In our latest article showcasing those universities shortlisted for the THE Awards Outstanding Entrepreneurial University 2021, we look at how enterprise, entrepreneurship and innovation is at the heart of Swansea university.
What makes you an entrepreneurial university?
Developing innovative and entrepreneurial talent is a distinctive feature of Swansea, transforming lives and futures by unlocking and fostering a thriving and connected entrepreneurial community.
Founded by Industry for Industry over 100 years ago, Swansea University originated in the dreams of the miners and industrialists whose hope was that their university would provide new opportunities for their communities. With more than 40 companies co-located on our campuses, we remain true to the ambitions of our founders, developing the skills of tomorrow and working with industrial, commercial, and public sector partners for the benefit of our region and nation.
Since launching our Enterprise Strategy in 2018, our growing network of enterprise staff champions and our EEUK award-winning central Enterprise Team have helped embed enterprise and entrepreneurship in our institutional values and policies, staff behaviours and practices. By unlocking, nurturing and empowering an inclusive, accessible and connected entrepreneurship community, we have enabled students and staff to share best practice, enhance their mindset, skills, knowledge and experiences in order to explore opportunities to learn, start-up and grow. Over the last year alone, we engaged with over 5,102 students, helping them develop their skills through experiences such as business bootcamps, competitions, workshops, regional initiatives and internships, inspiring them with confidence to go on to set up businesses that give back to the Welsh economy.
In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, we supported 50 student and graduate start-ups – a testament to their resilience and ingenuity, by responding to the economy and the current market. Many student start-ups were created as a direct response to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Through our entrepreneurial journey framework of support, our students have the opportunity to invest in themselves and their businesses, with personal development being offered alongside business support. We do this in a number of ways including our annual Big Pitch Competition, where shortlisted students pitch themselves, their idea and business to a prestigious investment panel. A total of £22,000 was awarded to 10 student start-ups this year and 7 students were offered a place on our Accelerator Programme, a 9-week programme to accelerate students’ businesses.
Our work with the Start-Up to CEO Scheme is an excellent opportunity for our students to network and learn, where they are paired up with a Swansea Alumnus who is a current CEO to guide them through their business journey. This, along with our links with AgorIP and the LINC Network, allows us to have an extensive network of Business Partners to enable us to support and invest in our students and graduates.
By embedding entrepreneurship learning opportunities into curriculums (34 modules, reaching 14,112 students) and working closely with our 65 enterprise staff champions from across academic and professional positions, has enabled us to reach a wider group, regardless of whether students are seeking to become a nurse, lawyer or freelancer. Our staff champions are also invaluable at advocating enterprise to our students and creating vital connections with local and national organisations.
What would winning the award mean to you?
Enterprise, entrepreneurship and innovation is at the heart of the university and one of five of our key “pillars”. Winning the award for Outstanding Entrepreneurial University of the Year would be an honour. It would mean recognition for our students, our staff and our partners who work incredibly hard to inspire, encourage, support, invest and grow enterprise and entrepreneurship at Swansea University with a focus on supporting social, environmental and economic prosperity for the region.
Developing entrepreneurial talent is truly embedded at Swansea University and through our efforts, our strategies, staff and support, Swansea will continue to create a truly skilled and connected entrepreneurial community.
Professor Paul Boyle, Vice Chancellor of Swansea University said –
“For Swansea University, winning the Times Higher Education Award for Outstanding Entrepreneurial University would demonstrate to our stakeholders, students and staff that our commitment to enterprise education is leading the way in the sector, while supporting and contributing to our local businesses and economy. It would be a reflection of the values at the heart of our Enterprise Strategy, and of the hard work of our staff to cultivate a truly entrepreneurial environment at Swansea University.”