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Dr Orla Kelly

@orlakellybell.bsky.social
323 followers 378 following 112 posts

Knowledge Exchange & Innovation, working across Scotland's 19 universities. Here for chat about collaboration, strategy and policy, funding, and musings from trains or walks

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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Occasionally, I accidentally overpack my espresso thingamy and it gives me coffee as thick as tar. It normally coincides with the mornings I need it most. I'm on my way to outer space after drinking this, it was nice knowing you all.
Mug of black coffee with bubbly crema, reflecting light from window, in front of laptop keyboard
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Last week's Venture Cafe Edinburgh. If you haven't been to one of these gatherings before, it's worth a look. Big topics discussed in a room full of curious people. You need your social battery fully charged, mind you. @rachaelwearecec.bsky.social closed the show with some excellent storytelling.
Rows of people sitting on yellow chairs, in front of big screen with "More Than Profit" visible with other illegible text belowRows of people looking at woman in front of a screen, with wording "levelling up when you are falling down"
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
From my front door, I can get to the top of Dumyat and back in a few hours. Here's me, hot and windswept on top of the hill, looking over Stirling and Clackmannanshire and the River Forth. And some beautiful trees on my way back down.
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
it's not often I get affection like this from her. Yes, her food bowl does need topped up, how did you know? #cat #workfromhome #officemate
Tabby cat nuzzling head against my faceTabby cat pushing glasses off my face
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
It's back to school day in majority of Scotland, and child 2 is up and dressed and raring to go. It's 6AM. This will be a long day!
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
love it or hate it, Edinburgh (specifically, the Fringe) was *thriving* today in the sunshine. I saw the weather forecast, and booked last minute annual leave to take my two girls in for a jolly good day, ahead of back to school later this week. Priorities. #EdinburghFringe
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
love it or hate it, Edinburgh (specifically, the Fringe) was *thriving* today in the sunshine. I saw the weather forecast, and booked last minute annual leave to take my two girls in for a jolly good day, ahead of back to school later this week. Priorities. #EdinburghFringe
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
some honking geese for your pleasure
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Reposted by Dr Orla Kelly
Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
I've had a week 'back home', away from emails and the like, lots of time with family, kids creating chaos together. But, also a fair bit of walking. Here's 12 miles along the north coast clifftops, from Dunseverick, past the Castle, Giants Causeway, Dunluce Castle, to Whiterocks Beach and Portrush.
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
I've had a week 'back home', away from emails and the like, lots of time with family, kids creating chaos together. But, also a fair bit of walking. Here's 12 miles along the north coast clifftops, from Dunseverick, past the Castle, Giants Causeway, Dunluce Castle, to Whiterocks Beach and Portrush.
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
I used to spend loads of time in the garden trying to grow various things with very limited success. Rather than letting slugs eat another crop of lettuces, this year I have one bed bursting with raspberry plants, and a second bed growing my first ever pumpkin(s). Getting Halloween prep in early!
A yellow pumpkin flower, closed, not yet in bloom, with a backdrop of green vines and leaves
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
I really feel for the civil servants right now (and in recent years), the constant shape-shifting must be exhausting.
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Delighted to be able to bring you some fascinating non-football content to your feeds this evening
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
When is it procrastination, and when is it in fact necessary thinking time? Prepping for a discussion tomorrow, and needing to reflect on my role, my purpose, things I do, can't do, choose not to do, people I engage with, how effective those engagements are... extremely hard things to review.
Mug of coffee (with delicious crema), sheets of paper with handwriting (not legible) on blue patterned tablecloth, laptop off to the side
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
KEUK Knowledge Exchange Awards are now open for submissions, celebrating both projects and people & teams: * Strategic Partnership * Commercial Impact * Societal Impact * Regional Economy Impact * Policy Engagement Initiative * Institutional KE Team * Sector Collaboration * Advancing KE Culture
ke.org.uk
KE Awards 2026 - Knowledge Exchange UK
The KE Awards celebrates outstanding achievements in KE, recognising impactful collaborations and innovation across the UK and beyond.
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Perhaps my Blue Sky identity can be built around my daily coffee? Today's black nectar... #coffee
Cup and saucer with black coffee (crema visible) and steam, on a wooden table, laptop just out of shot, empty cafe chairs blurred in background
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Beautiful setting for a couple of meetings over coffee at the River House in Stirling this afternoon... Beware of the Crocodiles!
Image of building with River House branding just visible to left, water and green plants and trees to right, and two ornamental Crocodiles with a small sign "beware of the crocodiles"
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Prompted by a conversation on LinkedIn (cc @annamgrey.bsky.social) this is day 1 of me trying to be a bit more active on blue sky ... let's see how that goes! Photo for the algorithm, but there is no algorithm? I'll need to figure out what makes this tick.
badly framed selfie of a woman holding a mug that is covering most of her face
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Scottish Funding Council @scotfundcouncil.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
This #GlobalEntrepreneurshipWeek we’re showcasing some of the work of Scotland’s universities in working with industry and driving innovation. Earlier this year every university in Scotland received £5,000 from SFC to support entrepreneurial ambitions. www.sfc.ac.uk/research-inn...
sfc.ac.uk
Global Entrepreneurship Case Studies - Scottish Funding Council
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
Spend 90 seconds with me in Manchester... I spent the week at the busy IEEC2025 - International Enterprise Educators Conference - hosted by @manmetuni.bsky.social (This video has no sound!) 1/n
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
Fortuitous timing, but yesterday as UK Gov published their White Paper on immigration, we held a panel discussion "Exploring the landscape for international founders", as part of the Connect-Ed Network www.connect-ed.network 1/n
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
Day tripping to Aberdeen today for a Connect-Ed meeting on entrepreneurial ecosystems, an international perspective. First leg of the journey is a train to Dundee, a journey I used to do multiple times a week for several years. I'm no longer a regular commuter... I miss it, and I don't miss it!
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
A short 5 mile walk today, through very bonnie Stirling, gearing up for the Glasgow Kiltwalk on Sunday - raising money for Social Bite to support their mission to end homelessness. Any and all donations welcome! 🙏 www.justgiving.com/page/orla-st...
Path under a tree with pink blossoms, sun in blue sky
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
The numbers here are staggering. Decimate literally means 1 in 10, but this is double that. Hard to rationalise, it'll be devastating for the city. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Dundee University to cut 632 jobs to plug £35m deficit
The University and College Union condemned the
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
Go touch some grass! I don't really have time for this today, too much to do... which is all the more reason to get out for a wee half hour round the river. You can't drink from an empty cup, etc etc etc
A tree trunk covered in ivy, bare branches (no leaves) over a still, wide river. River bank in distance. Overcast sky.
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Converge @convergec.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
Season 2 of the Academic Adventures podcast is here! To celebrate #IWD2025 we're delighted to welcome Prof Gillian Fleming from @mintventures.bsky.social for a great convo about supporting women-led businesses and female entrepreneurs. Listen here www.convergechallenge.com/the-academic....
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 07/03/2025
The Scots of this world will be outraged at today's @nytimes.com Spelling Bee. Also, the word gammon is not on the word list 🤷🏻‍♀️ Those are now the only two words I can see.
Screenshot of NYT Spelling Bee game, with word "HOGMANAY" and pop up "Not on word list"
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Off to Dundee today. I used to do this three times per week, and its now £34.80 return on the train 🫠 Grateful for moderately reliable train WiFi so I could join a call, not so keen on finishing that call in a freezing cold Dundee train station. ...
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
A meeting at Heriot Watt today means a dander along the canal. Preferred mode of transport!
Canal with still water reflecting cloudy sky and bare trees. Narrow path with grass verge to the right.
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 08/02/2025
This week, I had an eye-opening few days on the NCEE Entrepreneurial University Leaders programme. Valuable to bring me out of my Scottish KE&I bubble, and engage with a cohort of people working across HE - legal, careers, IT, estates, executive support, plus learning & teaching and research (1/3)
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
These two headlines, a day apart 🤯 I don't work in transport, I have sympathy that the picture is probably way more complicated than these headlines and articles cover. However! ...
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
Earlier this week, we held our first in a series of upskilling and networking events for a growing ecosystem of Entrepreneurs in Residence, Commercial Champions, Mentors, and our Enterprise Support colleagues across Scotland (1/n)
A sign with CONNECT-ED branding visible, people standing in distance, in room/corridor with concrete pillars
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
Microsoft's muti-factor authentication coupled with Scotlrail's patchy WiFi is a special kind of hell
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 13/01/2025
Walk once a day 👍
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
Blinded by the sun in today's bitterly cold walk around Stirling Castle. A smidgen of vitamin D!
Selfie of woman in purple beanie hat and orange coat, clear blue sky in backgroundGraveyard in foreground, (Stirling) Castle on hill in background, clear blue sky
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 07/01/2025
Today, I'm mostly haunched over my laptop, but made sure to get out to be among some trees for a bit. 100% record of daily walk this year, let's see how long I can keep that up.
Path covered in brown leaves through tall trees, mostly bare but some ivy and other greenery. Cloudy sky just visible.
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 06/01/2025
9:15 am. First day of work of 2025. Where do you even start?? (With a steaming hot black coffee, of course)
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 31/12/2024
Stirling looking bonny in between the rain showers, but the River Forth is very high
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 31/12/2024
Regular welly check in the Forth. Still good.
Person in orange jacket standing nearly knee deep in (river) water, bare trees and grey sky behind.
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 27/12/2024
Christmas back home complete 💚 glad the travel is over (gale force ferry crossing was something special!)
Pebble beach, sea with lapping waves, headland on horizon, mostly cloudy sky with a little blue peaking through
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
It was a frantic end to the working year with one funding bid submitted, a conference abstract submitted, and lots of other things being teed up for 2025. Can't necessarily call the festive period 'downtime', just a different kind of busy! Here's to a happy and healthy 2025 🥂
Two pints of Guinness and a pink drink in a large stemmed glass with a wedge of lime and two straws, all sitting on a bar countertop
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 15/12/2024
Here for Donny
'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat' stage
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 13/12/2024
From the Design Exchange in Buchanan Galleries 🎄
Christmas tree earring
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
The Old Bridge looking particularly majestic in this weather. The low fog means the Wallace Monument and the Castle are nowhere to be seen #Stirling
Stone bridge with arches, calm river, tree covered in frost, flat grey skyCobbled path between two stone pillars. Flat grey sky.
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
Beautiful winter wonderland down by the River Forth this afternoon ❄️
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 11/12/2024
In the spirit of the season, I will reflect on one the successes of the past year. A quiet success, I would say, but something I'm really proud of. In spring 2024, I matched a second cohort of Mentor-Mentees, as part of SKEIM (Scottish Knowledge Exchange & Innovation Mentoring)...
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
Today's festive(ish) garb.
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
The National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) launched their State of the Relationship report today, an evidenced look at university-business interactions across the UK. See www.ncub.co.uk/insight/stat...
ncub.co.uk
State of the Relationship report 2024 - National Centre for Universities & Business
NCUB’s State of the Relationship report for 2024 monitors connections between universities and businesses. Read the latest edition here.
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
rocking christmas jumper number 2 today. Need to invest in more festive earrings.
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Dr Orla Kelly @orlakellybell.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
My office today. One of the things I particularly like about my role is the hotdesking part, where I can set up shop in various uni campuses across Scotland, find the coffee shops, and mill about with students and researchers. University of Stirling is arguably the prettiest campus of them all.
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