KESS Partners’ Workshop

Part-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) through the European Union’s Convergence programme administered by the Welsh Assembly Government.

KESS Central Team

Mr Bryn Jones Mr Chris HillierProject Manager Business Development ManagerTel: 01248 383887 Tel: 01248 382357Email: bryn.jones@bangor.ac.uk Email: c.hillier@bangor.ac.uk

Mr Brian Murcutt Ms Katie MintonSenior Project Administrator Senior Clerical AdminTel: 01248 382162 Tel: 01248 383582Email: b.murcutt@bangor.ac.uk Email: k.j.minton@bangor.ac.uk

Mrs Penny Dowdney Mr Steve MossResearch Skills Development Manager Senior Clerical Admin (Finance)Tel: 01248 382266 Tel: 01248 382162Email: p.j.dowdney@bangor.ac.uk Email: fox802@bangor.ac.uk

Project Headlines

• Officially launched in Nov 09 by the Deputy First Minister and Education Minister;

• Led by Bangor on behalf the HE sector in Wales;

• The largest of the 4 ESF collaborative HEI projects (ATM, WBL and Foundation Degrees);

• 400+ scholarships over 5 years;

• 96 KESS scholarships live in Wales (Oct. 10);

• Unique in the way it uses ESF to support Higher level skills development

Project Background:

EU Structural Funds 2007 - 2014

West Wales & the ValleysConvergence Region

The 3 core components of a KESS Scholarship:

WAG’s Priority Sectors:

Financial Makeup of a KESS Scholarship:

KESS Scholars at the project launch,The Management Centre, Bangor UniversityThursday 19th November 2009

Further information / Contact details:

web: www.bangor.ac.uk/kess

e-mail: kess@bangor.ac.uktel: 01248 38 2162 / 3887

Brian Murcutt

Senior Administrator

Requirements – Academic Supervisors

Academic staff are required to:• Supervise participants (including weekly meetings);• Attend Quarterly meetings with company supervisor and student;• Complete timesheets to record time input into the project. This will

be used to calculate the match funding (210 staff hours per annum per student);

• Review and act upon quarterly financial budget statements;• Budget responsibility;• Contribute to the formulation of quarterly progress reports;• Student annual review – inline with BU postgraduate condition

University match funding

Evidence for match funding:• University (staff time) – completion of certified monthly

timesheets, activity details and supporting payroll documentation

• Project staff to be allocated on the University online timesheet system

• Individual projects will be reviewed every 6 months• Overheads

Requirements – Company Partner

The Company partner is required to:• “host” student for minimum of 1 month per year;• Attend Quarterly meetings with academic supervisor and

student;• Provide named supervisor for participants whilst on company

premises;• Complete timesheets and provide staff cost details to enable

calculation of in-kind contribution (annual visit by KESS);• Pay annual invoices for cash contributions;• Contribute to the formulation of quarterly progress reports

Company Match funding

Evidence for match funding:• Company In-kind – completion of certified timesheets, activity

details, signed declaration and supporting payroll documentation

• In-kind (match) total of £1,500 p.a.• In-kind (match) templates available on KESS website

www.kess.ac.uk• Cash contribution dependant on company size between £2,500

– £3,500 p.a.• Individual project In-kind (match) will be reviewed every 6

months

Requirements – Participants (Students)

• Complete monthly timesheets (average 39hours per week);

• Timesheet template now available on KESS website www.kess.ac.uk

• Stipend payments will be made on submission of certified timesheets;

• Stipend payments will be paid direct into Bank Account;

• Attend weekly meetings with academic supervisor;

• Attend quarterly meetings with company and academic supervisors;

• Achieve agreed milestones;

• Instigate and contribute to quarterly reports for companies;

• Spend at least 1 month per year at company

Requirements – Participants (Students) cont.

• Participate in project evaluation;

• Final report to Company Partner (Presentation or Report);

• Complete/Achieve Postgraduate Skills Development Award;

• Submit thesis by given deadlines and achieve professional qualification;

• Actively seek employment opportunities in the West Wales and the Valleys area at the end of the project;

• Respond to any requests for information regarding employment destination at the end of the project;

• Participate in publicity activities as required and ensure all publicity includes recognition for the ESF.

Conditions of participating

• The project would not run utilising existing resources; • Participants would not be able to participate without the financial

support provided through the ESF;• Participants should endeavour to obtain employment in the West

Wales and the Valleys area at the end of the project period;• Project should lead to increased outcomes in terms of number of

qualifications at the equivalent of NVQ level 5-6 achieved (PhD or MRes);

• Completion of Postgraduate Skills Development Award (PhD 60 credits / MRes 30 credits)

Conditions of participating (cont.)

• Project should lead to an increased number of jobs created in the Convergence West Wales and the Valleys area;

• Should provide an opportunity for businesses to increase their R&D knowledge, develop new products and processes and attract new staff for future development;

• Strengthen the region’s research and technological base – in partnership with high technology clusters in the West Wales and the Valleys are.;

• Ownership of IPR is retained by the Universities

Scholarship Budget

Item Amount (£)

Student Stipend (starting) KESS Mini 9,270KESS Maxi 13,869

Travel / Conference Costs (p.a.) 1,000

Equipment / Consumables (p.a.) 3,000

Skills Development / Training / Student Support (p.a.)

1,000

Academic Travel (p.a.) 200

Ineligible Costs

• Internal Transfers;• Store recharges (unless audit trail has been approved);• Stationery (One order per PhD student/project);• Photocopies;• Printing – Central Print Unit;• Postage;• Other internal transfers

Expenditure – Eligible Costs

Equipment• Any single item must not exceed £1,000 (including VAT);• Desk top PC (Monitor/tower/keyboard/mouse are treated as

one);• Must follow University purchasing policy (details on Finance Web

page);• Must be registered on Department / KESS equipment register;• Owned by University and must be returned to Department

Expenditure – Eligible Costs

Travel• Budget is for the student;• Incurred directly by the University (Train/Flights/Accommodation);• Reclaim expenses following University policy;• Small Academic travel budget

Consumables• Chemicals, Materials, other costs etc…

Audit trail

• Internal Transfer – audit trail to supplier invoice;• External purchase – audit trail to supplier invoice and bank

statement;• Purchasing Cards – audit trail to supplier invoice and bank

statement;• Consolidated Invoices (e.g.. Lyreco);• Procured to Pay (PtoP) – does not include consolidated invoices;• Company In–kind – KESS Annual visit to undertake audit;• Petty Cash - audit trail to supplier invoice and bank statement and

details description on Agresso, otherwise not eligible.

Chris Hillier

KESS Business Development ManagerMarketing and Publicity

Marketing and Publicity- Overview

• Marketing focus:– Maximise the publicity potential of projects

• Good for company partners• Good for participants CVs• Good for the University and collaborative research in general

– Begin to build legacy activity• Network• Public engagement

– Stakeholder communication• Raising profile for all parties

Marketing Materials – Case Studies

• New KESS website as part of www.higherskillswales.co.uk

• Case Studies– Simple data collection form– Case Studies output centrally– Used for PR where appropriate– Used online as examples of best practice– Provided to company partners as PDF files for

their own marketing

Marketing & Publicity

• Network– Inaugural KESS network event DEC. 2010– Incorporating ‘Graduate Junction’ – online KESS

network

• Public Engagement– Communicating research– Entries open to all KESS projects– Image and abstract gallery– Tour of public spaces– Final show and winners

Chris Hillier

KESS Business Development ManagerIntegrated Sustainable Development Plan

Integrated Sustainable Development Plan

• Overview– Fulfilling cross-cutting themes in a joined up way– Beyond box-ticking– A system already in place on other convergence projects– Managed centrally by an arms-length team with experience

of delivering SD awareness and training to SMEs in the convergence area

Integrated Sustainable Development Plan

• What company partners are asked to do:– Complete a 10 minute online survey

• What company partners get in return:– A set of ‘off the shelf’ policy documents

• Environmental• Equality and Diversity• Welsh Language

– Eco-code advice on energy saving, waste management e.t.c.

– Signposting to other funded support in the convergence area

Integrated Sustainable Development Plan

• Integration with Grad school and skills– Sustainable development scenario as vehicle through

which key skills are transferred• Leadership• Persuasion/Influencing• Presentation• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)• Regulation and regulatory bodies

Penny Dowdney

Research Skills Development Manager

Postgraduate Skills Development Award

• Skills Forge software: initial skills audit; drop-down menu of provision; booking system; calendar; records (skills training and supervisory meetings); details can be locked – implementation : pilot Nov.

• MRes: 60/120 credit split: 30 KESS credits: need to attend a 2-day GRAD School (10 credits).

• PhD: 60 KESS credits: 3-day GRAD School in year two (20 credits).

• GRAD Schools run North, Mid + South Wales spring / autumn.

Postgraduate Skills Development Award (cont.)

• Credits can be made up of modular courses (generic or discipline-specific);• Credits can be made up of an equivalent number of hours of agreed training

(e.g. workshops / events etc.)• Any queries discuss with supervisor and contact Penny;

• Training will meet the needs of the individual;• Students may be able to pick up training at partner institutions; • List of provision to be posted on Skills Forge;• Guideline: 20 credits = 3 days of training (at appropriate level);• Certificate on completion of PSDA;• Completion will be monitored (Skills Forge;)• Training throughout PhD period.

Postgraduate Training Network

• To provide collaborative, discipline-specific research and business training;

• Cross-institutional network;• Workshops; summer schools; poster fairs etc.• Public Engagement project;• Involvement of external partners;• Programme of events and seminars;• Enhance and support existing planned events;• Will pioneer events new to Wales

Cwestiynau / Questions?Diolch yn fawr / Thank you