Collaborations, courses, and competitions: Developing entrepreneurship programmes at UCL

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to detail a range of collaborative programmes developed by University College London (UCL) and the London Business School (LBS). These schemes have been developed to exploit synergies between the two institutions with the aim of promoting entrepreneurship within the fields of science and technology.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reports on the organisation and delivery of programmes drawing upon a detailed attendance statistics for UCL participants in the programme between 2,000 and 2006.

Research limitations/implications

Many of the UCL research students who have participated in these programmes are only now reaching the end of their study or research programmes. Thus, it has not, as yet, been possible to complete a longitudinal survey to consider the impact of these programmes on entrepreneurial outcomes. These analyses will be reported in subsequent papers.

Practical implications

Staff and students of both institutions report great enthusiasm for these collaborative activities and the authors are now focussed on their extension beyond the end of the current funding regime. It is believed that the collaborations described may form a model that can be adapted to other partnerships between science and engineering faculties and business schools.

Originality/value

This scheme is original in its focus on support for post‐graduate activities between two proximate yet quite separate world‐class institutions with radically different student intakes, and operational/business models. It is believed that the paper presents a useful model for those seeking to implement similar collaborative programmes.

Citation

Chapman, D. and Skinner, J. (2006), "Collaborations, courses, and competitions: Developing entrepreneurship programmes at UCL", Education + Training, Vol. 48 No. 5, pp. 386-397. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400910610677081