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Teesside University supports global entrepreneurship week

06 November 2012

 

A quartet of national business champions, including BBC business reporter Steph McGovern, will be visiting Teesside University as part of global entrepreneurship week which the University is supporting with a whole host of events.

BBC Breakfast business reporter Steph McGovern will be visiting the University’s Middlesbrough campus along with Jo Fairley, co-founder of the pioneering organic chocolate company, Green & Black's, Professor Graham Leslie, serial entrepreneur and founder of Galpharm International, the largest UK privately owned OTC Pharmaceutical Company and top social entrepreneur Kate Welch OBE DL.

As a leading University for working with business, Teesside has a week packed full of events for students, the public and staff throughout the week from 12 to 16 November to help foster entrepreneurial activity.

In tough economic times business start-ups are important to the government’s plans to create growth. This is especially true in Tees Valley which is underperforming in terms of economic growth, employment and enterprise.

A feature of the Tees Valley is the widening gap between richer and poorer with an employment rate lower than the national average which is especially marked among 18 – 24 year olds. The number of enterprises and business units also remains well below the national average.

To help embed social enterprise in higher education, the University has drafted in top social entrepreneur Kate Welch OBE DL to offer specialist support and we will be kicking off the week with special sessions for budding social entrepreneurs to meet Kate.

There will be a public audience with Professor Graham Leslie, serial entrepreneur and founder of Galpharm International, the largest UK privately owned OTC Pharmaceutical Company which also created a private research-driven division. Professor Leslie grew up in Middlesbrough.

Jo Fairley, co-founder of the pioneering organic chocolate company, Green & Black's will be a keynote speaker at the staff conference on 15 November. Jo will be talking about her entrepreneurial journey.

Steph McGovern, also a native of Middlesbrough, will be talking to both media students about her own career and to an invited audience from the business community about the current economic climate. Graduate entrepreneurs will also be giving away the secrets of their success and students will have the opportunity to take part in activities and challenges across campus.

Professor Cliff Hardcastle, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Business Engagement at Teesside University, said: 'Teesside University supports Global Entrepreneurship Week because driving excellence in enterprise, nurturing entrepreneurship, and inspiring success is at the heart of our mission as a leading, business-engaged University.

'Our entrepreneurial approach of creative problem solving, innovative research and ultimately commercial success is based on Teesside University's students, graduates and staff working across disciplines - and without boundaries - to deliver transformative enterprise and economic growth.'


 
 
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