Building confidence, capability and community at Aston University
We are pleased to welcome Aston University as an Initiator Member of the UIIN community. Through its Aston Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship1, the university has developed a distinctive, practice-led approach to nurturing entrepreneurial capability, supporting startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and strengthening applied university–industry collaboration.
We recently spoke with Carolyn Keenan, Head of Aston Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, about how the university structures its enterprise activity, why inclusive entrepreneurship sits at the heart of its work, and how partnership thinking shapes both local and international engagement.
Enterprise as part of the institutional DNA
At Aston, innovation and entrepreneurship are not positioned as add-ons to teaching and research. Rather, they are embedded in the university’s identity and strategy. The recently launched Aston Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, known as ACEE, builds on more than a decade of experience under its previous identity as the Aston Centre for Growth.
Innovation, entrepreneurship is part of Aston’s DNA. It’s really embedded right from when we very first started, before we became a university in 1966.
This historical grounding matters. Aston was originally established to support local industry, and that applied orientation continues to shape its approach today. Most degree programmes and much of its research are practice-focused, whether in health, engineering or business. The Centre’s structure reflects that applied ethos, creating a pathway from early entrepreneurial awareness through to SME scaling support.
Three pillars; Learn, start and grow
The new Centre structure brings together activity under three clear pillars: learn, start and grow.
The learn pillar focuses on building entrepreneurial mindset and capability across students, graduates and increasingly staff. Activity ranges from short workshops and curriculum-embedded sessions to challenge-based learning connected to real-world problems such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The emphasis is not simply on start-up formation, but on cultivating enterprising behaviours that are transferable across contexts.
It’s all about helping our beneficiaries develop a growth mindset. Spotting opportunities, engaging with innovation and entrepreneurship, giving them the tools to become more enterprising.
This early-stage work feeds into the start pillar, where students and graduates with what is described as “a kernel of an idea” receive structured support. For example, the Apollo programme2 offers a four-week business validation experience, while BSEEN3 provides a twelve-month start-up support pathway for viable ventures.
The grow pillar, focuses on established SMEs seeking to scale. Here, Aston delivers programmes such as the Help to Grow Management Course4 as well as SME leadership and management programmes focusing on growth, sustainability leadership and the social economy. Aston has also been a partner in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK5 Programme since 2011.
Taken together, the three pillars create continuity. Participants can move from awareness and skills development through to venture creation and business growth, while SMEs can engage with the university in ways that evolve over time.
Inclusive entrepreneurship in a diverse city
A defining feature of Aston’s enterprise strategy is its commitment to inclusivity. Located in Birmingham, one of the UK’s most diverse cities, the university serves a significant number of first-generation students and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds.
For many students, the barriers to entrepreneurship are not only financial but social and psychological. Networks, role models and confidence can be unevenly distributed. The Centre therefore places strong emphasis on building social capital alongside technical capability.
It’s about increasing their social capital so they have confidence that starting a business or developing some of those enterprising skills will help them in their careers.
This focus extends beyond venture creation. Developing intrapreneurial capability within larger organisations is viewed as equally valuable. The aim is to equip participants with agency, adaptability and opportunity recognition, regardless of career path.
From SME engagement to deeper collaboration
On the business side, Aston’s approach is shaped by the realities facing SMEs. Many of those are ambitious but resource-constrained, particularly in terms of leadership time.
Encouraging business owners to step away from day-to-day pressures and invest time in structured programmes can be difficult. Yet those who do participate frequently report tangible benefits, from clearer growth strategies to stronger peer networks.
Importantly, engagement does not end with programme completion. A notable example of Aston’s integrated model is the number of SMEs that first engage through the Centre and are later referred into Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. These partnerships connect businesses with academic expertise and dedicated associates to address specific innovation challenges.
This creates a progression pathway from initial engagement to deeper research collaboration, demonstrating how enterprise support can serve as a gateway into broader university capabilities.
Space, proximity and partnership
Physical infrastructure also plays a strategic role. The enterprise team is based in John Cadbury House, home to an enterprise hub designed as a clear front door for business engagement. Employer-facing colleagues are co-located, making it easier for external partners to navigate the institution.
A new business school building, due to open shortly, will further strengthen this interface. It includes a dedicated business hub for high-growth technology firms, alongside a health hub connecting community members with academics and practitioners from the health faculty. These developments form part of a wider Birmingham innovation precinct initiative.
Underlying all of this is a consistent philosophy of partnership. This applies locally, nationally and internationally. As Aston expands its global presence, collaboration remains central, whether through regional SME ecosystems or international networks. on capability before technological solutions, the Centre helps businesses build more resilient foundations for change.
Looking outward
For Aston University, enterprise is both a strategic priority and a cultural inheritance. The task now is to continue scaling activity while protecting the applied, inclusive ethos that defines its work. By strengthening progression pathways, deepening SME relationships, and embedding partnership thinking across teaching and research, Aston continues to demonstrate how enterprise can serve as a bridge between university capability and real-world need. It is precisely this outward-looking approach that makes conversations within the wider UIIN community both relevant and timely.
References
- https://www.aston.ac.uk/business/acee
- https://www.aston.ac.uk/business/acee/start
- https://b-seen.biz/
- https://www.aston.ac.uk/business/acee/grow/help-to-grow-management
- https://www.goldmansachs.com/community-impact/10000-small-businesses/uk
Interested in learning more?
You can find out more about Aston University by visiting their website or by connecting with the team on LinkedIn.
Join a global community shaping the future of universities
Aston University is one of many universities and organisations around the world redefining how higher education engages with industry, government, and society. As a UIIN Member, you’ll gain access to this global network of forward-thinking institutions, connect with peers tackling similar challenges, and exchange insights on innovation, entrepreneurship, and societal impact.
Whether you want to strengthen your partnerships, build internal capacity, or stay ahead of emerging trends — UIIN Membership gives you the platform and connections to do it.
Luca Barbera (author) is a Project Officer at UIIN. His work encompasses a broad spectrum of research topics, including sustainability, deep tech, engagement practices for universities and academics, with a particular emphasis on the valorisation of results.
