The University of Calgary is becoming known as a hotbed of innovation. A recent article on Yahoo News describes the innovative culture U of C is trying to foster. Without compromising on academic rigour, the university offers flexibility in timetabling and courses as well as encourages students to learn and problem solve in “non-traditional ways” says PhD student Laura Lucier (Hunt, 2017). U of C is also home of innovative alumni, such as James Gosling (inventor of Java), Garret Camp (co-founder of StumbleUpon and Uber) and Bruce Livingstone (founder of iStockPhoto) (Hunt, 2017).
One brilliant initiative at U of C is the “Entrepreneur-in-Residence” program whose “role is to help transform bold new ideas into commercial possibilities” (Hunt, 2016). As a result of the EinR at U of C, one PhD candidate ended up writing an entrepreneurial thesis, which involved “developing a business plan in addition to his academic research” (Hunt, 2017).
U of C is also influenced by the Alberta energy sector, where “oil folks are used to drilling nine misses to hit the tenth” (Hunt, 2017). This is an essential ingredient to innovation culture: a willingness to make mistakes—repeatedly—and to persevere until success is achieved.
Reference
Hunt, S. (2017). University of Calgary keeping bright minds in Canada with innovative culture. Ca.news.yahoo.com. Available at: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/university-calgary-keeping-bright-minds-canada-innovative-culture-195106023.html [Accessed 18 Apr. 2017].
One brilliant initiative at U of C is the “Entrepreneur-in-Residence” program whose “role is to help transform bold new ideas into commercial possibilities” (Hunt, 2016). As a result of the EinR at U of C, one PhD candidate ended up writing an entrepreneurial thesis, which involved “developing a business plan in addition to his academic research” (Hunt, 2017).
U of C is also influenced by the Alberta energy sector, where “oil folks are used to drilling nine misses to hit the tenth” (Hunt, 2017). This is an essential ingredient to innovation culture: a willingness to make mistakes—repeatedly—and to persevere until success is achieved.
Reference
Hunt, S. (2017). University of Calgary keeping bright minds in Canada with innovative culture. Ca.news.yahoo.com. Available at: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/university-calgary-keeping-bright-minds-canada-innovative-culture-195106023.html [Accessed 18 Apr. 2017].