About

I am currently Course Director for the Derby Business School. Since 2012, I have also been a Senior Lecturer in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, and have taught on and researched a variety of enterprise, entrepreneurship and business modules. Specifically:

• I want our students to enhance their learning through more active, experiential and applied teaching, learning and assessment approaches which are relevant and useful to businesses
• I want to help small businesses (particularly micro businesses) gain the skills and knowledge to help them attract and retain more customers, and to create more value for themselves and others

Teaching responsibilities

I specifically teach in the areas of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, Business, Marketing and Strategy, and at the crossover of these disciplines. Since 2012, examples of modules on which I teach include:

• UG Enterprise, entrepreneurship and innovation modules
• UG International business and strategy modules
• UG Independent Studies and Business Consultancy modules
• PG Strategy & Leadership in Marketing module

Professional interests

I am involved with the Executive Education and Enterprise Development (3ED) team delvering consultancy activities and workshops to a variety of small and medium size enterprises, under programmes such as Enscite, Small Business Leadership Programme, Sustainable and Inclusive Leadership programme, Help to Grow etc.

Research interests

My research currently focuses on three specific areas:

• Firstly, how to measure and enhance learning through more active, experiential and applied teaching approaches with a particular emphasis on deep and surface learning, both for students and within the business community
• Secondly, how formative and summative feedback is given, received and used to enhance the student experience and outcome, and their quality of learning
• Thirdly, the application of more creative and innovative elements (such as multimedia technologies) within assessment practices to encourage a more enterprising portfolio of evidence which students can present

I am currently undertaking a Doctor of Education which combines these various research interests within an enterprise education context.

Membership of professional bodies

I am a member of the following professional bodies:

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Authority / AdvanceHE
• Member of Chartered Management Institute
• Member of Institute of Chemical Engineers
• Chartered Engineer

Qualifications

I am currently studying for a Doctor of Education at the University of Derby, but I also hold:

• MBA (University of Nottingham)
• PGCHE (University of Derby)
• BSc Chemical Engineering (Loughborough University of Technology)

Recent conferences

• Curtis V. (2021) 'Deep and Surface Learning: Alternative Measures of Impact for Entrepreneurship Education' Enterprise Educators UK Enterprise Exchange Event, Measuring the Impact of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education, Online, 8th July 2021
• Curtis V. (2021) 'Embedding authentic assessment, formative feedback and QAA guidelines within enterprise education to promote deep learning' Chartered Association of Business Schools Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Conference 2021, Online, 29-30th June 2021
• Rogers-Draycott, M., Smith, K., Adams, N., Bozward, D., Curtis, V., Moon, R., Aluthgama-Baduge C. and Mave M. (2020) 'Assessing the Impacts of Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Education' International Enterprise Educators Conference 2020, Online, 9-11th September
• Alathgama Baduge C., Curtis V. and Moon R.J.(2019) ‘Enhancing creative confidence through interdisciplinarity, peer teaching and competion’ International Enterprise Educators Conference 2019, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, 4-6th September
• Moon R.J., Alathgama Baduge C. and Curtis V. (2018) ‘Paying Students to Attend’ International Enterprise Educators Conference 2018, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, 5-7th September
• Curtis V. and Moon R.J. (2017) ‘Developing an Enterprising Mindset’ International Enterprise Educators Conference 2017, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, 4-6th September
• Curtis V. and Moon R.J. (2017) ‘Developing an Enterprising Mindset: Embedding 'Work Related Learning' in the Curriculum' Learning, Teaching and Assessment Conference 2017, University of Derby, Buxton, 3rd July
• Moon R.J. and Curtis V. (2017) 'Enterprising Education, Innovative Assessment and Methodology at our University' Keynote Speech to Enterprise Educators Group, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, 26th June
• Curtis V., Moon R.J. and Flynn M. (2016) ‘The Impact of Formative Video Feedback on Deep Learning in Enterprise Education’ Learning, Teaching and Assessment Conference 2016, University of Derby, Buxton, 4th July
• Curtis V. and Moon R.J. (2015) ‘A Feast of Formative Video Feedback Served Five Ways, on a Bed of Enterprise Education with a Side of Research and Drizzled with Impact on Student Learning’ International Enterprise Educators Conference 2015, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, 9-11^th September

Experience in industry

My industrial expertise lies at the intersection of enterprise (particularly in small businesses), marketing and strategy. I am both a practitioner and an academic as I started, own and run a small business myself, so I have a good appreciation of the current agenda and activity within the enterprise and small business sector. I started my company to help SMEs achieve profitable growth through increasing sales (eg through market research, marketing and customer acquisition) whilst reducing costs through operational and efficiency improvements.

These business consultancy activities have included undertaking and managing contract market research projects and customer surveys, conducting strategic analyses, developing business and marketing plans (and then implementing those plans at a tactical level) and introducing lean thinking. These activities have been for a variety of domestic and international SMEs both in the B2B and B2C arenas, and has resulted in improved company performance once the development solutions have been implemented.

Prior to this, I have had a number of senior roles in sales and marketing positions with various original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). These companies have produced and sold equipment and servives which have ranged from single high precision gauges to multi-million pound capital equipment and installation projects. The majority of these products and services were for international clients.

International experience

I have both sold and commissioned equipment as far afield as Fiji, Japan, Thailand, the Phillipines, Senegal and South Africa through most Western European countries to the USA, Canada, Mexico and Brazil.

Recent publications

• Curtis V., Moon R.J. and Penaluna A. (2020) ‘Active entrepreneurship education and the impact on approaches to learning: Mixed methods evidence from a six-year study into one entrepreneurship educator's classroom’ Industry and Higher Education, DOI: 10.1177/0950422220975319
• Moon R.J., Curtis V. and Dupernex S. (2013) ‘How Enterprise Education Can Encourage Deep Learning to Improve Student Employability?’ Industry & Higher Education, Vol. 27, No 6, pp.433-448
• Moon R.J., Curtis V. and Dupernex S. (2013) ‘How Can Enterprise Education Encourage Deep Learning to Promote Student Employability?’ Critical Perspectives on Business Management, Vol.1