Press Release: EMBARGOED UNTIL 12 NOON 16th SEPT 08
University of Huddersfield in Association with
Royal Armouries (International) plc & Fosters Chartered Accountants

Theo Paphitis Launches New Business Degree Course

PHOTO CALL OPPORTUNITY AND PRESS CONFERENCE 12 NOON 16th SEPT 08

Dragons Den celebrity and self-made retail millionaire Theo Paphitis will launch  Huddersfield University’s new BA Honours degree in Enterprise Development at SAVILES Hall in Leeds on the 16th of September 2008. As part of his day in Leeds, Theo will address over 600 students representing 300 high schools who have all been invited to ‘An Audience with Theo’…

The distinctive new degree – which tongue-in-cheek has been described as a ‘pracademic’ - has been designed to help young entrepreneurs start and run their own business whilst studying for a degree… over the 3 year period of their studies they will also have the opportunity to talk to several successful entrepreneurs including Theo who has agreed to mentor the students with his very own ‘Masterclass’…

Other inputs will come from world-renowned business guru Michael Gerber who has influenced and supported the business development part of the degree. Gerber argues: “We need to re-invent the way we start a business…the current thinking isn’t working and hasn’t worked properly for over 30yrs... too many small businesses still fail in the first 5 years of their existence…this must stop”. Building businesses to succeed is a sentiment shared by Huddersfield University’s Professor on Entrepreneurship, John Thompson, who stated; “Most people who start a business are good at the technical aspects of what they are doing …be it web design or language translation, chiropody or fashion design … what they are typically less good at is running a business and this affects the growth potential. In large part this is because they never trained to run a business; they trained to be a technician and they became expert at that. This degree will change the way a would-be entrepreneur starts and runs the business from the outset”

The BA Enterprise Development, which was the brain child of Professor Thompson, has also been heavily supported by Chris Owen, the Marketing Director of Royal Armouries (International) plc, and Hugh Foster from Foster’s Chartered Accountants. Chris Owen said “At a time when money has become a scarce commodity, getting the business model right first time has become an even bigger challenge. The BA Hons in Enterprise Development has been designed as an entirely new concept and in my opinion will almost certainly re-invent and reshape the way we start and run a business in the future”…

For more information on the course please contact the Huddersfield University Business School on 01484 472206.

Latest Press Reports and news coverage.

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ENDS

Chris Shaw
Director
Pink Elephant PR
Tel:- +44 1484 341 001
Mob:- 07971 167 983
E-Mail:- chris@pinkelephantpr.com

Chris Owen
Marketing Director
Royal Armouries (International) plc
Armouries Drive, Leeds, LS10 1LT
Mobile; 07770 525 413
Tel +44 113 220 1906
Email: chris.owen@rai-events.co.uk

Note to Journalists:

BA (Hons) Enterprise Development
University of Huddersfield Business School

KEY POINTS

Students start their own business as well as learn about the necessary business disciplines.

They learn about business and they learn both by and from doing.

The programme deals with the development of the product or service, the would-be entrepreneur and the actual business.

In the first year the focus is on identifying and screening a number of ideas to find a real opportunity worth pursuing. The second year is all about developing this and starting a business. In the third year the business is up-and-running and credits are gained from this experiential learning.

Most types of business are relevant and possible and there is some opportunity to study more technical support modules from across the University.

Students will network with successful ‘role model’ entrepreneurs, professional experts and external mentors as well as the Business School staff.

There is on-campus business incubation support from the University’s Business Mine.

All potential students will be interviewed. As well as good A-level grades or equivalent we are looking for people who have already demonstrated entrepreneurial inclinations – and there are many ways in which this can be done! – and who are clear about their intent to be self employed and do something for themselves. There are no ‘must-have-done’ prior subjects.

The first cohort is scheduled for September 2009.

Latest Press Reports and news coverage.

The Guardian
This is Money
Yorkshire Evening Post
The Appoinment
SME Business news
The Business Desk
Business Opportunities and Ideas
Huddersfield Examiner
Hill Rich
Accounting Web
ACC Jobs
Connect Yorkshire
High beam Research