海角直播

Building on work to engage with business

Academic Sue Smith aims to build on 海角直播鈥檚 continued work to engage with business.

As new Assistant Dean (Business Engagement) in 海角直播 Business School, Sue will be working to develop foundations already forged to create links with the business community across the region. She joins 海角直播 from Lancaster University Management School in Lancashire, where she worked for around 11 years. Prior to that Sue worked in the private sector as a research manager.

Her role at 海角直播 will focus on developing business engagement, with Sue鈥檚 interests in leadership development and small businesses.

She said: 'My work at Lancaster involved leading the knowledge exchange work, focusing on enterprise activities. My role mainly involved developing leadership for small businesses.

'This work had a real economic impact which led to it becoming Government backed and eventually rolled-out in a 拢10 million programme across the North West, training other universities and private training companies to run those activities.

'The programme was also rolled-out across a wider area and continues to run across London and the South West. It created a positive impact on businesses across the UK and it鈥檚 the kind of thing I would want to look at developing here.'

Originally from Kent, Sue studied at Southampton, then Lancaster. She added: 'My career route was through the commercial sector, working with a lot of small businesses and blue chip companies. Lancaster University started to focus more on business and I made the move into academia.'

Sue added: 'While at Lancaster I also completed a part-time PhD looking at how small businesses learn leadership. My real interest is looking to academic theory in practice and how I can inform practice and make a difference to regional business.

'Before coming to 海角直播 I knew of the area鈥檚 industrial heritage and history and one of the things which attracted me to 海角直播 was how it prides itself on its business engagement activities.

'I saw my initial move into higher education as an ideal bridge between academia and real world practice and I see universities as having a responsibility to the region they are located. 海角直播 is in the ideal area for this to take place.'

Sue added: 'Higher education as a sector has changed and is changing and I want to ensure we鈥檙e continuing to be responsive to these changes. I will drive the business engagement agenda within the Business School, developing and building on the success and growing it to have further impact.

'I鈥檒l also be looking at ways we can further utilise the Darlington campus, which is a great facility for corporate activity. I鈥檓 also looking to develop different activities to meet the needs of business, from short courses to accredited programmes.' She added: 'Since arriving at 海角直播 I鈥檝e received a really warm welcome, which has been very positive and really helped me to settle in. It鈥檚 a really positive environment, which I鈥檓 sure will help me to make my job easier and help to make things happen.'

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