News
Virtual Centre offers an eclectic and global portfolio of online systems and electronic publications. In addition, the team develops bespoke profiling tools, multi-media and interactive software. Much of the content of our software and publishing products addresses 3 key themes:
1.) learning pedagogies
2.) enterprise education and
3.) entrepreneurship development.
All are grounded by 30 years of teaching, business consultancy and international experience.
New Publication: Managing Enterprise Education
June 2016
Managing Enterprise Education is a seminal enterprise education manual we have disseminated, applied and adapted on every continent over more than 30 years. It provides the functional models and frameworks for embedding enterprise within educational institutions and, critically, it also provides tacit knowledge and methodology developed in the Small Business Centre of Durham University Business School for policy makers, head teachers and heads of department who are interested in enterprise education.
New Publication: Training as an Entrepreneurial Business
(Entrepreneurship Training Manual, Materials and Teaching Notes)
May 2016
Training as an Entrepreneurial Business is a significant manual developed by Dr Edwin Nelson on behalf of CEDEFOP (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training). It provides practical support for Small Business Training and is based on the experiences of staff at Durham University Business School. This new version has been updated after numerous collaborations with other academic and training institutions and SMEs in the UK, Europe and the other continents.
"Training as an Entrepreneurial Business and its 2 companion volumes are dedicated to Edwin: a towering academic, teacher, trainer and friend."
As with all publications in this hierarchy of programmes, this manual is offered in several responsive formats to enable access in various formats (paper, software, apps, e-Pub., acrobat, flipping book) via PC, Mac, tablets (iPad and Android), e-reader and Smart Phones.April 2016
SEED is an entrepreneurial training and development programme which offers an alternative to work short work experience schemes. Instead of working individually within a company and taking place over a week or two weeks, students work collaboratively in a team to solve a real small business problem within a flexible period of time. It has been piloted with 14-16 students, post 16 and university students and offers a wide selection of projects while mapping out opportunities to acquire and develop skills, behaviours and attributes.
New Publication: Business Enterprise
March 2016
Business Enterprise is a training programme which encompasses ideas generation, pre-start and new venture creation. It targets post 16 and university students and offers a wide selection of projects while mapping out opportunities to acquire and develop skills, behaviours and attributes.
New Publication: Growth Optional Workshops
October 2015
This companion edition to the Business Growth manual provides numerous workshops with advice, resources and links to assist the deliverer (trainer, coach or mentor) as well as the ultimate programme beneficiaries, the entrepreneurs.
As with all publications in this hierarchy of programmes, this manual is offered in several responsive formats to enable access in various formats (paper, software, apps, e-Pub., acrobat, flipping book) via PC, Mac, tablets (iPad and Android), e-reader and Smart Phones.
New Publication: Growth Business Development
September 2015
Growth is a well established business development programme which has been disseminated all over the world. It provides advice and assistance to trainers, business counsellors, coaches and mentors. It provides a valuable source of practical guidelines and proven delivery techniques for undertaking a growth programme after the Durham University Business School (DUBS) model while allowing for as much local input as may be desired.
The package is also of practical use for organisations whose activity places them in direct contact with small firms in situations where, for example, business appraisal techniques are needed. It can therefore provide a source of in-house training for professional advisers of small businesses, for example accountants, banks and consultants in general.As with all publications in this hierarchy of programmes, this manual is offered in several responsive formats to enable access in various formats (paper, software, apps, e-Pub., acrobat, flipping book) via PC, Mac, tablets (iPad and Android), e-reader and Smart Phones.
New Publication: Working for Myself
August 2015
Working for Myself is a new venture creation programme which enables participants to explore the possibility of starting a new business using their skills, interests and networks as a basis for development. It is an interactive training programme which has been developed to meet a specific need in the hierarchy of programmes aimed at supporting the development of entrepreneurship and business initiation.
As with all publications in this hierarchy of programmes, this manual is offered in several responsive formats to enable access in various formats (paper, software, apps, e-Pub., acrobat, flipping book) via PC, Mac, tablets (iPad and Android), e-reader and Smart Phones.
New Publication: Ideas into Action
July 2015
Ideas into Action is a pre-start business support programme developed at Durham University Business School in response to poor concerns over poor levels of new venture creation and high rates of failure. Its key aim is to enhance the sustainability of new ventures by assisting ideas generation, validation, preparation and initial business planning. It sits within a suite of interventions which support not only the beneficiaries from a range of private and public sector companies and organisations, but also those from the small business networks.
As with all publications in this hierarchy of programmes, this manual is offered in several responsive formats to enable access in various formats (paper, software, apps, e-Pub., acrobat, flipping book) via PC, Mac, tablets (iPad and Android), e-reader and Smart Phones.
New Publication: Embedding Enterprise
October 2014
This guide is designed for policy makers, principals, teachers and enterprise co-ordinators. It contains materials, strategies and techniques that assist the integration of enterprise education through cross curricular approaches. Assisting both teachers and pupils to acquire and develop knowledge, skills, and behaviours which are essential to citizens, family members, employers and employees. Besides learning to think, learners will gain knowledge on how enterprising education can enhance their daily lives. The involvement of enterprise activities by teachers during teaching and learning process will provide pupils with learning experience which can develop confidence in their ability to identify and solve problems in positive and innovative ways.
As with all publications in this hierarchy of programmes, this manual is offered in several responsive formats to enable access in various formats (paper, software, apps, e-Pub., acrobat, flipping book) via PC, Mac, tablets (iPad and Android), e-reader and Smart Phones.
New Publication: Business Enterprise
September 2014
This manual has been developed for use in developing and transitional economies. It focuses on the creation, delivery and assessment of enterprise education activities and projects and includes: problem solving opportunities, ideas generation, lateral thinking, decision making, business planning and much more. It promotes a lively and flexible approach on the part of teachers and students and enhances kinaesthetic, action based learning through team working. The material helps with the acquisition and development of a range of key skills and attitudes which are transferable and which therefore promote flexible working in uncertain environments.
As with all publications in this hierarchy of programmes, this manual is offered in several responsive formats to enable access in various formats (paper, software, apps, e-Pub., acrobat, flipping book) via PC, Mac, tablets (iPad and Android), e-reader and Smart Phones.
New Publication: Secondary Enterprise
August 2014
Secondary Enterprise contributes to more effective delivery of the secondary curriculum by embedding the development of enterprising skills in young people. To achieve this, the manual concentrates on helping teachers to create, deliver and assess of enterprise education activities and projects and includes: problem solving opportunities, ideas generation, lateral thinking, decision-making, business planning and much more. It promotes a lively and flexible approach on the part of teachers and students and enhances kinaesthetic, action-based learning through team working and interaction with the real world.
As with all publications in this hierarchy of programmes, this manual is offered in several responsive formats to enable access in various formats (paper, software, apps, e-Pub., acrobat, flipping book) via PC, Mac, tablets (iPad and Android), e-reader and Smart Phones.
Primary Enterprise Publication
June 2014
Virtual Centre has designed and published a new manual in paper, pdf, software (DVD) and online. It combines intra- cross- and extra-curricular enterprise education material for policy makers, school and college principals, teachers and children. It targets those involved in primary and middle schools. Users to access platforms via tablets (iPad and Android) and Smart Phones giving access to all your work, applications and resources.
As with all publications in this hierarchy of programmes, this manual is offered in several responsive formats to enable access in various formats (paper, software, apps, e-Pub., acrobat, flipping book) via PC, Mac, tablets (iPad and Android), e-reader and Smart Phones.
New HTML5 version
September 2013
A new version of the platform has been developed which enables users to access all systems via tablets (iPad and Android) and Smart Phones giving access to all your work, applications and resources.
Tanzanian Programme
May 2013
Providing an enterprise platform to deliver educational material and training across all sectors for teachers and pupils.
Women' Challenge 2020 North 'Widening Opportunities Through Mentoring'
11 May 2013
Mentoring Programme in partnership with Co-operative North, Ice & Fire Theatre Company and Conversations with Purpose.
BETT 2013 - Excel Arena, the international exhibition and convention centre
30 January - 2 February 2013
Come along to BETT 2013 to see us and find out about our range of specialist Educational and Business MLEs and support platforms
Business Enterprise Platform (Durham University) - MSC Computer Science Programme, MSc Engineering and MEng Programmes
25 January 2013
Launch of the newest Enterprise platform for MEng and MSc Enterprise module participants.
Business Enterprise Platform - MA & MBA Global Learning, Durham University
1 October 2012
Launch of the Enterprise platform for MA and MBA Small Business Management module participants
E-Square/Edu Campus Platform - Port Elizabeth, South Africa
7 August 2012
Relaunch of the South African Enterprise platform
C-HUB Newcastle Business Forums
3 May 2012
Newcastle Business Forums in partnership with Virtual Centre have developed and launched C-Hub, a business collaboration, networking and support platform. Its users include regional SMEs, social businesses and various other organisations
Managed Learning Environment (MLE)
12 April 2012
The term Managed Learning Environment (MLE) is relatively new and there is not a commonly agreed definition of what it actually means. We started to develop the Durham Virtual Centre MLE technologies in 1995 as part of the new Centre for Entrepreneurship at Durham University Business School. Our MLE solution incorporates learning processes, personal learning preferences, delivery planning, assessment and tracking against national standards, integration of third party products through SCORM, administration, and organisational management linked to SIMS and SERCO. In addition, the MLE technology incorporates a VLE with content management, a learning management system, communications suite and web portals.
Enterprise Incubator: Durham University School of Engineering and Computer Science
January - March 2012
A collaborative partnership between John Garside (Durham University), Wendy Parvin (Conversations with Purpose) and Virtual Centre have delivered an innovative Enterprise Programme at Masters Level for Computer Science and Engineering. The programme is underpinned by a virtual incubator and a suite of resources.
Tanzania Institute of Education - British Study Tour - TIE, TSM Business School (Holland), Gateshead Education Authority
November 2011
Virtual Centre staff in collaboration with Gateshead Education and Vin Morar of TSM Business School (Twente, Holland) hosted an international study tour for key decision makers of the Tanzania Institute of Education, as part of an international project to foster Enterprise Education. The project will last for 4 years and is funded by NUFFIC, a similar organisation to DFID in the UK.
Enterprise Education Suite - Virtual Centre
June 2011
An integrated suite of enterprise education resources has been completed targeting children of all ages, students and adults in post experience training. These will be available in electronic format (.pdf and flip book) and can be used within MLEs and VLEs and on stand alone PCs.