Anglia Ruskin University’s Faculty of Business and Law has received the Small Business Charter Award for its commitment to small businesses, regional economies and student entrepreneurship.
The Small Business Charter Award is a national accreditation, assessed by small business leaders and experts in enterprise education, to recognise business schools which demonstrate excellence in supporting small businesses, student entrepreneurship, and the local economy. The Faculty of Business and Law at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) will hold the award for three years.
The Faculty works closely with businesses across the region to ensure students are equipped with the skills they need for successful graduate careers, as well as offering a range of support, advice and development programmes for SMEs in the area.
Recent projects have helped SMEs find new ways of using data to drive business success, and to decarbonise their organisation, supporting both individual businesses and the wider community.
In addition, the Faculty leads initiatives supporting student entrepreneurship across ARU, including seminars on how to start your own business, and The Big Pitch, an annual contest where students come up with a business idea to pitch to industry experts, with winners receiving cash prizes and other support to get their idea off the ground.
Professor Gary Packham, Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law at Anglia Ruskin University, said: “We are delighted that we have received Small Business Charter accreditation given our commitment to encouraging and supporting enterprise and entrepreneurship.
“We have worked hard to forge strong links with businesses across our region and these partnerships have enhanced our teaching, research and the employability of our graduates.”
Anne Kiem OBE, Executive Director of the Small Business Charter, and Chief Executive of the Chartered Association of Business Schools said: “We are delighted to welcome the Faculty of Business and Law at Anglia Ruskin University into the Small Business Charter’s network of nationally accredited business schools.
“This award demonstrates their excellent range of support for small businesses and student entrepreneurs, and we look forward to working with them as they expand their range of offerings to small business.”