Local Student to Launch ‘Buddy Study’
A new, innovative approach to the student and learning experience is in the making at the University of Hertfordshire, in the form of a student-developed app called ‘Buddy Study’, one of the first of its kind in the country.
The app is the result of the first UK Higher Education University-wide competition called ‘Imagine an App’, which challenged students and prospective students to come up with a concept for a mobile phone application that would improve both fellow and future students’ study experience.
Over one hundred entries were received of which seven were shortlisted. The finalists were invited to pitch their concept to a panel of judges consisting both of University staff and industry professionals, including Doug Chisholm (CEO of Rippll) and Martin Hicks (Co-Founder Iconic Mobile), who have both co-founded mobile marketing companies.
PhD Psychology student Andrew Laughland, who created the winning app, said: “I really enjoyed the ‘Imagine an App’ challenge. I tried to think of something that would meet the particular needs of students and which they could use throughout university life. Also, I wanted to come up with something that was based on research in my own subject area.”
Donald Mcleod, Head of marketing & recruitment at the University said: "The judges were delighted with the exceptional standard of entries. Our students demonstrated creativity, problem solving and a high level of technological understanding when pitching their ideas. We look forward to launching "Buddy Study" and the benefits it will bring all our students in their future studies."
The winning entry, ‘Buddy Study’, is designed to help students overcome procrastination by linking up with another student “buddy” to commit to work simultaneously, but independently, at an agreed time in an agreed location. Additionally, the app will also remind students of upcoming deadlines.
The ‘Buddy Study’ app will be developed during the summer and is set to launch at the University during fresher’s week in September 2012. ‘Buddy Study’ is free and has been designed to work across all mobile platforms for University of Hertfordshire students. A promotional video for the ‘Imagine an App’ competition can be found on YouTube.
ENDS
For more information, please contact Emily Iversen, University of Hertfordshire Press Office on 01707 285163, Email: e.iversen@herts.ac.uk
Notes to Editor
About the University of Hertfordshire
- The University is the UK’s leading business-facing university and an exemplar in the sector. It is innovative and enterprising and challenges individuals and organisations to excel.
- The University of Hertfordshire is one of the region’s largest employers with over 2,300 staff and a turnover of almost £231 million.
With a student community of over 27,700 including more than 2,900 international students from over eighty-five different countries, the University has a global network of over 170,000 alumni.
- The University of Hertfordshire was awarded ‘Entrepreneurial University of the Year 2010’ by the Times Higher Education (THE) and ranks in the top 4% of all universities in the world according to the recent THE, World University Rankings.
- Did you know? 10% of all known planets were discovered by University of Hertfordshire astronomers.-We are pioneering.
- For more information, please visit www.herts.ac.uk
Tags:
