At Edinburgh Futures Institute, innovation is embedded in learning. Through Student Partner Projects, students collaborate with organisations to tackle real-world challenges, gaining practical experience while delivering meaningful impact.
An example is a Student Partner Project with Grand Bequest, a property technology company founded by Dr Katherine Gunderson that uses data analytics, conservation, and sustainability to promote the global redevelopment of vacant building. Grand Bequest partnered with Alexandra Butter, an MSc Circular Economy student, resulting in a high-impact research collaboration and a job offer after graduation.
Turning circular economy theory into measurable impact
Alexandra’s project explored a critical question: how can we measure the real impact of circular economy approaches in conservation and adaptive reuse? Working with live case studies and industry data, she developed a practical framework to assess how redevelopment projects reduce demolition, cut construction waste and lower carbon emissions. The project refined how “circularity” could be defined, measured and communicated, supporting more consistent, evidence-based decision-making in sustainable regeneration.
The final research provided:
- Clear criteria for classifying projects as circular
- Defined data inputs for measuring impact
- Case study applications of the framework
- Recommendations for a potential certification-style approach
The work aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and demonstrated how circular economy principles can move from theory into applied tools for industry.
From classroom to career
The partnership reflects a shared ethos: interdisciplinary thinking, responsible innovation and systems-level change. For Edinburgh Futures Institute students, the partner project model offers more than academic learning. It provides the opportunity to work directly with founders, test ideas in live organisational contexts, and contribute to solutions with social and environmental value. Impressed by the rigour and practical relevance of her work, Grand Bequest offered Alexandra a role following graduation. Alexandra contributed directly to the company’s circular economy metrics and adaptive reuse initiatives. Her journey highlights what studying at Edinburgh Futures Institute makes possible: connecting research, innovation and industry; turning a student project into a professional future.
Dr Katherine Gunderson, CEO, Grand Bequest:
Working with the Edinburgh Futures Institute has been a genuinely important partnership for us at Grand Bequest, built over several years as a repeatable bridge between theory and action.
MSc students work directly with our team on the kinds of challenges we are actively overcoming when bringing empty buildings back into use in ways that are fair, sustainable, and grounded in real communities. They apply ideas such as data science, equality, social returns, and circularity in a live environment, not just in theory.
For Grand Bequest, this partnership is about creating a real bridge between university research and practical delivery. Because it has developed over time, students do not just pass through, they contribute to ongoing work, bring fresh thinking, and help us test new approaches in a world increasingly shaped by data and AI.
It has been hugely beneficial to our mission. The collaboration strengthens what we do, challenges how we think, and helps us move further and faster in tackling empty building regeneration in a more inclusive and impactful way.
Related links
You can read more about Grand Bequest’s work from founder Dr Katherine Gunderson here.
