Abertay students tackle real-life problems posed by high-profile businesses

More than 120 Abertay University students have tackled complex problems posed by high-profile companies such as Heineken, Loyds and BT.

Both multi-national and local firms took part in this year’s Innovation for Global Growth (IGG) event, which is now in its seventh year.

IGG sees students handed client briefs before being given just an hour-and-a-half to come up with a solution, which they subsequently present to a panel of executives.

This year’s challenges include:

• Thorntons Solicitors: Managing communication across a large organisation
• Community Enterprise: Extending social media reach to clients across Scotland
• Fife Flyers: Increasing revenue as a small sports team
• Heineken: Managing outcomes of digital transformation
• Tayport Community Trust: Stakeholder engagement and management
• BT: How to connect digitally with heritage developments in Dundee
• Lloyds Banking Group: Moving business customers from existing platforms to online platforms

In previous years, the students have not only met the brief but challenged the issues given to them.

Charlie Malone, Head of Division for Business and Management at Dundee Business School said: “IGG gives our students the chance to solve real-life problems currently faced by that the organisations.

“Our students effectively work as consultants for our clients for half a day, and this is something that makes the event unique.

“It’s led to a culture in which our students are regularly applying for top graduate jobs and getting them. That makes it a very exciting project.”

Claire MacEachen, Academic Curriculum Manager for Dundee Business School said: “IGG involves students from a range of courses, and in 2018 we’ve decided to involve Law students for the first time.

“Each year, this diverse range of backgrounds leads to innovative ideas being presented as solutions for some challenging problems.

“We’d also like to thank the seven firms who took part. They help make the event the success that it is.”

Jim Macgregor, Business Transformation Manager for Heineken in Europe, added: “Heineken have been coming to this event for many years. We pose real current issues to students, and always hear fresh thinking and creative solutions in return.”