Enterprise

Awards for enterprise

We are proud to have been awarded three accolades for enterprise, winning Entrepreneurial University of the Year and two Queen’s Awards.

Entrepreneurial University of the Year

In 2012 we were awarded the Times Higher Education award for Entrepreneurial University of the Year. The award recognises institutions that have embedded entrepreneurial activity into the fabric of their institution to which fosters enterprising thinking and delivers significant entrepreneurial impact.

Entrepreneurial outlook

The University was commended by judges for its “entrepreneurial outlook championed at the highest levels of the institution”. Elements that set us apart included:

The establishment of the £12m 3M Buckley Innovation Centre which facilitates access to finance for entrepreneurs and businesses. The Centre combines the skills and expertise of University staff and partners to transfer knowledge between tenant companies.
Work with national bodies relating to enterprise and entrepreneurship including social enterprise.
Regional leadership for student and graduate start-ups through the Graduate Entrepreneurship Project.
Excellent record of graduate employability and self-employability. 94% of undergraduate and 97% of postgraduate students go on to work or further study within six months of graduating.
Ranked in top ten for; undergraduate and postgraduate employability; student placements in industry; and the number of student and graduate businesses supported.

Enterprise development

We were also commended for the way in which courses embed entrepreneurship into the curriculum, and for the BA in Enterprise Development that is supported by Theo Paphitis. As part of this course, students are encouraged and supported in their studies to think innovatively and the University has a number of visiting professors and entrepreneurs in residence.

Celebrating enterprise

Enterprising students are celebrated at Huddersfield through a Students’ Union award and the Vice-Chancellor’s Enterprise Awards, including Student Entrepreneur, Student Project and Ambassador.

Queen's Awards for Enterprise

We have received three prestigious Queen’s Awards – one for enterprise promotion and two for international trade.

Enterprise Promotion

The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion is for individuals who have played an important role in promoting enterprise skills and supporting entrepreneurs. The prestigious award was bestowed on Liz Towns-Andrews, the University’s 3M Professor of Innovation, one of ten recipients to be given the award.

Individual Queen’s Awards are bestowed for life on the recipients, who are invited to a Buckingham Palace reception. Professor Towns-Andrews conceived the state-of-the-art 3M Buckley Innovation Centre which helps support businesses with outstanding research and conferencing facilities.

International Trade

The Queen’s Award for Enterprise - International Trade is awarded to businesses who have achieved substantial growth in overseas earnings and commercial success for business size and sector.

Since 2008, we have formed many international partnerships and has seen our international student population grow significantly. In 2011, international students voted the University of Huddersfield the ‘best university in the world for student experience’ in the International Student Barometer conducted by i-graduate.

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