Professional/Short course Innovation and Enterprise for Conservation

Structure

Content

The module syllabus typically includes the following topics:

• The need for money / innovation.
• What is entrepreneurship? Who are entrepreneurs?
• Business structures: types of business (sole trader, partnership, public and private limited companies, charity, CIO, social enterprise); governance structures and legal requirements.
• Identifying and developing opportunities: factors which make it possible to have a feasible business idea and find or spot important opportunities.
• Business planning: creating a business/delivery plan. Raising finance through private, charitable and public funding mechanisms. Angel Investment vs venture capital. Crowd-sourcing funds and skills.
• Marketing: importance of strong brand identity, clear messages, audience characterisation, Market segmentation, Market research, the role of technology in marketing, marketing planning, Social responsibility and marketing.

Learning and Teaching

Teaching will be a mixture of scheduled, independent, and distance learning.

Scheduled learning includes lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical classes and workshops; fieldwork; external visits; external speakers. Independent learning includes hours engaged with essential reading, assignment preparation and completion etc.

Study time

You'll spend 30 hours in face-to-face contact in a single four-day block. These direct contact hours will focus on the development of practical skills and analysis of real-world scenarios, and will offer opportunities for one-to-one and small group sessions with tutors to explore students' learning development, and enhance cohort identity.

Assessment

Assessment for this module comprises a written assignment: an individual business plan for an innovative conservation product or service (3,000 words maximum).