1. Wray Irwin
Deputy Director of Social Innovation and Enterprise
The University of Northampton
Successful Social Enterprise in a UK University:
The Case of the University of Northampton

2. Northampton in the UK
c 70 miles North of London
c 270,000 population
Mixed economy, traditional
industries replaced by light
manufacturing, high-tech.
engineering, service sector

3. What are we famous for
Some facts about Northampton
•Between 11th
and 13th
Centuries it was capital of England
•Loosing side in the civil war
•Rebelled against 5 English monarchs
•3rd
oldest university in UK (but see point above)
•Shoes, rubbish and the lift tower

4. Yes a lift tower

5. Yes a lift tower

6. The University of Northampton
Some facts and figures
•c 14,600 students in 2012
•70% full time
•60% female, 40% male
•55% over 21
•90% undergraduate, 10% postgraduate
•83% UK students, 17% international

7. The University of Northampton
• Arts
• Education
• Health
• Northampton Business School
• Science and Technology
• Social Sciences
Six Schools and Two Campuses

8. The University of Northampton
• Position 102 out of 129 UK universities
• Graduate employment 90%
• World renown leather centre
• World renown waste management centre
State of the Nation 2009

9. The University of Northampton
• Raising the Bar
• 3 clear objectives
• Top 50 university by 2015
• Top 10 for student experience
• # 1 UK University for Social Enterprise
New Vice Chancellor

10. Social enterprise and UK universities
• Social enterprise increasingly important
• A ‘new model’ flexible, dynamic and cost effective model for service delivery and transformation
• Social enterprise supported by all mainstream political parties
• UK universities good at following developments!
• Social enterprise moving from a niche specialism to more mainstream education
• New research, learning material, degree programmes , student societies, external speakers etc
• Very small government funding to support social enterprise via HEFCE – UnLtd engagement
• But there was lots of ‘guerrilla’ activity happening at grass roots
The national picture

11. Social enterprise in UK universities
• Over 115 UK universities have ‘social enterprise’ information on their websites
• Said Business School, Oxford, Skoll Centre for social enterprise (1-2 academics)
• Judge Business School, Cambridge (1-2 academics)
• Middlesex University research centre (c 10 academics and researchers)
• Lots of small ‘pockets’ of activity, normally located in one Faculty or Department
• Student Hubs http://oxfordhub.org/xwiki/bin/view/Oxford+Hub/ and others
• Increasing numbers of Masters programmes and undergraduate modules
• A developing area
• Northampton the only university to have a whole institution integrated focus on
social enterprise
Examples of activity

12. University of Northampton Management
• 2010 new Vice Chancellor, new ambition, new mission
• ‘Raising the Bar’ strategy – publicly committed Northampton to be #1 UK HEI for social enterprise
by 2015
• Change management tactic – tell the world you are going to do it, then you have to do it!
• Visible and consistent leadership from the Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer
• Proven project manager with strong ‘enterprise’ record
• Social enterprise in Northampton funded by Higher Education Innovation Fund allocation (£1.2m
p.a. = c $1.8m)
• Define core values for social enterprise strategy
• Define key strategic activities
• Be hyper-active and communicate all the time!
What we did to be #1 UK social enterprise university

13. Social Enterprise
• Provide a unique student experience of the very highest quality, developing both theoretical and
practical competence in social enterprise
• Encourage, support and develop entrepreneurial skills and enterprising attitudes in students, staff
and communities we work with
• Strive to deliver a fairer and more inclusive society
Underpinning values

14. It’s more than modules
• You don’t have to do a social enterprise degree to be socially enterprising
• Attitudes, values and behaviour more important than specific qualifications
• Can be a socially entrepreneurial artist, scientist, lawyer, accountant, dentist, teacher etc
• Philosophy underpinning learning and research is vital
• Extra-curricular opportunities very important – Enterprise Club crucial to Northampton
• Promotion of a socially enterprising university should be different
Socially enterprising university models

15. Yes a lift tower

16. Mission Accomplished: UK #1 HEI by 2013
• 47th
in University league table
• 97% of graduates in graduate employment
• #1 for Social Enterprise, Ashoka U designation.
• Supported over 3,200 social enterprise clients
• Generated over £1M new income
• Helped over 50 students/graduates set up new social enterprises
• Influenced social enterprise policy and practice
• Provided over 300s placement/internship opportunities
• New research
• New learning opportunities
What have we done?

17. The future
• Build on Change-maker Campus network
• New educational offer: new students, new staff
• Social Innovation on every corner
• Move to new ‘leadership model’ to drive innovation
• Embed social impact/value in all activities
• New University, new site, based on Change-maker
principles
2013 - 2018

18. Where are we now?
The
Cube St
Johns
Park Campus
Avenue Campus
Waterside
+

19. What are our plans?

20. Thank you
for listening