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A TRULY INSPIRING AND EYE OPENING EXPERIENCE THAT WILL STAY WITH ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE

That is what Baz Dhaliwal, the first recipient of the University of Wales travelling innovation scholarship, had to say about his recent visit to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) last week.

Funded by the University of Wales’s Global Academy in partnership with Cardiff Business Club, the scholarship has been established to enable a graduate of the University of Wales to visit MIT and to meet leading world experts to learn how they can develop their entrepreneurial ideas into world class products or services back here in Wales.

Baz’s start-up business, Rikoset Ltd, is developing new and innovative products to prevent injuries in sport, help rehabilitation and improve the performance of professional athletes; their first product is a revolutionary shin guard service for professional footballers currently being tested at various South Wales clubs. According to Baz, his weeklong schedule of meeting leading experts in entrepreneurship and technology has been a revelation.

“This visit has taught me to think outside of the box and to try and push innovation to its limits. It has opened my mind to possibilities of what can actually be achieved if you change your way of thinking and look at the bigger picture. At MIT, they have realised that education alone will not generate wealth and that it is the implementation of this knowledge that is key to success. It is because of this that MIT are building links with industry very early on to show their students how to apply the knowledge that they learn in the real world outside of university”.

When asked what Wales could do to repeat MIT’s success, Baz felt that the most important issue is not the students themselves, but the culture in which they operate.

“This trip has made me understand the good work that the University of Wales is doing in Wales. By implementing the MIT way of thinking, they are aiming to kick start the Welsh economy, something which nobody has previously been able to do. The main difference between Wales and MIT is not the intelligence of the students, as I believe students in Wales are just as clever as the students at MIT. The main difference is the attitude and way of thinking. Innovation and entrepreneurship need to be nurtured and encouraged from the first day of university. If we adopt this attitude in Wales I have every confidence that we too can achieve the same level of wealth that is being produced at MIT”.

At the University of Wales, we hope that we can continue to ensure that young people are given the best opportunities.

We are therefore pleased to announce that, in partnership with Cardiff Business Club, we will be offering another scholarship to visit MIT next year, so that another entrepreneurial graduate of the University of Wales can gain from linking up with the World’s top innovation institution.

For further information on the 2011 University of Wales travelling scholarship to MIT, email global.academy@wales.ac.uk

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