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4 Apr 2005 17:23:29
The majority of people in Luton and the surrounding area are unaware of the huge role that the University of Luton plays in the local economy.
That was one of the points raised by Professor Les Ebdon, Vice Chancellor of the University of Luton, at the most recent Luton Breakfast Club meeting, where he gave a talk on reinventing a University for the 21st Century.
“Many people are unaware that the University of Luton contributes more than £135m to the local economy every year,” said Professor Ebdon.
“This contribution comes via numerous channels, including our successful Business Services Department, which has been a hub for knowledge and skills development for some time.
“We have trained more than 8,000 employees from SMEs over the last five years, and supported business via our M1 Knowledge Exchange, and the Basics for Building a Business seminars for entrepreneurs. We are in the top three universities for business interaction in the country.”
One of the success stories from the Building a Business course is Matt Aitkenhead from Wilstead in Bedfordshire. At just 25, Matt is gearing up for his Sticmatz product to appear on supermarket shelves, following a £10,000 i10 Enterprise Fellowship Scheme, which the University directed him towards.
Professor Ebdon said: “Matt is an excellent example of how the University played a key role in supporting a young entrepreneur. Our seminars gave him the guidance he needed and the confidence to pursue his dream.
“His distributor is anticipating a minimum million unit sales by the end of the year in the UK. This is remarkable, and shows what can be achieved with the right support and expertise.”
Outlining the way forward for the University over the coming years, Professor Ebdon said: “We are going through a period of change with the introduction of variable fees and we have adapted to deal with this.
“However, our aim is to continue to develop the capability of people, advance their knowledge and contribute to their economic success. Our relationship with the local business community feeds into this ethos.
“Luton is a modern University, committed to providing access to higher education, creating and growing business and providing skilled employees in Luton.”
For further details on seminars for those starting out in business or on enterprise schemes, contact the Knowledge Hub on 0800 328 5334.
Latest news» 2005» Apr» VC Spells out University's £135m Contribution to Local Economy
