For a while now, I've been considering doing a postgraduate degree and have even written about about it, describing my motivations and asking many people for advice including my network and here on LinkedIn.

I've also previously written about my desire and calling to combine my love of technology, innovation, business and people in all things that I do. I feel that not enough people reside where these dimensions overlap (resulting in incongruent agendas) and is something I love to read about and practice.

Well, I'm happy to to share that I've been accepted onto the University of Bath Entrepreneurship Management and Innovation MSc online course to commence this May.

This 2 year+ course teaches innovation ideation, innovation management, organisation operations, customer centricity, financial models, business value proposition as well as the many facets of entrepreneurship before culminating in a final project. I like to think of it as "innovation ideation, business value proposition exploration and commercial execution" or more succinctly and crassly "how to make money from ideas".

What I love about the course is not only the taught theory but the focus on real world practical application and I'm very excited to get started.

I just love innovation, attending hackathons and start up weekends and more recently actually running hackathons both regionally and globally (though I can't help but participate as well!).

It is so so true that ideas are easy, implementation is hard. Fortunately I am not short of ideas, and have a technical skillset that enables their implementation in many forms including mobile apps, websites, cloud services, AI, even mixed reality. Where I am weaker, is implementing and nurturing those ideas in a business and commercial context. Something that I hope to gain an expert understanding in.

Though I am no stranger to prolonged focussed undertakings that require much attention during weekends and evenings, with my diploma in Business Administration, Microsoft Certifications coming to mind and more recently, writing and publishing a book about Augmented Reality development for .NET developers, this commitment is a whole other level.

Fitting this around my full time role as DevRel Lead at Avanade, I'm sure that this course will stretch and challenge me, but for the significant investment of time, effort and energy, I am certain this will form an important pillar in the next 20 years of my career and be of great benefit for my current and future employers whom are increasingly looking for ways of encouraging and monetising innovation, staying competitive, ahead of competitors, adopting emerging technologies or embarking on new ventures. All great reasons for having a growth mindset and continual learning attitude in this day and age.

In the meantime I intend to rinse my imminent new found student discount for all that it is worth.

I look forward to putting what I learn into practice.

-- Lee