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Innovation Studio

Industry-engagement and our strong maker culture puts collaboration at the heart of everything we do.

Events, lectures and workshops

We host a series of masterclass workshops and lectures for industry professionals to inspire innovation and develop new capabilities within a creative discipline.

Our workshops and lectures are free for Dorset Industry, SMEs, start–ups, sole traders, and social enterprises. If attending a workshop, a short registration form will need to be completed along with a short proposal of your idea.

Explore our events below and the types of classes we offer. To book your place on future workshops or lectures get in touch with our Innovation Team.

Previous Events

Explore the types of workshops and lectures that we offer

Each Meet the Maker event is hosted by a Dorset business with an introductory talk on their practice, followed by a workshop activity. Previous events have covered woodwork, 3D printing for prototyping, ceramics, prosthetic design for media and performance and letterpress printing.

These events are free for Dorset industry and are supported under our European Regional Development Fund programme.

If you're a Dorset practitioner and would like to host your own Meet the Maker, please email the team at innovation@aub.ac.uk.

Our Open Lectures are a series of events sharing specialist knowledge on topics of design thinking and creative practice. Each lecture is led by a specialist guest-speaker and we welcome guests on campus for a pre-lecture drink to meet our staff and explore our current exhibition in TheGallery. Guests also have the option to attend online via Zoom.

These lectures are free to attend and are open to members of the public. The lectures support the university's commitment to its civic agenda.

The usual event timings are:

Event Time

Pre-event drinks

18.00

Open Lecture starts

18.30

Open Lecture ends

19.30

Our Start-It workshops have been crafted to help you to move from innovative idea through to a workable concept. Our aim is to help you understand the design process and start to use it to turn your idea into reality.

Supported by a dedicated AUB team of designers and makers, this one-day workshop is ideal for start-ups, budding entrepreneurs and practitioners wishing to get expert feedback on their idea. Part One will help you understand where you are in the design process and how to take your ideas forward. Part Two will help you transform your idea towards a proof of concept. Participants will be able to keep copies of the resources used and apply for ongoing access to our AUB maker workshop, including digital fabrication lab.

Eligibility

These workshops are free for Dorset SMEs, start-ups, sole traders and social enterprises. A short registration form will need to be completed along with a short proposal of your idea.

Do you know your PDF from your STL? What is the process for creating a 3D solid design?

Find out at our Make-It Workshop, created specifically to support design-led research and prototyping needs for industry. During this highly practical one-day programme, you will understand the capabilities of the latest fabrication tools and what you need to work with them.

Delivered by AUB 3D designers, we will help to demystify the key terminology surrounding digital fabrication and guide you through the steps required to undertake your own prototyping project. Tour our digital fabrication lab, which includes five-axis and three-axis machining, CNC routing and SLS 3D printing facilities which are available for free access to Dorset businesses and practitioners.

Make it workshops are organised as group events. If you would like to enquire about a bespoke workshop for your business, please contact us via email.

Eligibility

These workshops are free to the Dorset business sector. A short registration form will need to be completed.

Explore the Innovation Studio

Innovation Studio, photographed by Richard Bryant. Photo of an exterior wall with two reverse-L shaped windows and three semi-circle panels visible. A person walks past towards the right.

Overview

The Innovation Studio operates as a lab for creative technologies, a nucleus for start-ups and enterprises, and an industry engagement hub.
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Projects

Take a look at some of our recent collaborative projects with external partners and businesses
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Collaborate with us

There are many ways to work with us – we can give you access to our equipment and expertise
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Associate Programme

Our Associate Programme offers membership of our Innovation Studio to regional businesses seeking research and development support.
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Residency Programme

Our Residency Programme offers membership of our Innovation Studio individuals, start-ups and SMEs developing new products or services.
Innovation Studio, photographed by Richard Bryant. Photo of an interior space, with several people sat working at tables. A rectangle-shaped railing is in the middle of the room.

Industry-standard resources

The Innovation Studio features state-of-the-art equipment and digital resources, and the latest manufacturing technology.