Stronger links with business

MMU is teaming up with politicians and policy-makers from the North West to examine the new enterprise landscape in the region, at an event hosted by the University on April 3, 2008.

The discussion will bring together key decision-makers and academics, who together will review the role of universities in the provision of business support in the region and will assess the way in which the landscape of enterprise will change over the next five to ten years.

Vice-Chancellor Professor John Brooks will open the day's proceedings, alongside Professor Ossie Jones, Head of the Centre for Enterprise at MMU Business School.

The keynote speech will be delivered by Henry Etzkowitz, Professor of Management of Innovation at Newcastle University Business School.

High level skills

Delegates will have the opportunity to share their knowledge and ideas on the subject of the enterprise landscape during the breakout sessions, which are designed to focus on three central themes: Creating enterprise readiness; developing higher level skills for small businesses by harnessing the potential of HEIs; and the co-creation of knowledge and the implications for research, policy and practitioners.

Following these sessions, Tim Sheward, Head of Policy and Enterprise for the Northwest Regional Development Agency, will deliver the second keynote speech of the day which will deal with promoting an enterprise culture in the North West.

MMU has a crucial role in providing support to the region's business community through a range of programmes, including EU structural funds and the Higher Education Funding Council's Strategic Development Fund.

Professor Huw Morris, Dean of MMU Business School, said: "We have been particularly active in engaging with enterprise and business support, such as with the Business School serving as the North West regional coordinator for the New Entrepreneur Scholarship. This highly regarded start-up programme was initiated by Gordon Brown and is now funded by the Learning and Skills Council.

New incubator

"We recently set up a business incubator called Innospace, which provides practical support for MMU graduates wanting to establish their own businesses. Furthermore, the Retail Enterprise Network is influential in promoting the regeneration of town and city centres by stimulating more independent retail."

The discussions on the day will serve as an opportunity for the policy and enterprise community to team up with academia to find ways to improve the service provided by universities to businesses and entrepreneurs across the North West.

Attendance has been confirmed from delegates representing a variety of key organisations, including Business Link Northwest, National Federation of Enterprise Agencies and Manchester Chamber of Commerce.

For more about MMU's Centre for Enterprise, go to www.mmucfe.co.uk