Students from across Newcastle University took part in the National Innovation Centre for Data’s (NICD) Summer Bootcamp earlier this month, working in multidisciplinary teams to tackle live challenges set by industry and public sector partners.
The five-day programme brought together organisations including Newcastle City Council, the NHS, North East Ambulance Service and the NIHR Research Support Service, giving students the opportunity to apply data skills to complex, real-world issues. From safeguarding and healthcare systems to improving data processes and decision-making.
From theory to practice
Working as data consultants, students collaborated directly with partner organisations to explore challenges, test ideas and develop practical solutions within a short timeframe.
Sanziana Harasti, a second-year Electrical and Electronic Engineering student, reflected:
“I really enjoyed working with data to solve real-world problems and being part of such a positive and collaborative environment. It was a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience, learn from industry professionals, and see how data can be used to create meaningful impact.”
The week culminated in teams presenting their ideas back to partners, with outputs including dashboards, models and data-driven prototypes designed to address live organisational needs.
Students consistently described the experience as both engaging and rewarding, particularly valuing the chance to apply data analytics, AI and innovation in a real-world context.
Collaboration with industry
A key strength of the bootcamp is its close collaboration with partner organisations, who not only set the challenges but also work alongside students throughout the week.
Mannik Bhambhu, a BSc Economics and Finance student, said:
“It was an engaging and rewarding experience that provided a fantastic opportunity to apply data analytics, innovation and AI to a real-world challenge.”
Partners highlighted the benefits of this approach, particularly the fresh perspectives students brought.
Jessica Hamilton, Public Health Intelligence Specialist from Newcastle City Council noted:
“Students were very well engaged and a delight to work with. [They] produced innovative solutions.”
Delivering value for organisations
Alongside the student experience, organisations also reported tangible benefits from taking part.
Bryant Sujantho, an MSc Business Analytics student, emphasised the importance of working through real constraints:
“A harsh but valuable lesson in GDPR and real-world data constraints… [and] a reminder that the hardest part of data engineering is rarely the code. It is getting different departments on the same page.”
For partners, this real-world focus translated into practical outputs.
Dawn Musgrave, Strategic Partner for Health & Life Sciences at the NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) said:
“We saw some fabulous solutions which really addressed the issue and problem set to the teams.”
Speaking more broadly about the programme, Dawn added:
“It was a real privilege to work alongside such engaged and thoughtful students - the energy, curiosity and ambition in the room was genuinely infectious. The outcome? Two outstanding teams who each designed innovative, solutions-focused products that genuinely delivered on the brief - sharp thinking, practical application, and strong real-world potential.”
Learning beyond the classroom
For many students, the bootcamp offered an opportunity to develop not just technical capabilities, but also teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills.
George Hamblett, an Electronics and Computer Engineering student, said:
“The bootcamp was a great chance to move from an initial idea to something we could present to the client by the end of the week. I especially enjoyed the mix of problem-solving, technical development, user-focused thinking and final pitching.”
Partners also reflected on the wider value of engaging with students.
A representative from Newcastle Safeguarding Children Partnership (NSCP) commented:
“Time spent with intelligent young people is always useful… [their work] appears to be creative and reflective of the problem discussed.”
Looking ahead
Feedback from both students and partners reinforces the value of the programme, with the majority of organisations expressing interest in taking part again.
As one partner reflected:
“A very positive experience… useful insights [were] generated at the end of it.”
Katie Twentyman, Industry Associate at NIHR RSS at the end of the week, said:
“It was fantastic to see the creativity, collaboration and problem-solving skills on display, with teams taking different approaches to the challenge and applying data-driven thinking to a real-world problem.”
For NICD, the Summer Bootcamp continues to build meaningful connections between students and organisations, creating space for collaboration, experimentation and innovation.
As the programme grows, it remains a key part of NICD’s mission to equip the next generation with the skills and experience needed to apply data in the real world.
Future participation
If you are a Newcastle University student interested in participating in our Spring or Summer 2027 Bootcamp, you can learn more about the format of our bootcamps or you can complete this expression of interest form and we will contact you when applications go live.
If you are a business interested in providing Newcastle University students with a real-world data challenge to solve in any of our upcoming Bootcamps, please email us at: nicd@newcastle.ac.uk
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