Hunter Centre Moves To Close "Enterprise Gap" In Education

15th November 2006

In the lead up to National Enterprise Week, the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship, based at the University of Strathclyde, has moved to close the gap in Scotland's system of enterprise education.

In the most significant development since its inception, the Hunter Centre is now inviting applications from school leavers and young people to join Scotland's first purpose designed degree programme in entrepreneurship - the BA Business Enterprise - for entry in September 2007.

Sir Tom Hunter and the Scottish Executive have both invested heavily in introducing opportunities for enterprise education in Scottish schools in a bid to raise the profile of an activity that is vital to the continued success of the Scottish economy, and to release the drive and creative talents of its young people.

Sir Tom said: "If we are not to frustrate or waste an important part of that investment and the enormous efforts being made both by teachers and our young people, we need to provide those who have been touched by the idea and excitement of enterprise while at school with a clear, entrepreneurial career path into University. The new degree in Business Enterprise will do just that."

As part of the renowned Business School at the University of Strathclyde, the Hunter Centre has an international reputation for entrepreneurship education at PhD and Masters level and provides elective modules to undergraduate students from all five of the University's faculties, from Engineering and Science to Education, Law, Arts & Social Sciences.

Anthony Keating, Executive Director of the Hunter Centre, said: "While we have already made significant progress, more needs to be done at an undergraduate level. The new degree will not only bridge the gap between enterprise education at school and university, but will fulfil the obligation we have to equip students with the confidence, skills and insight that will allow them to succeed in a world where the nature of work is undergoing fundamental change.

"Many of the old certainties of employment are being swept aside and globalised competition will increasingly pit our students against the young, highly skilled and development-hungry workforces of our traditional markets."

Sir Tom added: "Today it is no longer enough to simply have a degree. Today's graduates have no choice about whether they need to be entrepreneurial or not - it is a quality that is essential if they are to do more than survive the rigours of competition, regardless of whether they're setting up their own company or joining an existing one."

The new degree is designed to be both academically rigorous and to equip students with applied skills that have immediate relevance and direct impact in the real world.

It is directed towards tomorrow's business leaders, students who will ultimately take up leadership and senior management positions in a wide variety of business settings. These include new service, manufacturing and technology-led companies, the established corporate sector, high value consultancy and advisory groups, private equity and investment banks, the public sector, business development agencies and in the creative industries and not-for-profit sector.

The new degree touches upon the imperatives contained in the report of Sir George Cox, on the need for increased creativity and innovation in the workplace. Ultimately, it will mark out its students as people who have the drive, skills and attitudes to make a real difference in their chosen field or profession.

The degree will be available both as single and joint honours. Taught by the specialist Hunter Centre staff, it will allow students to draw upon disciplines from across the breadth of Strathclyde's renowned business school, which is one of only one per cent of schools in the world to be triply accredited by the world's leading business school assessment bodies.

Strathclude University http://www.strath.ac.uk/