The University of Leeds has been named the country’s most entrepreneurial university by the Guardian University Awards.

The awards, held annually, are intended to highlight the achievements of universities across fourteen categories including; student experience, teaching excellence, and advancing staff equality. Leeds was awarded the prize for “Entrepreneurship”, a category “Awarded to an initiative that encourages a spirit of creativity and self-belief that helps students to launch their own enterprises”, for projects such as the Spark initiative which helps students set up their own business by helping gain access to grants and mentoring.

Leeds also finished as a runner up in the “Business partnership” category, “Awarded to an outstanding university partnership with a business or an industry – regional, national or international – with lasting impact for students, staff and the university”, being beaten to the prize by Coventry University.

Kairen Skelly, who accepted the award for Entrepreneurship on the night, told The Gryphon: “We are delighted to have won the Guardian University Award for Entrepreneurship which reflects the ongoing commitment and recognition of the enterprise ecosystem that has been created at the University. The Spark team truly believe that the University of Leeds has the most talented and highest quality entrepreneurs.  Consistently these young men and women are spotting gaps in the market and are producing innovative, credible and viable business ideas. Together with the substantial support and mentorship we provide, they are building the foundations to deliver scalable and highly profitable businesses.”

The awards follow hot on the heels of Leeds being ranked the 6th best university in the country according to the Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey, capping off a good week for the University. 

Benjamin Cook

Image: Alica Canter/The Guardian