Universities ‘can drive innovation’

According to the Independent, universities have an important role to play in fostering UK innovation, with 70 per cent of the country's 200 fastest-growing companies started by graduates.

The report revealed that embedding enterprise and entrepreneurship education across all disciplines and faculties is a major challenge

Paul Hannon

Director of Research and Education

NCGE

However, the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE) believes that more can be done to increase the contribution which universities make towards enterprise in Britain, with a study finding around half of the UK's institutions having entrepreneurial characteristics.

Paul Hannon, Director of Research and Education for the NCGE, told the newspaper: "The report revealed that embedding enterprise and entrepreneurship education across all disciplines and faculties is a major challenge, but we have made significant headway in fostering the right climate and conditions to do that.

He said entrepreneurial characteristics can be integrated into the full university infrastructure, with initiatives such as increased training for staff and competitions for starting business suggested as ways to encourage graduates to set up their own ventures.

Last month, the Northwest Regional Development Agency announced five universities in the region will undertake the NCGE's Enterprise Champions programme to boost graduate entrepreneurial skills.