Thursday, April 3rd 2008, 08.45 to 14.00

The Centre for Enterprise at MMU are hosting an event which is intended to critically review the role of universities in the provision of business support within the Northwest of England. We also see this as an opportunity for politicians, policy-makers and academics to examine the way in which the landscape of enterprise, and the related support activities, will change over the next 5 to 10 years.

Manchester Metropolitan University provides a significant amount of support to the business community through a range of programmes including EU structural funds and HEFCE’s Strategic Development Fund. Within MMU Business School, we have been particularly active in engaging with enterprise and business support. For example, MMUBS is the Northwest regional coordinator for the New Entrepreneur Scholarship (NES). This highly regarded start-up programme was initiated by Gordon Brown and is now funded by the Learning and Skills Council. We have recently initiated a business incubator (Innospace) which provides practical support for MMU graduates wanting to establish their own businesses. The Retail Enterprise Network (REN) is influential in promoting the regeneration of town and city centres by stimulating more independent retailers.

Please contact Alison Brooker or 0161 247 3951 for further details or look at the agenda or sign up now