University project wins national award
19 September 2011
A project designed to help graduates launch their own
businesses alongside their degrees has achieved national
recognition.
The Graduate Entrepreneurship Project
(GE) was awarded the Enterprise ‘Champions’ accolade at the
3rd annual National Enterprise Educator
< Bill Walker and Adrian Allen at the
University of Hull’s award winning Enterprise Centre
Awards in recognition of the collaboration between the
institutions in the Yorkshire and Humber Region to support student
and graduate entrepreneurship with the aim to generate a
significant contribution to the region’s economy.
The GE is a partnership between ten higher
education institutions from Hull, Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford,
Sheffield and York. The GE project is supported financially by the
European Union. The project has attracted £1.3million of investment
from the European Regional Development Fund as part of Europe’s
support for local economic development through the Yorkshire and
Humber ERDF Programme 2007-13.
Since its inception in 2006, the GE has helped
to create 269 businesses and 274 jobs. As part of the project,
students and entrepreneurs are able to access help and guidance
from their University and business advisors. Some of the support on
offer includes the chance to take part in special ‘boot camps’
where they hone their commercial skills and develop business plans
alongside specialists in marketing, finance and other aspects of
business.
Funding is also made available to those
wanting to who want to start to trade through a series of grants.
Potential business founders can apply for a Proof of Concept fund,
worth up to £1000, to determine the commerciality of any potential
business. Grants of up to £2,500 are also offered to graduates who
want to kick-start their concept after it has been proven and
viable.
Bill Walker from the University of Hull
Knowledge Exchange, says: “This project is really inspiring our
students to create new businesses and offers effective enterprise
opportunities across the whole of the region. Our students have
been able to benefit from a range of support – from networking
opportunities to advice from academics and business leaders and we
are pleased to have won the award. This is a fantastic recognition
for the project and all of the partners involved.”
Professor Alison Price from the National Centre for
Entrepreneurship in Education, who organise the awards, says: “This
was a terrific showcase of the depth and variety of excellent work
taking place across the sector in UK. This year has seen the
successes of both further and higher education celebrated as well
as true innovations and also long-standing and successful projects
recognised; but for me the awards evening is the true celebration
of all the short listed candidates and their inspiring work across
the sector.”
Ends.