University of Plymouth academics feature in Blue Skies thinking

The chapter ‘How higher education can drive enterprise revolution’ – has been released today as part of Blue Skies, a collection of new ideas about the future of the university sector, published by the Pearson Centre for Policy and Learning. The book, which features articles from leading figures including David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, and Sir Alan Langlands, Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE), was unveiled in London today. Professor Wendy Purcell, Vice-Chancellor of the University, and the only Vice-Chancellor to be featured in the study, and her Policy Adviser Caroline Chipperfield, were invited to contribute their ideas on how an enterprise-led culture can be created and sustained in a university. Professor Purcell said: “Establishing an enterprise culture must be rooted into the teaching and research activities of the institution but requires a genuine change of emphasis. It relies upon leveraging against the creativity and innovation of staff and students and is sustained by new ways of working based on partnership. “Plymouth University embraced an enterprise agenda several years ago that has created opportunities for our staff, students and wider community, to develop their ideas that are distinguishing our university. We're very much a university that's leading the way here.