Science Vision
With Cambridge University and a wide range of world leading research and development science companies on the doorstep supporting local science businesses seems like a tall order. We have achieved this by jointly setting up and delivering courses provide training and development for administrative staff.
Many local companies hold meetings to allow their Science and IT staff to keep each other informed on what is going on throughout the company. Administrative staff are also present at the meetings so that they can be kept up to date on the work of the scientists.
In the early stages of the development of ScienceVision Andrew Sandham (then CEO Ionix Pharmaceuticals, now Venture Partner, Abingworth Management Ltd.) felt that they would really like to hold separate presentations for admin staff so that the science delivered could be presented in a more 'digestible' way for them, but was concerned about the time it would take away from scientists' research. They also had concerns that the scientists would have difficulty in presenting their work at a level which would be accessible for admin staff. It was decided that, as a specialist science college, Swavesey could provide a seminar for his staff and those of other pharmaceuticals companies which would give an up to date perspective on disease, medicine and business for the non-scientists at GCSE level. The purpose is to increase their scientific knowledge and to help them to integrate with the scientists in their organisation.
The concept of ScienceVision was born and has developed into a seminar series which is extending now from Pharmaceuticals companies to include the Technology sector.
Is it relevant for me?
The initial PharmaVision event was hugely successful and received excellent feedback both in the champagne reception at the end and via email returns the following week. Comments from delegates indicated that this was the kind of seminar they had wanted for a long time but which had not been available.
'I attended the PharmaVision seminar yesterday afternoon, and wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed it. I felt the speakers pitched their presentations at exactly the right level, while making them very interesting and between them managing to tie in all aspects of the biotech world.'
The Annual National Specialist Science Conference 2005
In March of this year Steve Howard (Assistant Principal) went with Andrew Sandham (CEO Ionix Pharmaceuticals) to give a presentation to the National Science Conference for the Specialist Schools trust on how Swavesey Village College has worked to support the science business community since becoming a specialist science college.
The presentation explained how Swavesey Village College produced a seminar under the title of ‘ScienceVision’. The seminar was aimed at the administration, finance and HR staff working in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology businesses on the science parks surrounding Cambridge. The presentations were tailored to provide an up to date perspective on disease, medicine and business for non-scientists to increase their knowledge and to help them to integrate with scientists in their organisation.
The conference had the keynote speakers Professor Lord Robert Winston and Richard Dawkins.
If you wish to see the presentation given by Steve and Andrew it can be found on the specialist schools trust website along with the other presentations given on the day. To go to this link please click here
The conference itself was recorded and the presentations of the Keynote speakers can be seen by visiting the webcast page.
To go to this link please click here
Finally if you wish to read the case study for this project then please click here