Landmark Issue 19 2021 SINGLE PAGES

36 LANDMARK ENTERPRISE Our growing reputation for entrepreneurial success has been recognised in the annual Times Higher Education (THE) Awards 2020. The University was one of only six finalists in the ‘Outstanding Entrepreneurial University’ category of the 16 th THE Awards, widely known as the “Oscars of higher education.” The biggest celebration of UK higher education in the calendar, the THE Awards recognise outstanding work across a wide range of university activity, covering leadership and management, professional services and academia. Our Enterprise Programme provides a supportive environment for students to develop their enterprise skills and business ideas via its Think, Try, Launch, Grow framework of support. The Programme has been supporting students for over 13 years to get involved with enterprise to explore and develop their business ideas. Also, the University provides access to two live student-led social enterprises Cotswold Hills wine and Muddy Wellies beer, both stocked widely in retail outlets including Mid-Counties Co-Op andWaitrose. Proceeds from these social enterprises also contribute to the proof of concept funding available to students wanting to test their ideas. Dr David Bozward, Head of the School of Business and Entrepreneurship, said: “We were delighted to have been shortlisted for ‘Outstanding Entrepreneurial University’ in these prestigious THE Awards. As a university, we have developed close links between our degree curriculum and the student enterprise activities which means students develop a more in-depth understanding of entrepreneurship. A good example of this is our BSc (Hons) Rural Entrepreneurship and Enterprise degree which supports students who have a business idea as well as those who want to take over an existing business.” In 2019, we were awarded the title of ‘Enterprising Learning Provider of the Year’ at the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI) and IOEE awards and recognised as a Enterprising Learning Provider of the Year. Admissions Teams win Outstanding Contribution to HE. Our Admissions Team, along with all Higher Education (HE) Admissions teams across the sector, won the Award for Outstanding Contribution to HE for how they worked so well during the summer exam results period by dealing with very anxious and distressed applicants and their parents. Jennie Stewart, who led our Admissions Team during this difficult period, commented: “Our own Admissions Teamwere exemplary during this very difficult year, being exceptionally calm and reassuring with the applicants in the face of so much uncertainty around the changing exam result algorithms and decision-making methods.” THE Award finalists 2020