Imagine An App

The University of Hertfordshire has taken an innovative approach to the student learning experience. In February, the ‘Imagine an App’ competition was launched, which encouraged students to submit ideas for an App designed to improve the study experience.

The finalists were invited to pitch their idea to a panel and the result of the first UK Higher Education University-wide competition was the winning entry ‘Buddy Study’.

The idea

The idea behind the ‘Imagine an App’ competition was to give students the opportunity to use their creativity to develop a concept for a mobile phone application that would enhance the learning experience for fellow and future students.

The challenge / The competition

A substantial number of entries were received and the panel, consisting of Dr Andrew Clutterbuck (PVC Student Experience), Doug Chisholm (CEO of Rippll), Martin Hicks (Co-Founder Iconic Mobile) and Thom Palser (UHSU Communications VP), faced the complicated task of narrowing the entries down to seven finalists. The students responsible for the final seven entries were then invited to pitch their concept to the judges and to convince them that their idea had the most potential. 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."

The results

‘Buddy Study’, a concept developed by University of Hertfordshire PhD Psychology student Andrew Laughland, was crowned the winning entry. 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, ‘Buddy Study’ will also remind students of upcoming deadlines. About the challenge, Andrew 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.”

More information

‘Buddy Study’ will developed over the summer and is set to launch during Fresher’s Fair at the University in September 2012. The app will be free and available to all University of Hertfordshire students.

Contact:
Brandon Pazitka