A programme to capture and drive the spirit of entrepreneurialism in Scottish higher education was launched this week by First Minister Alex Salmond and Sir Tom Hunter.
The Universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Strathclyde will participate in the Scottish Programme For Entrepreneurship which will be jointly funded by the Scottish Government and the Hunter Foundation.
It will cost £2.65 million over the next three years.
The new programme will:
- recruit world class professors to chairs in entrepreneurship
- develop entrepreneurship education at undergraduate level
- support entrepreneurial education in colleges and in teacher training
- develop a one year master's programme in entrepreneurship
- run a coordinated programme of research into enterprise and entrepreneurship
The First Minister said:
"Driving Scotland's economic performance up to the levels which are possible means doing things differently. This programme will adopt a new approach to encouraging our young people to take a leading role in transforming our economy.
"We are determined to capitalise on the entrepreneurial attitudes and aspirations within our students. This programme will put enterprise within higher education firmly onto the agenda in Scotland.
"The recruitment of world class academics into three new entrepreneurship chairs sends out a message to the world that Scotland is a place where we value an innovative approach to driving economic growth.
"I am particularly pleased to work with Sir Tom Hunter on this initiative. He has demonstrated once again his vision and passionate belief in Scotland as a country with tremendous potential. I share that vision and belief with him and look forward to working together towards a smarter Scotland.
Sir Tom Hunter noted:
"The University and Further Education (FE) sector provides the final piece in the enterprise and entrepreneurial jigsaw for our young people. We, with the Scottish Government, will drive this ambitious programme hard with the Sector to achieve a series of Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) that will deliver exceptional opportunity for our young people.
"All of us have a duty to expand the streets of opportunity for our young people whilst closing down the paths to failure; by doing so we will collectively deliver a legacy worthy of Scotland.
"This is, we hope, the first of many investments we will make with Alex Salmond and his governmental team. I am particularly proud that we share a common goal in delivering opportunity for all in Scotland whilst building our international presence as a leading nation."
Funding will be disbursed by the Scottish Government and the Hunter Foundation to The Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship which will then disburse funds to the three participating universities.
The programme comprises:
- a one year master's programme in entrepreneurship
- a coordinated programme of policy and performance impacting research
- development of entrepreneurship education at undergraduate level
- support for entrepreneurial education in colleges and in teacher training
The three participating universities and the Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship will co-ordinate the establishment of three programme delivery teams, one at each participating university. Each delivery team will consist of the following 4 elements:
- A Professorial Chair
- A Programme Research Assistant - Research Fellow
- A Programme Teaching Assistant - Teaching Fellow
- A Research & Project Implementation Fund