X-CITED Industry Challenge Projects

Industry Challenge Projects (ICPs) are practical team projects based on a challenge presented by an industrial partner that uses the skills and technical capabilities of RTP team members. ICPs are primarily targeted at established RTPs at GW4 Universities, particularly those who already work with, or who are looking to work with industry in the future.

Project ideas will be co-developed in an innovative 3-day residential sandpit with RTPs and staff from industry. The most feasible projects will be selected, and the work will take place over the following 2-4 months. Allocated project time will be primarily spent at your host institution, however there may also be opportunities to spend time at the industry partner and in the facilities of other GW4 team members.

ICPs have been designed to build on your existing skills and develop your understanding of industry applications, giving you the opportunity to work in new multi-disciplinary teams to contribute to industry research and innovation. Backfill support will be provided through the X-CITED Talent Bank to ensure that you can fully embrace this development opportunity. ICPs will develop an innovative model for industry to access the wealth of skills and technologies available in GW4 Universities, with you, the RTP, as the gateway.

By participating in Industry Challenge Projects you get to:

• Have dedicated time for your own development (~1 day/week for 2-4 months);
• Develop your skills and understanding of industry applications;
• Embed innovation and problem-solving approaches in your working practices;
• Expand your networks both within GW4 and with our industry partners;
• Further your collaborative cross disciplinary skills to solve the industrial challenge;
• Increase your confidence in dealing with industry, both during the project and beyond;
• Engage with a novel regional approach of RTP staff development, with a key role in feeding back to improve the programme.

There will be 3 separate ICP cohorts and sandpits, with the lessons learnt from one refining the model for the next one. ICP dates will soon be confirmed, with a launch in Autumn 2024 and ICP1 in Winter 2025. We will ensure that the call for applicants is circulated widely but if you want to ensure that you receive these communications direct, please feel free to let us know.

For further information, or to put yourself on the distribution list for the Industry Challenge Projects, please contact the X-CITED team at x-cited@gw4.ac.uk.