Entrepreneurship and innovation are high on the agenda at UCLan

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has set out ambitious plans to further develop its entrepreneurial culture and capacity through a series of staff and student training programmes designed to encourage an innovative and enterprising approach to work and learning.

The two-year, €1.2m funded project aims to deliver training to 645 students and 132 academic and service staff through leadership development programmes, tailored mentoring, network building and online training.

It is part of a European-wide project, ‘Higher Education Innovation Growth and Training (HEIght)’, led by UCLan and funded by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Higher Education Institutions (HEI): Innovation Capacity Building for Higher Education, which aims to boost the entrepreneurial and innovation capacity of HEIs and in turn, benefit the communities in which they operate.

Through HEIght, the University will work with colleagues and students based at its Cyprus campus, alongside the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology and Özyeğin University in Turkey. All will foster the same entrepreneurial approach and will share complementary knowledge and skills across the consortium.

Professor Sue Smith, director of the Centre for SME Development and Propeller Student Enterprise Service, is leading the project.

She said: “Universities such as UCLan and our partners are a major source of the skills and knowledge that drive growth and innovation in our local and regional economies.

“Through the HEIght project we will advance institutional innovation potential whilst developing the skills and competencies of our students, so they are measurably more entrepreneurial, resilient and employable. This will result in a more dynamic workforce throughout partner communities.”

UCLan will implement a ‘train the trainer’ approach to its staff development so that staff piloting the scheme, from the Lancashire School of Business and Enterprise and School of Arts and Media, can take part in the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education (NCEE) leaders’ programme to further advance the entrepreneurial culture of UCLan. This may be through sharing research findings in a way that benefits the local community, finding new ways to help local SMEs or developing a new student support strategy.

Professor Chris Pyke, executive dean of the Lancashire School of Business and Enterprise, said: “Enterprise and innovation are embedded in everything we do as a School and leading on the HEIght project will allow us to develop our students’ entrepreneurial skills even further.

“This will not only benefit them as individuals, but also spur on the institution as a whole and allow us to make a bigger difference and contribution to the region and our partners.”

Students will have access to free online training on enterprise skills developments and start-ups through Propeller, UCLan’s business start-up support team, as well as the chance to become ‘Game Changers’ and use the available resources and network links to implement changes around issues they are passionate about, such as climate change.

UCLan’s first change agent, Elinor Collins (BA (Hons) Religion, Culture and Society) said: "It presents an amazing opportunity for students to realise their own power in making change happen.

“Students are increasingly socially aware, and Game Changers gain new skills and perspectives, joining others to work on current issues that matter, whether that be on campus or in the local community.

“The opportunity offers students the chance for their university experience to really stand out, professionally and personally."

Dr François Nel, reader in media innovation and entrepreneurship at UCLan, will be undertaking action research into how universities can spur on innovation across the whole of their organisations. He said: “This project recognises the hard work we’ve been doing at UCLan to amplify our culture of innovation. This trans-national project is a fantastic opportunity to further develop our activities and research – and increase their impact.”

Abrar Ali Saiyed, assistant professor of entrepreneurship and management at the Graduate School of Management, Özyeğin University, added: "This project helps in creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem for the international students through training, mentoring, and supporting international students for entrepreneurship.

“Working with three reputed partners also gives an opportunity to learn from them. This project will have a long-lasting impact in Turkey and many countries might later replicate this model."

Enjoyed this? Read more from University of Lancashire

Latest news

1

Bellway to build 183 high quality new homes Royal Bowland Park street scene NEW.jpg.jpg

Bellway to build 183 high quality new homes

29 Oct 2025

2

University of Lancashire recognised for entrepreneurship and supporting business growth - Representatives from the University's Business School, local SMEs and the IOEE

University of Lancashire recognised for entrepreneurship and supporting business growth

29 Oct 2025

3

£8bn Typhoon order is great news for Lancashire BAE Typhoon ECRS Mk2 Radar

£8bn Typhoon order is great news for Lancashire

28 Oct 2025

4

Award-winning Lancashire wedding venue and hotel is sold The Mill at Conder Green

Award-winning Lancashire wedding venue and hotel is sold

28 Oct 2025

5

PM+M announces another 19 promotions across the firm PM+M promotions

PM+M announces another 19 promotions across the firm

27 Oct 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
November / December 2025 Magazine Launch Event
Holiday Inn Hotel
Networking
28 Oct 2025 - 18 Nov 2025

November / December 2025 Magazine Launch Event

Holiday Inn, Blackpool

16:46 - 16:45

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Help to grow management course
Help to grow - barriers to growth.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
26 Sep 2025 - 16 Dec 2025

Help to grow management course

Preston Campus , Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 15:00

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 09 Jan 2026

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre

The Small Business Academy, Blackpool, FY4 5JX

09:30 - 15:30

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women
thumbnail_Emma Weston Illustration WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 18 Mar 2026

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:30 - 15:30

Chamber Breakfast Networking – November
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
06 Nov 2025 - 06 Nov 2025

Chamber Breakfast Networking – November

Porsche Centre South Lakes, Carnforth, LA6 1FW

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Police business update with The Police and Crime Commissioner
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Roundtables
10 Nov 2025 - 10 Nov 2025

Lancashire Police business update with The Police and Crime Commissioner

Lancaster Castle, Lancaster, LA1 1YN

14:00 - 16:00

AI, Creativity, and what it means to be human
2.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
11 Nov 2025 - 11 Nov 2025

AI, Creativity, and what it means to be human

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:00

Beyond the Brand: Building trust through values and integrity
1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
11 Nov 2025 - 11 Nov 2025

Beyond the Brand: Building trust through values and integrity

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:00

The Business Network Central and East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
13 Nov 2025 - 13 Nov 2025

The Business Network Central and East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

The AI Lab: E-commerce
Ai Lab ecommerce (1).png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
14 Nov 2025 - 14 Nov 2025

The AI Lab: E-commerce

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 11:30

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin