Students share ideas with 'dragon' panel

WATER SPORTS students at Falmouth Marine School were given a Dragons' Den-style grilling when they presented their final-year project proposals to a panel of industry experts and academic staff.

The second-year students on the marine sports science foundation degree course pitched their ideas to the panel, which included harbour commissioner John Langham and Cornwall Marine Network's Harriet Knowles, among others.

The projects, sponsored by the harbour commissioners, will count towards the students' final grades.

During the event, the panel was presented with requests for funding as well as giving advice and assistance.

Programme manager Steve Bowens said: "The importance of researching current issues and interacting with the business community is a vital developmental element of the degree-level programme.

"The event provides the students with the opportunity to demonstrate their own research specialities and to experience presenting and communicating within a real business context in preparation for their final assessment and presentation next year."

The students will now develop their projects and present them at the college's annual research day at the National Maritime Museum, to which panel members will be invited.