Global Graduate Award in Entrepreneurship

Our Global Graduate Award in Entrepreneurship will let you get hands-on with business, working in multidisciplinary teams to solve local and global challenges through entrepreneurial thinking.

Why choose this course

Embark on an enriching journey with our optional course that opens the doors to all students seeking to supercharge their entrepreneurial skills and global perspectives. Imagine workshops, coaching, and an all-expenses-paid field trip, coupled with a hackathon and the chance to network with peers from around the world, spanning Brazil to the USA. Unleash the power of influence, persuasion, and networking prowess while discovering how enterprise and innovation ignite solutions to real-world business challenges.

This dynamic course seamlessly weaves in global themes, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, to ignite your passion for change. You'll collaborate in interdisciplinary teams from diverse subjects like nursing, economics, chemistry, and sociology. This exciting blend not only fosters cultural awareness but also primes you with a pivotal skill desired by employers in an increasingly competitive job market.

The module is open to all students on full-time undergraduate programmes in their first, second and final year of study, and full-time postgraduate students. Students on part-time, distance-learning or Professional Training placements may be considered if there are available places.

Upon successful completion of the module, students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes will be awarded 15 co-curricular credits. Students on postgraduate research courses will receive a certificate.

View our Global Graduate Award in Entrepreneurship video.

What you will study

You will take on a number of practical activities in teams, where you will develop core transferable skills such as: networking, professionalism, team working, reflection, presentation and communication skills. You will also gain business expertise such as digital skills, product development, market research, target market and channel identification, business model development and pitching.

Course details

Modules
  • Enterprise Cube Takeover – this activity will empower students to take responsibility for the running of the campus incubator, the Enterprise Cube, to develop their organisational and commercial awareness, including a proposal for businesses that could run within the incubator;
  • Venture Out (Field Trip) – this activity will involve taking a trip to the grounds of Walton & Hersham FC to meet a graduate entrepreneur, the youngest football club owner in the world! As well as some fun activities at the football club around marketing and personal branding, this trip will provide inspiration and opportunities to develop and build networking skills;
  • Hackathon17 – working in groups, students will deploy the skills, knowledge and attributes developed during the Global Graduate Award and elsewhere to find viable solutions to significant business and societal challenges. Leading, working in teams, pitching (or supporting a pitch) and working under pressure will be central to this activity;
  • UGPN Global Academy – this activity will allow you to connect with the world by working with students from across the UGPN global partnership Universities on projects that tackle global challenges. There will be a number of led sessions and team working in between;
  • Hype Challenge – working with a local entrepreneurial company, this activity will allow you to get first-hand experience of the challenges faced by entrepreneurs and will help you understand the importance of creating solutions that have economic impact;
  • Documentary – this final activity will allow students to demonstrate all they have learnt through participation in the Global Graduate Award by capturing their experiences and reflections in a way that is relevant and engaging, in blog and vlog format.
Timetable

The course is run on campus on set dates throughout the year, mostly Wednesday afternoons, with the exception of hackathon17 which is run across a weekend.

See “Contact hours” for details.

Teaching

The course consists of six core team activities.

Activities will be in different venues across campus so keep an eye on our messages as we will send information on each to the students who take part.

Staff

The team behind the GGA in entrepreneurship is Dr Shelini Surendran (FHMS), Claire Hobson (FABSS), Dr Martin Hawes (FHMS) and Dr Ekaterina Murzacheva (FABSS).

Assessment

There are no traditional exams in the GGA entrepreneurship.

You will instead:

  • Create a modern documentary of the course, by engaging your digital skills in recording or writing your reflections in blog or vlog format. This will demonstrate all you have learnt along the way, as a personal and thoughtful account of your entrepreneurial journey.

Undertake a group pitch as part of the hackathon17 activity, pitching back your innovative product or service start-up that helps tackle one of the Sustainable Development Goals. This will demonstrate your understanding of how innovation and entrepreneurship can improve the planet and economy.

Contact hours

Venture out

Wednesday 4 December (1pm – 8pm)

Hackathon 17

15 - 16 of February 10am-4pm Sat and Sunday;

Semi-finals 5 minute video submission: 6pm deadline.

Finals: 24 of February 5-7pm

Global venture network

March 2025

Hype challenge

Wednesday 16 and 23 of April: 1pm – 4pm

Documentary deadline

7 of May

Resit week

Assignments launched on 7 of May, resits due on 21.

Calendar

Apply

Please visit our main webpage for further information and application.

Contact

Email the GGA Administration.

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