New scheme to support graduate enterprise

New social enterprises will be launched by entrepreneurial University of Wolverhampton students as part of a scheme which aims to benefit the local community.

From this term, the University will encourage students, graduates and staff to start commercial ventures which also have the aspiration to provide benefits to the community before making a profit.

Wolverhampton is one of a group of universities to have been offered £25,000 and additional support to develop social enterprise business models to assist both its graduates and the areas in which it has campuses.

The support is from the UnLtd organisation, which represents a network of committed business professionals from all sectors of society who help social entrepreneurs, and the higher education funding agency, HEFCE.

Steve Moore, Deputy Director for Graduate Enterprise at the University, said: “We are extremely pleased to have been selected as a partner by UnLtd.  The University has always been committed to supporting enterprise and this gives us scope to create up to 10 new socially aware businesses during the coming year.”

The University is already looking at possible ventures through its School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure which are intended to generate employment and learning opportunities for graduates.

The scheme aligns with the University’s new Enterprise and Employability strategy, which focuses on supporting students to develop employability skills and supporting graduates to develop their employment options.

The University has campuses in Wolverhampton, Walsall, Telford and Burton.

ENDS

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