Glyndŵr University gives lessons in entrepreneurship for Global Entrepreneur Week 2008

Watch a 60-second video of the Zone launch

Glyndŵr University has joined forces with the University of Illinois and some of the UK’s leading universities to champion its entrepreneurial message.

The Wrexham university has taken part in an international virtual conference to mark Enterprise Week, with backing from the Welsh Assembly.

Enterprise Week, which ran from Monday 17 – Sunday 23 November, is a celebration of enterprise with thousands of events happening up and down the UK.  This year, for the first time, Enterprise Week formed part of Global Entrepreneur Week.

On Friday 21 November Glyndŵr University joined the universities of Illinois (a world top 25 university), Nottingham (the THES’ leading entrepreneurial university), Coventry and Cardiff in a live video link. Along with the Welsh Assembly Government, they debated the future direction of how entrepreneurial measures can be further incorporated into academia.

The event featured Glyndŵr University staff and students alongside members of the business support community. The aims of the event were threefold:

• to introduce colleagues to others working in the field;
• to discuss best practice in order to develop and grow;
• to help Glyndŵr University build on its strong reputation as a truly global and entrepreneurial establishment.

Mary Bradley, Head of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning at Glyndŵr University, said: “We are very confident that we can learn an enormous amount from these universities and, equally, that we have a lot to offer.  

“Our ultimate ambition is to develop students’ awareness of enterprise and entrepreneurial thinking, with a view to maximising the extent to which students and graduates can take control of realising their own aspirations.

“We also aim to become even more innovative and responsive to the needs of business, local communities and other stakeholders. To achieve this our staff need to be at the forefront of new thinking, and events like this are crucial. I really appreciate the support of the Welsh Assembly Government in helping us to put these events on and for recognising the value of developing entrepreneurship in education.“

The video conference is just one of the activities that Glyndŵr University was engaged in to mark Enterprise Week.

On Monday 17 November the university launched its extra-curricular activity service, Zone, and on Wednesday 19th it hosted an exploration of the application of ideas and creativity in business. On Friday the virtual conference was followed by a Zone members’ dinner at the university and the awarding of prizes to individuals who were involved in Enterprise Week activities.