The University of Bath has been developing Vertically Integrated Projects (VIPs) since 2019; the VIPs are innovative research and applied learning projects that enable inter-disciplinary, multi-level teams of students to work with a member of academic staff on long-term real-world projects.
VIPs are designed to break down silos, giving students the chance to work in long-term, research-driven teams that mirror professional environments. But what really makes these projects successful isn’t just the programme—it’s the students themselves. Student feedback shapes the experience, drives improvement, and ensures that a VIP remains a dynamic, student-centred approach to learning.
We interviewed Jian Helsby, BSc (hons) Computer Science and Mathematics who was an active student member of the TBB:Bath Biodevices without borders VIP in AY22/23. Here is Jian's experience:
What motivated you to apply for a VIP project?
"At the beginning of my first year of university, I spoke with the Careers Service about gaining experience valued by employers. They suggested I look into VIPs as a recent initiative started by the university. On further reading, I found many of the projects very exciting in terms of science, engineering, and social good. In the end, I chose TBB as it aligned with my personal interests alongside the professional experience I wished to gain."
What did you hope to gain from participating in a VIP project?
"Experience with: teamwork, leadership, working with academics, working on a real-world problem, productionising scientific and engineering research, and contributing to a good cause."
What was your experience of working with other students from different disciplines/backgrounds?
Could you describe any skills you feel you developed through the VIP projects?
"Teamwork, leadership, organisation, managing a team, leading using Agile processes, mobile app development, coordination, working with people from different backgrounds (including undergraduate, Master's, PhD students, and academic staff)."
How do you feel your personal development (such as increased confidence/leadership) benefited from VIPs?
"Hugely: this was my first experience leading a technical team and working on a real-world problem. It gave me insight into how projects are run, the accompanying challenges, and experience trying to solve people problems alongside technical ones. I felt much more confident in later work - it meant that at the start of my first internship, I already had some relevant experience."
Can you describe how your VIP experience helped you in your course and placement opportunities?
"I believe it helped me significantly in the application process. I included it on my CV while applying, and spoke about my time in TBB in multiple interviews, which resulted in internship offers.
I feel it also helped me during the internships, as it meant I had some experience working on real-world technical problems as part of a team. I think the leadership experience improved my understanding of the work managers do, in terms of their responsibilities and challenges. This helped me work with my managers during my internships."
If you were trying to encourage a new student to volunteer for a VIP project now, what advice might you give?
"I had a fantastic experience with my VIP, and I'm confident it hugely helped me with my career development. But alongside this, I also found it extremely fun and rewarding. It expanded my horizons and gave me exposure to things I wouldn't have experienced otherwise. In particular, it was exciting to gain exposure to the academic staff and their research. I would encourage anyone interested in gaining valuable work and academic experience to consider participating.
I would recommend reading up on the many different VIP options and reflecting on what you want to get out of the experience before applying. During the VIP, I would suggest working with the project leaders to ensure you can get the experience you’re most interested in. In my case, I wanted to gain leadership experience as I thought this would be hard to obtain for the first few years of my career."
Thank you to Jian for providing us with his feedback. Jian was able to "land his dream internships and graduate job", What is stopping you from joining?
