Sheffield Hallam: THE Outstanding Entrepreneurial University 2021

This award is the culmination of five years of hard work from fantastic colleagues across Sheffield Hallam to embed entrepreneurial and employability principles within the curriculum, our partnerships, and research programmes. The judges praised the university for its “comprehensive approach” to embedding entrepreneurship. The Enterprise Team’s contribution was a significant factor in the university winning the award. Over the past 5 years the team (pictured above) has developed one of the largest sandwich year placement schemes in the UK. In addition, the team has made important progress towards embedding enterprise and entrepreneurial skills development into the curriculum through the Enterprise Residency programme.

 

Westminster: Pioneer Programme

Westminster Enterprise Network (WeNetwork) have partnered with VoXo to deliver their 2021 Entrepreneurship Pioneer Programme; an online programme to inspire and empower current students from underrepresented backgrounds and identities to explore entrepreneurship. The programme offers 30 selected students expert led workshops, mentoring and opportunities to connect with investors, inspirational founders, and industry leaders. The programme is underlined by WeNetwork’s mission to make entrepreneurship and industry more inclusive and representative of the diversity of the University of Westminster student community, by contributing to the building of a diverse, experienced, confident, and highly skilled talent pipeline. Find out more

 

York: Showcase of entrepreneurial achievements

Students at the University of York gathered in person for the first time since lockdown to showcase entrepreneurial achievements made during the University’s ‘Summer Accelerator’. Of the fifteen businesses piloted, six students made presentations on their progress to a panel of alumni and local entrepreneurs. The ideas on show varied widely, from sanitation solutions for off grid communities to avionic systems designed to sanitise large spaces. The panel offered helpful feedback about next steps to all the presenters. With this feedback, combined with the contacts made during the networking session, the students demonstrated a good foundation with which to strike out into the world of start-ups, or simply enhance their employability more generally.

 

Cardiff Met: Christmas market returns

After a brief hiatus last year, the Centre for Entrepreneurship at Cardiff Met were delighted to bring back their annual Christmas market. With a record number of stalls, students and graduates were able to test trade, market their start ups and gain valuable customer feedback throughout the day. The market was a one stop shop for local, handmade and unique Christmas gifts and a collaboration with Riverside Food Markets made for a festive community feel on campus. Alongside the in person event, a virtual gift guide was also launched which has received over 570 views via social media and email.