Leanne Kenyon: Matching MSc students to industry

For ProjectMatch CEO Leanne Kenyon, universities are unique in their ability to engage in research that leads to life-changing innovation.

''So many of our society’s pivotal discoveries were born from blue-sky research that didn’t have change-making outcomes in mind. We all benefit from universities' ability to both iterate and innovate- especially MSc students,'' said Leanne.

Hundreds of MSc Occupational or Business Psychology students conduct research projects every year on a huge breadth of workplace issues which creates new insights, recommendations and outlooks that greatly benefit businesses.

However, much of this research doesn’t reach the businesses that could utilise it and students can find it difficult to find an organisation to partner with and conduct it.

Leanne started ProjectMatch to help ease this process. Her innovation platform supports MSc students to partner with businesses for their dissertations and engage in impactful projects that directly support their business partners.

''We support businesses to understand the value of these students’ skills, the benefit of working with universities and to utilise the knowledge and research of the occupational psychology sector,'' said Leanne.

Universities are magnets for knowledge and innovation

Alongside discussing the ProjectMatch mission, Leanne also acknowledges universities' roles in shaping global knowledge exchange and innovation.

From her perspective, universities are hubs of creativity where knowledge is sculpted, tested, stretched and developed in the full range areas of our lives.

''Yet, for all the excellent knowledge exchange work that does go on between universities and industry, there are still so many more organisations that don’t use the experience and knowledge concentrated in universities.

Decade’s worth of research is conducted every year by Master's students in UK universities through their dissertations, much of which ends up filed in a drawer. By partnering with businesses for this research, universities can demonstrate in real-time the impact of research for organisations.''

Hence why her company aims to blur the boundaries between teaching, research and the business world.

Advice for fellow edupreneurs

Leanne is a remarkable edupreneur who bridges the gap between university students and industry.

For other edupreneurs out there who are using their entrepreneurial skills within the education sector, Leanne advises that we all work together.

''Our work is all about education, which is a sector of dedicated people all supporting each other to develop, learn and grow.

It’s in our nature to help each other and share knowledge and experience, and so far, I haven’t found a single edupreneur that didn’t want to see me succeed as much as themselves. Education is more of a community than a sector, and we know that success in any part of it contributes to success of all.''

For Leanne, becoming an edupreneur is also about the future.

All edupreneurs have the mindset of changing the world in some way, and the drive to go and try. They realise that the next generation will really be the difference.

''I see this as the best way to leave my mark on the future. Not with a single flash in the pan idea, but by helping the next generations of psychologists change the world of work for good!''

If you'd like to learn more about Leanne's work, you can check out ProjectMatch here.

Plus, if you are attending this week's Student Knowledge Exchange Conference at the University of Plymouth, both ProjectMatch and KEVRI will be there so come and say hello!