Do you need help mastering surveys, interviews or focus groups as part of your coursework or major project? At Next Level, you'll be able to develop your primary research skills, employ an entrepreneurial mindset and take any project further, by considering its real-world potential.
What is Next Level?
Next Level is a week-long series of workshops enabling students to develop their primary research skills to understand how their coursework research deliverables (projects, assessments, dissertations, or PhDs) could benefit a target client, customer or audience.
WeNetwork is partnering with industry experts to deliver the sessions, online and in person (at the University’s Central London campus). They are open to students with projects from any course across the University. Students will have access to professional advisors and will be supported to gain practice and receive expert and peer feedback. The programme is generously funded by PA Consulting, and further collaborators include Experience Haus. and the university’s academic engagement and learning development team.
After a week of immersion in the skills of ideation, user validation research, and developing an entrepreneurial mindset, students will be empowered to take their projects to the next level and supported to apply for funding to develop their projects into real-world applications and non-profit, social or commercial enterprises.
Programme schedule
Monday 26 February
Programme Launch: Looking at your research plan and target audience
5-7pm, Marylebone Campus
Tuesday 27 February
Various pre-recorded content available for independent study*
Wednesday 28 February
Mentoring roundtable (featuring advisors from PA Consulting, Experience Haus, and university support teams)
4-6pm, Marylebone Campus
Thursday 29 February
Data collection and practice session (organised groups and peer-to-peer feedback)
1-4pm, Marylebone Campus (participants are not expected to stay the whole duration)
Collecting Data Online
6:30pm-8pm, Online
Friday 1 March
Actionable Insights: what are the next steps for the research and me?
4-6pm, Marylebone Campus
Closing party (food and networking) + students can present their progress in one minute for a voucher prize
6:30pm-8pm, Marylebone Campus
*content will be provided around research methods (focus groups, surveys, interviews), user experience and resources available at the university
What can I gain from doing Next Level?
Students completing the week will receive a certificate and a digital LinkedIn badge. They will also be invited to share an elevator pitch of their project and its potential with their peers on stage in exchange for a small prize.
One of the sessions will also support students in defining this experience for future employment and funding opportunities.
Students at Level 4 or 5 will (at Module Leaders’ discretion) be permitted to use this activity to count toward their 35 hours of Work Based and Placement Learning*.
All participants will also be able to claim 30 points on completion of the Next Level week at either Silver, Gold or Platinum as part of the Westminster Employability Award*.
*Students will need to provide evidence and upload a completion certificate (granted after attending 65% or more of the workshops) in order to gain credit for WBPL hours/WEA accreditation on the relevant Engage pathway.
How to register for Next Level
Students currently enrolled on any University of Westminster course (including undergraduate and postgraduate) or research programme (including PhDs) and studying at one of our London campuses are eligible to register for the programme.
No prior skills or knowledge are required to take part in Next Level, but you do need a past, current, or upcoming assessment or project (including dissertations or PhDs), or an idea to practice with and develop. You can decide to work as part of a team or develop your work as an individual.
Next Level took place during Week 6 in Semester 2, from 26 February to 1 March 2024. The programme will return the next academic year, but in the meantime please look at other opportunities the Westminster Enterprise Network has on offer on our Enterprise and entrepreneurship page.
If you have any questions please contact the WeNetwork team at [email protected].