The University celebrates THRIVE 2020: exploring ideas, entrepreneurship and employability

The THRIVE festival 2020, from 16 - 29 November, offers a series of free virtual events dedicated to helping students, recent graduates, staff and the local community, turn ideas into reality.

THRIVE will bring together experts online, including distinguished names from across a range of industries:

• Dot Lung - Founder of Dot Lung, Instagram Strategy Instructor and Head of Social Media at Digital Design Days

• Jack Parsons - UK’s Chief Youth Officer and Global Mental Health Ambassador

• Lubomba Munkuli - Instagram influencer, serial entrepreneur and Brookes alumni

• Hussain Manawer - Poet and mental health campaigner

• Yvonne Bajela - Forbes 30 Under 30 and Founding Member and Principal of Impact X Capital Partners LLP

Delivered by Enterprise Support at Oxford Brookes, the festival will cover practical tips on developing skills and ideas that can be used in any industry or field. Through free panel discussions, competitions, workshops and social events, the programme will also focus on sustainability and projects that benefit the community.

Lydiah Igweh, Director of Oxford Brookes Enterprise Support, commented:

“The world is changing and at Oxford Brookes, we’re encouraging more ‘out of the box’ thinking and solutions, to help improve some of society’s most pressing issues. We’re also looking to support entrepreneurship and ambition. THRIVE is a catalyst for supporting the region to build back better.

“With inspiring tools, activities and opportunities, we want to help those who are willing to challenge themselves and develop their ideas. We’re providing a real opportunity for students and our community to take tangible next steps and turn ideas into reality.”

Students will also be able to access funding for their ideas, as the concluding pitches for the

Spark Award and FUEL Award programme will take place during THRIVE. You will be able to hear from Brookes' biggest changemakers, as they pitch the next big idea for their chance to access up to £2,000 in funding.

The diverse programme includes Dream Build Succeed: Live, with a panel of speakers sharing stories about how they turned their dreams into reality. It is hoped that the event will spark ideas and provide information to kick-start a business or social enterprise venture.

Details and registration for all events is via the Oxford Brookes website.