What makes a University Entrepreneurial?
Dr Clive Winters
Assistant Director, Coventry University Enterprises Ltd
• Introduction to Coventry University
– Location, History
– Mission / Vision
• Entrepreneurial University
–
–
–
–
Institutional Environment
Student Engagement
Innovative and Entrepreneurial Staff
Entrepreneurial Impact
Overview
•
Our Location (1): Coventry is located in
the West Midlands, the heart of
England, with excellent road, rail and
air links to the rest of the country central London is just 60 minutes away
by train.
•
Coventry University has its main
campus in the City along with Coventry
University College, Coventry University
Enterprises Ltd and ACUA Ltd.
•
Our Location (2): Coventry University
London Campus was established in
2010 and is based in the central
London location of Devonshire Square.
Coventry University: Introduction
• History dating back to 1843
– Coventry College of Design
– Private sector funded, Focussed on
manufacturing industries
• Lanchester Polytechnic in 1970
– Coventry College of Art, Lanchester College of
Technology, Rugby College of Engineering
Technology
• Coventry Polytechnic in 1987
• Coventry University in 1992
– Modern University, Full teaching and research
degree awarding powers
Coventry University: Introduction
• Our Mission: We aspire to be a dynamic, global,
enterprising university. We work in partnership
with external organisations through our research
and engage our students as partners in a community
of learning.
• Our Faculties: Faculty of Business, Environment and
Society, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, faculty
of Engineering and Computing, School of Art and
Design
• Our Students: Full time – 17,760, Part Time –
10,175, Postgraduate - 2,220
Coventry University: Introduction
Sponsored
by
the
National
Centre
for
Entrepreneurship Education - recognises institutions
that have embedded entrepreneurial activity into
their Institution:
• Fosters enterprising thinking among all members of
its community
• Delivers significant entrepreneurial impact at
regional, national and international levels.
•
•
•
•
•
2008 / 09: University of Nottingham
2009 / 10: Queen’s University Belfast
2010 / 11: University of Hertfordshire
2011 / 12: Coventry University
2012 / 13: University of Huddersfield
The Entrepreneurial University of the Year
1.
a.
b.
Institutional Environment
How has the university transformed its culture to provide environments conducive
for supporting student enterprise and graduate entrepreneurship?
How is institutional leadership for driving enterprise and entrepreneurship
throughout the institution demonstrated?
2. Student Engagement
a. How are students and graduates demonstrating their ability to apply the
enterprising and entrepreneurial mindsets and behaviours learnt through their
university experiences?
b. How has the student experience enhanced a positive attitude towards enterprise
and entrepreneurship as a career and life choice?
Entrepreneurial University: Award Criteria
3. Innovative and Entrepreneurial Staff
a. How have staff demonstrated innovation and growth in their approach to the
design and delivery of the institution’s enterprise and entrepreneurship offerings?
b. How are staff incentivised and rewarded for developing excellence in enterprise
and entrepreneurship practice?
4. Entrepreneurial Impact
a. What impact has the institution had on the entrepreneurial outcomes of staff,
students and graduates?
b. What step-change has been achieved in the delivery of regional and national
entrepreneurship goals?
c. What enterprise and entrepreneurship good practice and effectiveness has been
demonstrated?
d. In what ways has the institution’s experiences influenced policy and practice in the
wider environment?
Entrepreneurial University: Award Criteria
• Leadership: Deputy Vice Chancellor for Business
Development overseeing all academic –
industrial cooperation activity
• Physical Environment: Creating a ‘home for
entrepreneurship, new facilities include ‘the
hub’ the location for the Institute of Applied
Entrepreneurship, London Campus, Coventry
University College and a new home for the
faculty of Engineering and Computing.
• Student Entrepreneurial Fund: Supported by the
Sir John Egan, the Chancellor of the University,
the fund has provided £300k from benefactors
to allow our students to ‘pitch’ for enterprise
investment.
Entrepreneurial University: Institutional
Environment (1)
• Applied Research Activity: Focussed on the
global economic environment and delivering real
world solutions to clients
• Seven key global issues – the Grand Challenges
–have been identified where applied research is
needed and where the University’s expertise can
have a significant impact.
–
–
–
–
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–
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Integrated Transport and logistics
Low Carbon Vehicles
Low Impact Buildings
Digital Media
Ageing Society
Sustainable Agriculture and Food
Human Security
Entrepreneurial University: Institutional
Environment (2)
• Applied Research Institutes: Through its
institutes, the University provides high quality
buildings and facilities to support staff and
partners undertaking applied research activities.
The aim of each institute is to create an
environment which supports a unique
combination of commercial activity and
academic applied research:
– Serious Games Institute
– Health Design Technologies Institute
– Institute for Creative Enterprise
– Institute of Applied Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurial University: Institutional
Environment (3)
• Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Support:
Enterprise scholarships awarded annually to over
20 students. Student entrepreneurship support
programme (SPEED) providing grants, mentoring
support and office space for over 30 students
per year.
• Student Led Activities: Operation Husky – a 24
hour business mentoring event. Engagement
with Tabeisa linking social enterprise activity
between the UK and South Africa. Student
Enterprise Society
• Entrepreneurial
Teaching:
Access
to
entrepreneurial learning through the University’s
Add+vantage module scheme
Entrepreneurial University: Student
Engagement
• Staff Ideas: Staff ideas competition generating 44 ideas
worth £4.4m
• Performance Review: Formal performance review
process encourages entrepreneurial behaviour and
supports and rewards staff who are enterprising.
• Staff Development: Encouragement for staff to
develop their entrepreneurial management capability
through participation in Entrepreneurial University
Leadership Courses.
Entrepreneurial University: Innovative and
Entrepreneurial Staff
• Coventry University makes a significant impact,
locally, regionally, nationally and internationally
– We a registered European Business Innovation
Centre helping 300 businesses start-up
– We are working with almost 9,500 SMEs (37% of
the total number working with UK Universities in
2009 / 10)
– Coventry is ranked 1st for the number of
consultancy contracts it completes on behalf of
SMEs
– We are in the top five for the number of
consultancy contracts with large commercial
organisations.
Entrepreneurial University: Entrepreneurial
Impact
• Hosted knowledge exchanges with UK, European and
International Universities
• Working internationally in Oman, Nigeria, Romania and
Bulgaria on the implementation of business incubation
and innovation systems.
• National and European projects that focus on innovation
including:
– the Innovation University Enterprise Network that has
a focus on open innovation, and
– the European University Enterprise Network designed
to enhance partnerships between business and higher
education.
Entrepreneurial University: Impact
“It was clear from all the staff interviewed that an entrepreneurial culture
permeates at all levels of Coventry University.
“A combination of interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial institutes, physical
developments, strong leadership, exciting international activity and lively
engagement by staff and students provided the basis for selecting Coventry for
this award.”
David Frost, Executive Chairman,
National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education