Role of UK the education system in SME capacity building

1. Role of UK the education system in SME capacity building Dr Alf Crossman Director of Part-time (International) Programmes School of Management

2. Introduction • For the majority of UK universities, strong links with industry are essential • There is now more emphasis placed on building university-industry links in all academic areas • There must be mutual benefit for parties involved • Financial/non-financial • Long-term relationships are more desirable • Majority of the focus is on the ‘human factor’ • Improving organisational effectiveness through employees • Skills training • Change management • Business process re-engineering

3. Bridging Business and Science (BBaS) • GROW Project • European Union Funded • June 2005 – Dec 2007 • Network of 5 Regional Authorities • Andalusia, Spain • Emilia-Romagna, Italy • Noord-Brabant, The Netherlands • Malopolska, Poland • South East England • Aims • Green Growth – Environmental • Business Growth – Business cooperation, innovation and entrepreneurship • Inclusive Growth – Employment and social inclusion

4. Executive Education and CPD • Executive Development Programmes –for practicing managers to develop their knowledge and skills though a structured programme of study (e.g. MBA) contributing to membership of a professional body and achieving a Masters Degree qualification • Customised Training Solutions – working closely with clients to develop structured and bespoke training, programmes can be designed and implemented supporting clients in achieving organisational objectives • Senior Management Programme – our specialists in leadership, coaching and mentoring can work with clients to develop their essential skills for becoming be more effective at senior management/board level • Management Development Community and CPD – the School offers regular seminars and workshops on a wide range of topical issues that ensures that managers learn from the wider community of professional manager-practitioners

5. Breakfast Seminars Various management/HRD subjects • Competency-based • Leadership • Negotiation skills • Communications • Decision-making • Knowledge-based • Marketing • Finance/accounting • The ‘Doing Business In’ series • e.g. Doing Business in Russia • British Chamber of Commerce • St Petersburg • Moscow

6. Executive Coaching • Employing 20 highly experienced coaches • Working with individual managers • To improve their efficiency • Sectors include: • Consultancy firms • Legal firms • IT • Voluntary sector

7. MBA Action Cases • MBA students provide consultancy to local SMEs • Usually in pairs or small teams • Duration, usually circa 3 months • Project-based consultancy • Particular ‘problem’ • Free to host organisation • Mutual benefit • Organisation • Free access to objective scrutiny of the problem • Unbiased analysis and recommendations • Student/s • Access to ‘real-world’ problems • Potential for post-graduation employment • Research for dissertation

8. Industrial Placement Students • In the Professional Training Year Programme undergraduates undertake industry placements an a variety off types of organisation SMS through to MNE • A company can employ, for a limited period - usually 1 year - an intelligent and committed individual who will immediately contribute to the effectiveness of your organisation • Additionally, it enhances links between the organisation and the University.

9. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships • A company has a strategic business research project for which it needs outside expertise. A university (the ‘Knowledge Base’) provides the expertise through an academic • The partnership employs recently qualified graduate/s (the ‘Associate’) to work in company to manage the project, whilst also being supervised by the university academic (the Knowledge Base Partner’) • Projects last 1 to 3 years: Most are 2 years long • Government subsidy of 50% or 67% (depending on size of company)

10. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

11. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships • Company benefits: • Average profits increase by £220,000 per year • University benefits: • Research papers • Teaching case studies • Income • Graduate benefits: • Fast track career development. • 70% offered permanent job with company after project ends

12. Example • Company: Premier Tax Free (UK) Limited (15 employees) • Knowledge base: University of Surrey (School of Management) • 1 Associate • Project aim: To Map existing systems and then redesign and implement new work processes and systems throughout the VAT refunding side of the business

13. Consultancy • Academic • Initiated by the University or the individual • Covered by the University indemnity policies • Full access to University resources/facilities • E-mail • Logos • Stationery • Administrative support provided • Independent • Initiated by individual academics • Not covered by Universities indemnities - personal liability • No access to University resources/facilities

14. School of Management Consulting • School of Management • Dr Spinder Dhaliwal, BA, MBA, PhD • Professor David Gray, BSc, MA, MSc, CertEd, PhD • Dr Liz Lee-Kelley, MBA, PhD • Dr Alf Crossman, DipPM, MA, PhD • Combination of • Academic consultancy • Individual consultancy

15. MSc in Entrepreneurship • 6 Core modules • Entrepreneurial Marketing • Entrepreneurial Strategy • Entrepreneurship and Creativity • Financial Management • Organisational Behaviour • Research Methods • 2 Elective modules from a choice of 5 • Enterprise for Creative Industries • Franchising • Innovation Management • Social Entrepreneurship • Technological Entrepreneurship • Dissertation

16. Summary • Numerous ways for universities and industry to cooperate • Increasing interest in UK universities to assist SMEs outside the UK/EU • Collaboration through Chambers of Commerce, British Council, BBaS programme • Aiming for mutual benefit – win/win • University of Surrey has considerable experience in the field

17. Thank You Questions