, software systems, and video communications, with augmented reality and interactive systems contributing to design and innovation. Our emphasis on applied research and knowledge exchange is a catalyst for economic and social change. rofessor Susan Craw Director, IDEAS, RGU P E: ideas@rgu.ac.uk www.rgu.ac.uk/research/ideas

A Rich Pool of Expertise

Institute for Health & Welfare Research (IHWR)

Environmental & Occupational Health Neurological & Mental Health Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disease

rofessor Cherry Wainwright Director, IHWR, RGU P E: c.wainwright@rgu.ac.uk www.rgu.ac.uk/research/ihwr

Centres of Excellence In order to foster research, build educational skills and liaise and support business innovation, RGU has a number of specialist research and corporate centres of excellence which include: The Centre for Understanding Sustainable Practice (CUSP) brings together a broad range of cross-faculty academic expertise in energy, business, architecture and social subjects from within RGU. CUSP seeks to: – Change thinking, behaviour and practice – Develop a strong activity-based research theme engaging with public and business, assimilate and disseminate research – Use education as a key agent of change in promoting sustainable practice, through extensive outreach activity and working in partnership with a range of stakeholders – Influence policy development CUSP’S client base includes: CHAP Homes Ltd; ArjoWiggins; United Nations Development Programme; European Commission; Marine Current Turbines Ltd; Swan Turbines Ltd; Government of Maldives and Government of Aceh. www.rgu.ac.uk/cusp

LabVIEW Academy and Industrial Instrumentation The School of Engineering’s LabVIEW Academy & Industrial Instrumentation is a tailored version of an internationally recognised curriculum created by National Instruments (NI) – one of the world’s leading providers of software and hardware for measurement and control. The first of its kind in the UK, this innovative programme has been developed by the University’s academics in close collaboration with industry and bridges the recognised gap between state-of the-art technology, academia and current industry requirements in the area of applied instrumentation. It is suitable for all technological disciplines including mechanical, electrical and biomedical engineering. For more details please visit: www.rgu.ac.uk/labview

Maldives marine energy study A recent study, supported by the Scottish Government, was produced by the Centre for Understanding Sustainable Practice (CUSP) at RGU to provide an assessment of the potential for marine energy in the Maldives. It looks at both the technological and socio-economic dimensions of deploying marine renewables in the future energy mix of the Maldives, with a focus on assessing the suitability of the conditions and natural resources in the waters around the Maldives for producing marine energy.

“From targeted support leveraged by the Scottish European Green Energy Centre (SEGEC), the work by RGU has confirmed that potential exists for marine energy to contribute to the future energy mix in the Maldives and could help the Maldives Government achieve their 2020 goal of a carbon neutral economy. With a free resource available to exploit, there is a clear logic in delivering innovative low carbon marine energy projects within the Maldives to offset the use of fossil fuelled generation.” Chris Bronsdon Chief Executive, Scottish European Green Energy Centre

TURNING GAS TO LIQUID FUEL In 2008, innovative young Aberdeen company, Gas2 Limited, received the first tranche of a £10 million growth capital investment in its novel method of turning gas to liquid fuel using technologies originally conceived at RGU. At the beginning of 2012 Gas2 secured £5.5 million of further development funding to include the construction of a pilot reactor plant. With half of the world’s natural gas stranded in fields that are either physically or economically unusable, the race is on to find a cheaper way of exploiting known reserves. And, since natural gas is much more expensive than oil to transport, converting it into liquid makes economic sense. There is also an environmental benefit given that the process can potentially be used to harness the billions of cubic metres of gas that are otherwise flared off into the atmosphere each year.

“ The gas to liquids market is growing quickly with analysts predicting that tens of billions of dollars will be spent on this market during the next decade. We believe that our technology, once fully developed, will offer significant improvements in safety, efficiency and cost. We are now entering a new and exciting phase with the build of the pilot plant which will validate on a larger scale the commercial viability of the Gas2 process. We have a unique technology and process, and the commercial prize is great for a successful outcome.” Mike Fleming Chief Executive, Gas2

The Centre for Entrepreneurship carries out significant research of an applied nature on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). A few of the areas dealt with by the Centre are: – Total quality management – Innovation – Strategies for new technology based SMEs – The role of Science Parks – Entrepreneurship education and training

The Centre for Knowledge Management (CKM) was launched in response to the growing importance and developments within the knowledge economy. The primary aim of the centre is to assist organisations in unlocking their untapped potential to achieve competitive advantage through the effective management of knowledge. The centre offers three main services to the local business community: – Research – Consultancy – Teaching and training

The Centre for International Labour Market Studies (CILMS) is a multi-disciplinary research centre with the remit to undertake research and consultancy in the areas of: – Education – Training – Employment – Labour Market Policy - local, national and international

The Centre for Public Policy and Management (CPPM) is one of Scotland’s leading multi-disciplinary research centres. It undertakes research and consultancy in Scottish and European public policy. The work of the CPPM is based on the application of people with a range of expertise to the practical problems of public sector, voluntary and independent agencies.

Knowledge Exchange There are various approaches to knowledge exchange within RGU ranging from information networks through to company-specific consultancy, contract research and collaborative research. This includes Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) which are a UK government-funded mechanism for helping companies increase profitability through industry-academic collaborations. RGU is committed to knowledge creation and working with businesses and organisations to bring about new ideas, new ways of working or new products that will drive growth and have a positive impact on local economies. Fundamental drivers for success include research and innovation, technology transfer and commercialisation. Examples include:

The Sand Management Network has been operating for 10 years and is an example of the benefits to be gained from a network of companies partnering with universities, including RGU, around a specific topic. The Sand Management Network is an ever expanding group of upstream oil and gas related companies that have come together with RGU, The University of Aberdeen, Heriot-Watt University and the University of Cambridge, to communicate successful methods and gaps of managing sand in the North Sea thus allowing the continued development and operation of offshore fields. Key issues which are addressed include Sanding Prediction, Sand Monitoring, Topside Management, Sand Control and Intelligent Systems, with a focus on the North Sea and Atlantic Margin.

Scottish Sensor Systems Centre (S3C) is an academic/industrial collaboration to undertake joint projects into sensor systems. Funded by the Scottish Funding Council, S3C brings together the research expertise from Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading universities with industry and the public sector to work together on the development of new cutting-edge sensor systems, which could transform the future of the subsea industry, marine and aquaculture sectors. Research areas that RGU is working on include: Molecular Sensing for Subsea, Optical Sensors for Subsea Applications, Applications of Acoustic Emission Sensor Systems, and Nano-particulate foam based multi-modal sensor for simultaneous detection of pressure and gas leakage in the subsea environment.

National Subsea Research Institute (NSRI) is a partnership of The University of Aberdeen, RGU, The University of Dundee, Newcastle University and Subsea UK. In collaboration with subscribing industry members, NSRI provides a focus on research and development and establishes research priorities for the subsea industry.

Northern Research Partnership (NRP) is a partnership of RGU, The University of Aberdeen and The University of Dundee. The goal of NRP is to develop a critical mass of research excellence in engineering and related disciplines. NRP, together with the Edinburgh and Glasgow Research Partnerships form the Scottish Research Partnership.

RGU is a member of Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance (SICSA), the research pooling for Computing in Scotland. SICSA is a collaboration of the leading Scottish universities in Computing whose goal is to develop and extend Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position as a world leader in Informatics and Computer Science research.

Building Performance investigation

Faroe Petroleum Annual Report Cover Design Faroe Petroleum approached students with a competition to design a creative and unusual conceptual design for their annual report front cover.

“ The Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment undertook a commission for Scottish Enterprise as part of the Energetica delivery partnership in 2011. A comprehensive Building Performance Investigation was carried out and distilled into a quality fi nal report which was hand delivered on time and within budget. The benefi ts of working with the Scott Sutherland School were signifi cant, not least as a result of the holistic approach taken from brief development to follow on stages to support successful implementation. The team was professional, straight forward, creative and fl exible in their approach at all stages – a great team to work with. The output was strong as a consequence of robust and thorough project management. The work delivered fully conformed to and exceeded the agreed brief and contract terms. As Project Director for Energetica I would not hesitate to recommend The Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment based on my experience of the calibre of work undertaken and the delivery team.” Sara Budge Project Director, Energetica

Taking into consideration the practicalities of design, as well as the need to remain sensitive to the company’s corporate identity and environmental practice, students were asked to put together design ideas for the cover, yearly summary pages and the report’s styling. Students were encouraged to be creative and distinguish Faroe Petroleum’s image from the common associations of oil drops, rigs and flares. The winning student decided to use the front cover to visualise growth. Combining his own family influences with the company’s increased productivity, he came up with a unique and unconventional design to represent these ideas.

“The fact that my design was chosen is very encouraging as it shows that a business in an industry often considered very formal – the North East oil industry – wants to push the boat out with a fresh idea that’s more unconventional for an annual report. I think both the family aspect and slight ‘other worldliness’ of the whole cover reflects Faroe and their innate difference as an oil company. I found the project to be an invaluable experience in my learning and practice as a graphic designer – giving me the opportunity to create design work that has to meet real-world demands.” Michael Ridley Competition Winner 3rd Year Graphic Design, Gray’s School of Art

Building Performance investigation

Faroe Petroleum Annual Report Cover Design Faroe Petroleum approached students with a competition to design a creative and unusual conceptual design for their annual report front cover.

Hydrasun Artwork Competition Two RGU students won a competition to come up with artwork for one of Aberdeen’s leading energy service companies, Hydrasun. Third-year students from Gray’s School of Art were asked to create a piece of work that reflected the environment surrounding Hydrasun’s site at Gateway Business Park. The winning paintings by Michael Hughes and Carmelina Duaron are now displayed in Hydrasun’s reception area.

Offshore Achievement Awards “ The paintings are a very welcome addition to the Hydrasun offices. We moved into this site a year ago and the installation of the artwork has been a nice way of marking this. Hydrasun is involved in various community projects and initiatives as we believe it is our social responsibility to give something back to the community in which we work. The competition involving Gray’s School of Art provided another opportunity to do this.”

Students studying Three Dimensional Design (ceramics and glass, jewellery and product design) at Gray’s School of Art were set the design challenge to produce trophies for The Offshore Achievement Awards 2012 by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Aberdeen section. The students were encouraged by SPE to recognise the ‘importance of keeping oil alive’ in their designs whilst demonstrating an element of sustainability. Jessica Barr’s winning trophy symbolically reflects the key themes of innovation, sustainability and growth. Her design – using layers of different materials such as wood or steel – will be applied across each of the 10 award categories.

Bob Drummond Hydrasun Chief Executive

“ This project has been an excellent opportunity for our students to demonstrate their creative skills within a highly professional context and we look forward to continuing this partnership with SPE annually.” Leonard Smith Head of Department: Design Gray’s School of Art

Bob Drummond Hydrasun Chief Executive

04 Enhancing your reputation RGU has an excellent reputation for delivering learning and research for business and we are also highly valued in the local community. Through RGU: Sport, our ÂŁ11 million state-of-the-art sports facility, we are committed to helping individuals in our community improve their quality of life through physical activity and sport. In doing so, we work with a range of corporate partners to extend participation in sport in the community and to help individuals achieve excellence through sport.

Today, we believe that we can build upon our existing relationships to provide opportunities for businesses to work with us on a wide range of community-based projects; projects which offer many benefits for the University, our corporate partners and the wider community. Across a wide range of educational arts and sports-based projects, we already provide local companies with many opportunities to enhance their reputation and their social responsibility credentials. In this section, we review some of the partners and projects to illustrate how we could work with your business to reach an audience in the wider community.

WORKING WITH SCHOOLS RGU is involved in a wide range of school and educational programmes supported by local industry which are designed to help create significant opportunities in the North East of Scotland. In particular, we believe that in order to train and develop a professional workforce to meet the future requirements of the energy industry, we need to engage both school pupils and industry in a range of exciting initiatives.

Using their ROVs, pupils completed various underwater mission tasks and technical reports, and were assessed in engineering presentations and poster displays. Working ROV and subsea professionals from companies including BP, Subsea 7, Canyon Offshore, Apache, Tritech and Stork Technical Services volunteered their time and technical expertise as mentors and competition judges. Principal sponsorship for the Scottish regional final was provided by BP North Sea and by Subsea7. In addition, OPITO, the skills body for the oil and gas industry, contributed prizes and hardware to the competition. The ROV project is part of a wider programme of joint working between RGU and industry organisations such as BP. These initiatives represent flourishing working relationships which continue to bring significant opportunities to the North-east of Scotland and its future generations.

In addition to being fun and educational, such programmes connect school pupils and educators with employers, highlight energy-related career opportunities, and promote the development of technical, problem solving, critical thinking and teamwork skills.

PIONEERS IN DESIGN School pupils from across Scotland took part in the ROV MATE (ROV Marine Advanced Technology Education) design challenge, with the winners going all the way to Orlando, Florida. Taking place in the RGU: SPORT swimming pool, the challenge highlighted the role ROVs play in evaluating World War II shipwrecks and the potentially hazardous materials they may still contain. The school pupils constructed their ROVs from scratch to fit the competition brief, to assess the condition of World War II shipwrecks and determine what to do with any hazardous material that remains on board. After resting on the ocean bottom for nearly 70 years, the hulls of shipwrecks often deteriorate severely and if they still contain fuel oil, can pose the threat of an environmental disaster.

PLAYING STREETSPORT

SPONSORING SPORTS SCHOLARS

Streetsport is a unique community sport programme, encouraging positive lifestyles in areas of multiple deprivations with high anti-social behaviour.

RGU offers Sport Scholarships to enable the next generation of sports men and women to fulfil their sporting potential while pursuing their academic studies. The Scholarships support athletes across a wide range of competitive sports including golf, football, horse-riding and swimming.

Run in collaboration between Grampian Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS), RGU: SPORT, Gray’s School of Art (Communication Design), Grampian Police, TAQA Bratani and a number of local partner agencies, Streetsport deploys temporary portable sports pitches to young people in their own communities, which are safe, healthy and lots of fun.

The deployment of activities is informed by statistics provided by GFRS and Grampian Police. This information sharing and partnership is essential to ensure the activities are in areas where the kids will benefit most. The successful initiative boasts an ever-growing portfolio of activities, including Street Football, Rugby, Basketball, Hockey and Art. If you are interested in supporting or becoming involved in this programme, please visit the sponsors page on our website: www.streetsport.org

More information about RGU: SPORT is available at www.rgu.ac.uk/rgusport

“ Being a sports scholar has made such a huge difference to my training. The tailor-made programme I receive includes sports coaching, conditioning advice and physiological and performance testing, as well as expert support and guidance on nutrition and sports science.” Gold Medallist Swimmer, Hannah Miley Rgu: Sport Scholarship

“ Streetsport has been a fantastic youth diversionary initiative that has led to reduction in wilful fire raising in high risk areas. It provides and helps other areas of anti-social behaviour and not forgetting the physical fitness of our youth of today.” Gordon Riddell Station Manager North Anderson Drive Fire Station

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PLAYING STREETSPORT

SPONSORING SPORTS SCHOLARS

Streetsport is a unique community sport programme, encouraging positive lifestyles in areas of multiple deprivations with high anti-social behaviour.

More information about RGU: SPORT is available at www.rgu.ac.uk/rgusport

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PARTNER WITH RGU University-business collaboration can be an important factor in helping to drive business and regional economic growth and development. We have covered here many of the ways in which RGU can partner with the energy sector to help achieve these aims. If you would like to know more and explore the range of partnering opportunities with RGU that could benefit your business, then please do contact us. Keep an eye on our website too for news and information about industry, career and business development events, talks and our new campus development at Garthdee. RGU has always engaged closely with industry. There are exciting opportunities ahead to develop further our positive links. We look forward to discussing how we can work with you.

Robert Gordon University Schoolhill, Aberdeen AB10 1FR Email: business@rgu.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0)1224 263320 www.rgu.ac.uk/business-services

Universities are an integral part of the skills and innovation supply chain to business. However, this supply chain is not a simple linear supplier purchaser transaction; it is not the acquisition of a single product or service.Â This supply chain is multi-dimensional, it has to be sustainable, and it has to have quality, strength and resilience. These attributes can only be secured through close collaboration, partnership and understanding between business and universities.

Sir Tim Wilson A review of business university collaboration Department for Business Innovation and Skills, 2012 www.wilsonreview.co.uk/review

Best Modern University in the UK 2012 Scottish University of the Year 2011 Top Scottish University for Graduate Employment 2012 One of top ten UK Universities for Graduate Employment 2006-2012