It’s far from the age of the entrepreneur in the UK.
Soaring costs and uncapped energy prices for businesses have created an environment that isn’t so much challenging as it is pre-emptively lethal. When it comes to turning round our economic fortunes, that’s clearly a problem.
There is, however, an often-overlooked bright light when it comes to supporting and stimulating entrepreneurial activity – Scotland’s higher education sector. Today, the relationship between higher education, industry, and government concerning entrepreneurship is collegial and closer than ever – meaning enterprising activity within the sector is well-placed to be the panacea to regional and national employment and economic-related issues.
Scotland’s universities are enterprising by design, emphasising the impact of innovative and entrepreneurial activity. According to recent reporting for the University and College Union Scotland, universities within Scotland contribute more than £4.5 billion to the economy. This contribution, of course, consists of several strands – but it is still a staggering statistic, of which entrepreneurial support is a crucial aspect.
Entrepreneurship within Scotland’s universities involves courses delivered from across many academic faculties, training centred on the generation of ideas and start-up development, support through incubation spaces for businesses, and legacy building through knowledge exchange and consultancy. As a result, they continuously have their fingers on the pulse to entrepreneurial contexts, and the communities and regions that they serve.
