College of Business and Law Photo Competition

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It’s competition time!

Are you ready to showcase your talent and creativity to the world? Then get ready to snap, click, and share your best shots because we’re launching an all new CBL photo competition.

Whether you’re an amateur with a passion for capturing moments or a seasoned pro with a keen eye for detail, this competition is your chance to shine and be recognized for your talent.

What’s at stake, you ask? Three lucky winners will be featured and credited on our Instagram page @uwebristolcbl for all to see, admire, and appreciate.

You can capture whatever you like, but we encourage entries to feature the College in some way, whether it’s a photograph of the building, or of students enjoying campus life.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to subjects for your photos. Use your creativity and unique perspective to capture moments that resonate with you and showcase the essence of the College of Business and Law.

📝 Here’s how to enter:

Once you’ve captured that perfect shot, submit it to the competition via DM to our Instagram with the message ‘photo competition entry’, or email us at cbl.engagement@uwe.ac.uk with the same subject line. Make sure to include your name, contact information, and a brief description of your photo to give us some insight into your creative process.

Deadline for submission has now been extended to 12pm Friday 22 March.

Good luck!

Climate Change Mitigation and European Food Standards: Understanding the Impacts in South Africa 

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Ines Carter, LLM Alumni, Member of ELSRG

This research places itself in the urgency of the climate crisis and what it means for food security. This question hangs like a Damocles sword on governments. Indeed, the climate crisis destabilizes agricultural activities,[1] therefore, calling for urgent measures on all levels. Such calls include taking mitigation measures to reduce GHG emissions arising from the food systems.[2] One of the ways to do so is through food standards.

Starting from there, what cannot be missed is the consequent use of food standards and especially labels and certifications destined for the consumer. These demand-side measures appear as the favoured mode of action to mitigate GHG emissions. This is because labelling and certification processes can be voluntary or compulsory and contain provisions for compliance. The IPCC supports this idea by stating that the potential for mitigation in food standards is high.[3] However, there is a multiplicity of food standards designed by law-making bodies at the international, regional, and national levels and there are food standards recommended by the companies.

Indeed, the EU acts as the forerunner[4] of food standards that aim to mitigate climate change. Inside the EU, there are however difficulties encountered by the standards, such as the lack of scientific consensus on which some of these standards are based. This is the case for pesticides for instance, as glyphosate has recently been reauthorized[5] despite contradictory scientific opinion.[6] Secondly, most measures apply the cornerstone principle of the free movement of goods and are primarily acknowledged as commercial measures rather than climate mitigation efforts. This point also emphasises the predominant role of corporate actors in food standards. Third, many branches of EU law influence the food standards ranging from food law, environmental policies, the Common Agricultural Policy, competition law and food information law. This creates an additional layer of complexity in setting up food standards in the EU.

This context helps us to focus on consumer behaviour and diet changes. Indeed, such behaviour change can contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change on food systems. However, this approach is open to criticism as the aim is not so much on educating consumers but prioritising sustainable and responsible consumption. This can be viewed as unfair and unrealistic if inflation is taken into account.  

It is crucial to mention that the New Green Deal and the Farm to Fork strategy of the EU aims to reform consumer demand, food production, industry behaviour and trade policy.[7] The issue of trade policy is extremely important as the EU food standards influence climate change mitigation measures in third countries such as South Africa.   

Our research focuses on South Africa as it has a high level of development (IDH of 109)[8] and has a well-developed agricultural sector. The EU concluded an Economic Partnership Agreement in 2016 with South Africa: the SADC and Mozambique EU EPA.[9] EPAs allow for preferential treatment mainly using tariff reductions. The goal is to secure continued and improved market access in the EU as it represents the second-most important market for food for South Africa. However, it is also the most unequal country in the world[10] and still bears the stigmata of the apartheid. Therefore, the country presents a precarious socio-economic landscape that is also found in agriculture, as South Africa’s chief economist, Wandile Sihlobo, describes it best in the title of his most recent book: A Country of Two Agricultures. [11]

It is important to note that there is currently no general provision in EU law when it comes to sustainable requirements applicable to domestic or imported products.[12] Nevertheless, the EU has extended such compliance via multilateral, bilateral or autonomous instruments.[13] The existing food standards and the New Green Deal measures, mentioned earlier, have various impacts, both positive and negative, in South Africa. Wandile Sihlobo has assessed that the New Green Deal would involve higher compliance costs for smaller farmers in South Africa. It may also lead to the off-shoring of “bad production” to South Africa and the high-risk exclusion of smallholder farmers. However, there is also the opportunity to use those standards to direct the country’s agriculture towards more modernity, inclusivity, and sustainability.[14]

Our research acknowledges that hidden protectionism can arise from the EU food standards and explores several indirect impacts of these standards. First, the focus on EU-South Africa trade may lead to less regional trade and thus less regional integration in Africa. In the long run, this may hurt the continent, especially regarding development and environmental collaborations.[15] Second,  it is important to assess the land rights situation in South Africa which remains unequal, and recent legislation[16] has sparked debate about the certainty of land rights which could act as a deterrent for foreign investment.[17] On the positive side, there are also hopes of the EU standards acting as an ‘encouragement’ to push climate change mitigation measures in South Africa itself.

Our research on climate change mitigation and the food standards in the EU highlights two findings. First, mitigation measures, whether they are directed at governments or corporations, actually target the responsibility of the consumer. However, the importance of sustainability for consumers is strongly overestimated. Indeed, cost is the first and most important for EU consumers when buying food.[18] The primary focus should be on the food business actors whose actions can forcefully impact climate change mitigation.[19] Second, there are criticisms that the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is not ambitious enough in terms of climate change mitigation efforts.[20] Lastly, the entry into force of some texts from the New Green Deal has been delayed once more, this concerns the dispositions of sustainable food systems.[21]

Regarding the impacts of EU food standards in South Africa, two solutions are explored. First, we argue that a human-rights-based approach in EU-South Africa Trade relations may offer an efficient tool to prevent abuses such as the right to food, women’s rights, indigenous people’s rights, the right to health including the right to a healthy environment and more largely economic rights such as land access.

Second, we also argue that there is a need for better-coordinated policies as the mitigation policies linked with food standard policies are subject to legal fragmentation. There is a need for the establishment of a legal corpus on the subject which to be efficient must be the result of the cooperation between the scientific communities with environmental data, economic data like cost-benefit analysis, and policy-makers.

Our research demonstrated the adverse impacts that a policy taken at one level (e.g., EU) could have on another (national level within the EU and in a third country). In addition, the costs (human or economic) of climate change mitigation policies are immense and there is an urgent need to minimize those costs and maximize the efficiency of climate mitigation policies.

[This blog is based on the LLM Dissertation written by Ines Carter]


[1] IPCC, 2023: Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, H. Lee and J. Romero (eds.)]. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, pp. 35-115.

[2] UNEP, Climate Action – Mitigation <Mitigation | UNEP – UN Environment Programme> accessed 2nd May 2023.

[3] IPCC, 2023: Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, H. Lee and J. Romero (eds.)]. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, pp. 35-115.

[4] Bernd van der Meulen, “Impact of the Codex Alimentarius: The influence of the Joint FAO/WHP Food Standards Programme on EU Food Law” (2019) 1 EFFL 29-50, p 30.

[5] Geo, ‘L’autorisation du glyphosate sera renouvelée pour 10 ans, a décidé la Commission européenne’ (16 November 2023) < Sarantis Michalopoulos, ‘Les jeunes agriculteurs, une espèce en voie de disparition’ ( Euractiv 1 December 2015) < https://www.euractiv.fr/section/agriculture-alimentation/news/les-jeunes-agriculteurs-une-espece-en-voie-de-disparition/> accessed 27 July 2023>.

[6] The harmfulness of the substance has been largely decried including by the International Agency for Research on Cancer that classifies it as potential carcinogenic (WHO website, ‘IARC Monograph on Glyphosate’ (2018) < https://www.iarc.who.int/featured-news/media-centre-iarc-news-glyphosate/> last accessed 5th December 2023 ; Chung-Sen Ma & others, ‘Climate warming promotes pesticides resistance through expanding overwintering range of a global pest’ (2021) 12 5352 Nature Communications; News European Parliament, ‘Pesticides : MEPs want a drastic cut in use of chemical pesticides’ 2023 < https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20231023IPR08130/pesticides-meps-want-a-drastic-cut-in-use-of-chemical-pesticides> accessed 16th September 2023) while the European Food Safety Authority EFSA has said that the level of risk of the substance would not justify its prohibition (M Jacque, ‘Glyphosate : divisée, l’Union européenne repousse sa décision sur l’herbicide’, Les Echos (Oct 2023)< https://www.lesechos.fr/industrie-services/energie-environnement/glyphosate-lunion-europeenne-ne-sentend-pas-sur-une-prolongation-dautorisation-1986978 > accessed 2nd November 2023).

[7] European Commission, ‘Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council – Application of EU health and environmental standards to imported agricultural and agri-food products’ COM (2022).

[8] N. Cowling, ‘Human development index score of South Africa from 2000 to 2021’ (Statista April 2023)  https://www.statista.com/statistics/1236017/human-development-index-of-south-africa/#:~:text=In%202021%2C%20South%20Africa%20scored,previous%20year%2C%20which%20was%200.73> accessed 25th August 2023.

[9] European Commission website, Southern African Development Community (SADC) < EU trade relations with Southern African Development Community (SADC) (europa.eu)> accessed 19 May 2023.

[10] The World Bank website, ‘The World Bank in South Africa’ < https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/southafrica/overview#:~:text=South%20Africa%20remains%20a%20dual,coefficient%20of%200.67%20in%20201> accessed 7th May 2023.

[11] W. Sihlobo, A Country of Two Agricultures (2023, Tracey McDonald Publishers).

[12] Commission, ‘Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council – Application of EU health and environmental standards to imported agricultural and agri-food products’ COM (2022), page 5.

[13] Ibid [7], page 5.

[14] Wandile Sihlobo and Tinashe Kapuya, ‘The EU Green Deal: how it will impact South African agricultural exports’ Polity South Africa (2021) https://www.polity.org.za/article/the-eu-green-deal-how-will-it-impact-south-african-agricultural-exports-2021-10-27 > accessed 15 May 2023; Wandile Sihlobo, Tinashe Kapuya & Econ 3X3, ‘The EU Green Deal: how will it impact South Africa agricultural exports?’ Polity South Africa.

[15] S Powell, ‘Economic Partnership Agreements: Building or Shattering African Regional Integration’, (2007) Eco News SEATINI Traidecraft.

[16] The Expropriation Bill [B23-2020].

[17] T. Fourie (S&P Global Market Intelligence), ‘South Africa expropriation risk’ (2018) <https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/mi/research-analysis/south-africa-expropriation-risk.html> accessed 9th November 2023; OECD Website – Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2022: Reforming Agricultural Policies for Climate Change Mitigation.

[18] European Food Safety authority, ‘Cost a concern for EU consumers, with food safety close behind’ (28 September 2022)<  https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/news/cost-concern-eu-consumers-food-safety-close-behind > accessed 21 July 2023.

[19]IPCC, AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023, page 67.

[20] M. Bompart, ‘Europe: La nouvelle politique agricole est un désastre’ (Reporterre 19 Novembre 2021) <https://reporterre.net/Europe-la-nouvelle-politique-agricole-commune-est-un-desastre> accessed 27 July 2023; European Court of Auditors, Special report 16/2021: Common Agricultural Policy and climate: Half of EU climate spending but farm emissions are not decreasing (21 June 2021).

[21] F. Schmitt, ‘Produits chimiques, bien-être animal: l’UE confirme le report de plusieurs lois du Pacte vert’ (Les Echos 4 October 2023) < https://www.lesechos.fr/monde/europe/pesticides-bien-etre-animal-lue-confirme-le-report-de-plusieurs-lois-du-pacte-vert-1984505> accessed 3rd January 2024.

UWE, ACH and WECA run the second edition of the Social Impact Hackathon

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Berrbizne Urzelai

On 22nd of November 2023 UWE Bristol organized a Social Impact Hackathon, a business booster event where UWE students from various degrees and disciplines worked with refugee and migrant entrepreneurs associated with the Migrant Business Support (MBS) programme from the West of England Growth Hub and Ashley Community & Housing (ACH) to create networks and overcome barriers faced by Migrant-led businesses in the West of England.

This year, in its second edition, the event took place in the facilities that the West of England Combined Authority has in Redcliff, Bristol. It was led by Dr. Berrbizne Urzelai, Associate professor at UWE, in collaboration mainly with Julia Dixon-Barrow, Entrepreneurship & Engagement Manager at ACH and Scarlett Hagger, Project Support Officer at the West of England Combined Authority. We also had a couple of individuals from the Home Office observing the event.

The day started with a social breakfast where all participants got to know a bit about each other. The event included a presentation from Jehad Alrefaie on the role of the entrepreneurship support programs in responding to the challenges refugee entrepreneurs face, specifically focused on the case of Syrian refugee entrepreneurs in Turkey.

In the morning the teams, composed by UWE students and migrant entrepreneurs, worked together in understanding the background of the refugees and what kind of problems they were facing, and then in deciding which issue they wanted to focus on.

The students supported a variety of projects and ventures, from an industrial trading Ukrainian company producing construction and gardening materials from plastics, to dance and health related services, food and drink products or decoration companies, all at different stages of development.

The teams pitched their solutions to a panel that was formed by:

  • Pawel Capik, Senior Lecturer at UWE
  • Paul Ogbon, experienced Board Member with a background in general management, supply chain and manufacturing with significant international exposure.
  • Asaad Bagheri, PhD researcher at UWE
  • Mose-Issie Ebengho, social entreperneur
  • Diana Lopes, TE graduate and entrepreneur

There was value and learning for everyone who attended. The migrant entrepreneurs mentioned:

Quotes from migrant entrepreneurs

I thoroughly enjoyed it. The event was very helpful & very supportive. It also showed me that the help & support was an eye opener for me which help me to think out the box where I could improve. I found the event very informative. I also learnt the importance of working with great teamwork and gaining good positive benefits.

The event was a success. This event involved the students in a new and unique way. It shows how one well-run event can create a watershed moment that results in explosive pushing for future business

The students got exposed to work in real case scenarios and got really inspired to be working with and for members of the community.

Quotes from students

It was very inspiring, I met many new people and created many new connections. Having to see how dedicated these business owners were to come here as seek help it shows that you can achieve anything if you really need or what it. I learned many skills and most of all I came out of my comfort zone: how to communicate well with good listening skills, how to present in-front if a large audience, how to create solutions for problems and many other entrepreneurial skills

Going on from this I am going to look at other ways to develop consultancy skills as the event was interesting to me. There is a possible collaboration further with myself and my refugee client

The partner organizations and members of the panel were also positive about the event, so we are hopeful that this collaboration will continue in the future.

Quotes from partner organisations and panelists

It was incredible hearing the ideas from university students in different subject areas and seeing how they apply their knowledge to real life situations. I will follow up with our clients and help them to apply what was recommended to them on the day

Partner Organisation

It was lovely to observe the teamwork and communication within each group and how they interact with their client. The presentation and pitching in front of the panel was exciting.

Panel Member

The event contributed to some of the actions identified as crucial to transform support for EMBs: to develop business support to help EMBs realize their growth potential, built trust-based relationships within their communities, and foster local network of support through partnerships.

The event was not a competition but a celebration of what we can do together. Everyone involved got a UWE digital badge and the support provided by UWE and its Bristol Community Fund was crucial for its success.

Global Business Challenge 2023

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Global Business Challenge 2023

The end of another incredible Global Business Challenge! GBC2023 has been the biggest so far, with 250 participants, 34 multi-national, multi-cultural teams, 17 international businesses, 32 team coaches from 12 HEIs from around the world. Different undergraduate and postgraduate students from different degrees in countries such as UK, USA, Ecuador, Finland, Tanzania, Lithuania, Germany or Hungary have worked together to provide value and solutions to a wide range of business clients working in different areas and sectors. UWE Team Entrepreneurship students were involved in 5 different teams and a team coach from the programme was coaching in a 6th team. 

The students shared their reflections in the final pechakucha presentations, and it was clear they got a lot from it! It was great to see how many students were fully focused and adopting a business oriented professional approach in their journey. They learnt about how to do business internationally, how to work in international teams with challenging coordination and time zone barriers, how to do consultancy work and communicate and negotiate with clients, how to project manage and plan, or how to cultivate their empathy and patience with each other.   

“I learnt how to work internationally to solve a real-life business issue, how to work online more efficiently, how to navigate different time zones within the team and with the client and how to adapt the skills and teamwork from TE when working with new people” 

GBC TE participant

Many clients were really impressed with the results and offered to continue working with the students after the challenge. That is the best indicator! We look forward to GBC2024! 

Together we Make a Difference – a Message for our Community and Staff

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As we approach the end of another year, we wanted to highlight five ways that the Bristol Business School and Bristol Law School have worked throughout the year with a range of partners to make a difference together.  

In December, Business School staff and members of the Student Ventures Team hosted the inaugural Entrepreneurial Futures Awards. Funded by a philanthropic donation from an alumni of the Business School, Peter Fane, and judged alongside alumni and former Governor, Mark Mason, total funding of £105,000 is to be awarded this year to recent UWE graduates.  

Peter has pledged to donate £250,000 over five years to support graduate entrepreneurship and nurture the development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem within the University. The University has also agreed to match fund the donation, meaning that up to £500,000 will be awarded over five years. This is an exciting example of how collaboration with our alumni community can drive innovation and make a huge tangible difference to the lives of our recent graduates. 

Our partnerships with industry contribute to the whole College community. This year we highlighted our focus on sustainability through our research and engagement activities and our collaboration with external partners. UWE researchers and academics worked holistically with organisations including the West of England Combined Authority and the Office for National Statistics to conduct multiple events and research engagement opportunities. We featured Damian Whittard, Associate Professor of Economics, and Jane Vivian, Programme Manager at the West of England Combined Authority in a Future Impact Podcast which looked at what defines a ‘green job’, and the role big data plays in growing and researching this field.  

As a civic University with community at it’s heart the College has successfully secured funding from the City & Guilds Foundation to deliver enterprise education to previously incarcerated people, in partnership with the charity Project ReMake. 

The course – which will provide participants with the opportunity to earn qualifications in enterprise and entrepreneurship – will be free to join. The pilot commenced in September 2023, with additional cohorts planned for January 2024 and May 2024. The enterprise education will take place over eight weeks, delivered online and in-person by UWE Bristol academics as well as industry experts and professionals.  

Dr Jenna Pandeli, Associate Professor in Organisation Studies at UWE Bristol, secured the funding for the course with colleague Lynda Williams and you can listen to the story of how the project came about and it’s wider aims here.  

“Project ReMake uses the empowerment of entrepreneurship to support successful re-entry of prison leavers back into society and to create positive change in their community. We help prison leavers to find work and to start a business. One of the biggest challenges facing individuals re-entering society after prison is finding and maintaining stable employment. With the help of UWE Bristol and our funders at the City & Guilds Foundation we would like to make this a national programme for prison leavers.” 

Kameel Khan, founder of Project ReMake 

As a global gateway, we have partnerships around the world and this makes our community truly international. During Summer 2023, UWE’s Asia Pacific Partnership Team and the Business School collaborated on and launched DAPUWE. This intensive 5-day course is designed to alleviate some of the cultural and digital shock that our international students face when moving to the UK to study. This highlights how we can truly make a difference to our students by collaborating to support them in their studies. 

This year, our students have provided countless positive examples of how their studies have been enhanced by working with our amazing academic staff. They’ve given feedback in their own words about how our connectivity with industry and the way we work together impacts on their personal development and we created this animation using their words to celebrate this.

Bristol Business and Law Schools are a rich diverse vibrant community brought together to build knowledge, understanding and compassion. However you are spending the festive period, we wish you happiness and joy and look forward to welcoming you back in the New Year. 

Together We Make a Difference – a Message for our Students

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As we approach the end of another year, we wanted to celebrate the ways that we’ve made a difference together by highlighting five focussed stories as part of our festive celebrations. 

Together, UWE Bristol Business School students Adam Edwards and Henry O’Higgins used the power of people and purpose to campaign for a new course on climate change. UWE is now the first University in the UK to introduce a free course about the climate emergency.  

“We hope it will inspire students to become agents of change, because this is an issue where everything is on the line.” 

Adam Edwards, UWE Bristol postgraduate student 

The pilot course could be rolled out further as a full module for 2024-25 and you can read more about this story here.  

As a University focused on solving future challenges and as global gateway we strive to offer students unique opportunities to engage culturally and meaningfully on an international scale.  

Our Think Pacific Virtual Internships this year have supported 10 Business and Law School students to work with organisations across the globe. Fijian charities, NGOs and businesses have benefited, and students have been able to participate in scoping, and refining briefs as well as practicing applying their knowledge and skills in real world situations. If you’d be interested in applying for an internship next year to make a positive difference in a diverse community you can read the stories of some previous UWE participants here

  •  120+ students 
  • Working with 90+ Fijian charities, NGOs and businesses in Fiji 
  • 97% of students said the program increased their cultural intelligence 

More locally, working together with industry means our Programmes are truly practice-led and this makes a huge difference to your experience. We spoke to students, staff and our partners participating in the Work Integrated Learning module on our Accounting and Finance programme to understand the benefits to tackling real problems faced in industry for both our students and professional industry experts.

Looking to the new year, Bristol Business School and Bristol Law School are delighted to launch the UWE Futures Professional Development Programme as a targeted intervention to support Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students. The new programme has been launched with support from UWE Governors and four local Bristol Law firms.  

In collaboration with Osborne Clarke, Burgess Salmon, Clarke Willmott and Simmons & Simmons this exciting initiative will pilot in January 2024.  In order to enhance employability opportunities, 16 paid work placements will be offered alongside mentorship and a preferential position when applying for permanent roles at the partner organisations. All the opportunities are within the professional services team; HR, Finance, Marketing and Data offering a unique prospect for successful applicants. This pilot project exemplifies the commitment that the Business and Law Schools have to removing the awarding gap that currently disadvantages some of our students.  

“This programme is such an exciting opportunity for our students.  It will ensure that we are actively supporting those of our students who sometimes find it harder to secure learning experiences in industry. We’re so grateful to our Governing body for working with us to create this set of targeted interventions and further foster purposeful connections with the local business community.” 

Paul Bennett, Dean of Partnerships and International

This year, you have provided countless positive examples of how your studies have been enhanced by working with our amazing academic staff who focus on preparing you for the world of work. On top of that you’ve given fantastic feedback about how much you value the facilities we have within the Business and Law Schools, library, SU and more widely across our campuses. What brings everything into perspective though is how this impacts on your own personal development and the journey you go on as a UWE student. We created this animation to celebrate your words from actual NSS feedback. This is how we make a difference in your own words. 

Bristol Business and Law Schools are a rich diverse vibrant community brought together to build knowledge, understanding and compassion. However you are spending the festive period we wish you happiness and joy and look forward to welcoming you back in the New Year. 

International success – Making a difference with DAPUWE 

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Gael Milligan, Deputy Partnership Manager

For many of our incoming students, moving abroad to live and study in a new country can be daunting.  Moreover, many international students experience both cultural and digital shock when they arrive at UWE. 

DAPUWE, a collaboration between UWE’s Asia Pacific Partnership Team and the School of Business, was introduced in summer 2023 as an initiative to better prepare international students with the Digital, Academic, and Professional development skills needed for life, study, and work. 

The intensive 5-day course was delivered to both undergraduate and postgraduate students across the Asia Pacific region in August, via a series of live Zoom webinars. We tried to be as flexible as possible, as we recognised that many students would be busy in August arranging their study visas and credibility interviews and organising travel and accommodation in UK.  Therefore, we offered students the chance to either attend the full course or select webinar(s) of interest.  

DAPUWE supported students in developing research skills, as well as to improve digital skills to use AI effectively in the planning stage of assignment-writing.  The programme also included sessions on creating effective PowerPoint presentations, formatting, and presenting assignments in Word, recording, and analysing data and creating graphs and charts in Excel. Drawing on the Big Five personality theory, students were encouraged to identify their strengths, talents, and traits to take charge of their own professional development. Students welcomed the input of UWE programme and module leaders and library staff, as this allowed students to gain a real insight of HE expectations and how teaching, learning and assessment are conducted at UWE. 

We are extremely proud of DAPUWE because it showcases how collaboration internationally adds real value to the student experience and positively impacts on the pre-departure stage of the international student journey. 

Student feedback: 

Thank you so much for all the wonderful sessions for the past five days. Knowing all of this information in advance will help us to complete all the university tasks with ease. Would love to see you on campus! 

Thank you so much for the inspirational and motivating start for our master’s journey. The past 5 days has been a great learning experience. 

I really appreciate your dedication and passion towards helping new students. It takes a lot of patience and effort to conduct courses like this, to cater to the needs of diverse students. It was very helpful. Thank you once again for your sincere support. 

Women’s Work Lab placement in the CBL Stakeholder Engagement Team: – Mary

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For the last month, the Stakeholder Engagement team at the College of Business and Law have had a guest with us on placement. This is part of an initiative set up by an amazing Community Interest Company called The Women’s Work Lab.

We have loved having Mary with us on our team. It’s been wonderful showing her different areas of our work as well as introducing her to colleagues across the University. We’ve enjoyed seeing her confidence grow and have appreciated the energy and enthusiasm she’s brought to the team.

This article was written by Mary on her final day of placement with us. Here she shares her story about the power of Women’s Work Lab, and the value provided by many organisations, like UWE, in offering work placements.

“I had been out of work for over a year when I found this website called Women’s Work Lab and registered to attend their programme. Women’s Work Lab are an organisation to help mums, rebuilding the confidence and to guide them on their journey to find work that works for them, where you will experience a placement to a job you might want in future. 

After spending 4 weeks on the WWL programme, it was time to face the first day of the placement work. It was honestly nerve wracking as I didn’t know what to expect. But Women’s Work Lab was right! The people I have spent time during with my placement are so lovely and understanding. They have all made me feel welcome and treat me like a real part of the team. 

I was surprised to find that I could do something I had never done before. Having this opportunity to work on the Stakeholder Engagement Team at the College of Business and Law at UWE was a great experience. I have come a long way from who I was before. I now see myself as a hardworking person who is willing to learn. I’ve reminded myself that it is ok to make mistakes, we are all human, and it is important to just be yourself. I now feel confident that I am ready for the next chapter of this experience. Thank you to the Stakeholder Engagement Team. 😊”

10 Years of Team Entrepreneurship – 10 Inspirational Alumni Stories

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The Business Team Entrepreneurship programme is celebrating its 10th year at UWE Bristol. To celebrate, we’ve profiled 10 TE alumni and teams whose stories inspire us.

Anton Bailey (2021)

Anton’s story is routed on following his passions, hard work and being rewarded with success. Now the owner and founder of Invicta, a record label and music events company, he also immerses himself in the industry, as Events Manager at Lakota, Bristol. Invicta has won international accolade as Best Newcomer Label at the Drum and Bass Awards.

As a student, Anton strategically promoted Invicta to build momentum during the pandemic when music events were on hold. He appreciates the network he gained from TE and says the values of independence and trust learned there are skills he uses every day.

Read his story

Morgan Edmondson and William Fletcher (2023)

Morgan and Will hit almost overnight success, once they combined their technological development skills with marketing, a core area of their team expertise. The result is Discovry, a platform that automates content marketing processes through AI-based content.  As co-founders, they had previous start-ups behind them.

This focus on enterprise and entrepreneurship was key to why they each chose TE at UWE Bristol.  Access to a huge infrastructure has really paid off and they’re impressed by the rich number of contacts and quality of connections.

Read their story

Natalie English (2022)

Natalie’s story demonstrates how the transferable skills that were utilised in the practical elements of the TE programme helped her to be adaptable in her career and remain open minded to what possible careers would be open to her post-graduation. It’s a story illuminated by enthusiasm and a testament to getting out what you put in.

Read her story

Andy Francksen (2016) and Guy Thurlow (2020)

There’s a theme of investment and validation when Andy and Guy talk about their achievements: from gaining the trust and buy-in of financiers to giving back and being able to support their employees’ development. As Co-owners of Target Student, their business is the UK’s first digital advertising network in student halls.

Theirs is a story of how a dissertation became a live project and how the TE network connected a working partnership that became a successful start-up.  Both see the TE experience as life-changing and responsible for the growth mindset and coaching approach that underpins their operation.

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Oliver Gilbert (2018)

Oliver was a TE student in one of the first cohorts of the Programme. Initially attracted to Bristol as a city, Oliver discovered his interest in business was also enhanced by the practical and entrepreneurial aspects of the Programme.

His story is a journey from marketing to mergers and acquisitions. Oliver is now a successful Managing Director and emphasises his learnings on the course as being vital to understanding his own strengths.

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Leyth Hampshire (2018)

Leyth has had a remarkable journey from TE graduate to successful wellbeing entrepreneur. Intrigued by the learning by doing approach TE offered, Leyth began his entrepreneurial journey at UWE Bristol. After graduating in 2018, Leyth pursued a master’s in Entrepreneurial Management in San Francisco, followed by periods in Shanghai and Barcelona.

A life changing moment sparked Leyth’s interest and dedication to wellbeing. Leyth founded Emergent Purpose and Emergent Men, wellbeing companies that combine meditation, yoga, movement, and mindfulness. Equipped with his learnings from TE, Leyth blends his skills and passion to great success.

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Zoe Jenkins and Charlotte Roberts (2023)

Charlotte and Zoe were drawn to Team Entrepreneurship for the hands-on approach to learning. They met during online learning and decided to open a salon on campus together. They successfully applied for funding and gained access to space to set up their business.

Since then, the two have steadily grown their business and clientele and are currently in the process of opening a new, permanent salon they’ve helped design. They both say TE gave them the foundation and support they needed to challenge themselves and succeed as business owners. 

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Brent Oldfield (2021)

Bringing to life a story of mentorship, Brent Oldfield initially recognised the flexibility of the TE course which allowed him to continue running his established business whilst studying. Brent reflects that he truly benefited from the support he received, particularly in the form of mentoring and coaching.

Three funding rounds on, and running a hugely successful company, Brent promotes the power of mentoring and being able to bring out the best in people. He’s still involved as a mentor for current TE students and utilises the skills he learnt as a student with his own staff now.

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Andreas Philippou and Joseph Stallion (2020)

Discover the exciting journey of Andreas Philippou and Joe Stallion, who turned their entrepreneurial aspirations into reality.

As friends and business partners, they brainstormed and set up market stalls and waste management ventures before founding their marketing business, SOLVI. Through innovation, determination and a teamwork, they transformed SOLVI and began working with some of the largest manufacturers in the UK.

TE provided them with a safe place to experiment and build the resilience and adaptability that would prove essential in running their business full-time.

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Danielle Sepersaude (2019)

Danielle has had an inspiring journey from university graduate to professional success. Whilst studying, Danielle launched “Female TE,” inviting female entrepreneurs to UWE to share their knowledge and experiences with students.

After graduating with a first-class degree, Danielle worked as a graduate project executive at Future PLC and is now a Product Owner at Future PLC, contributing to £1.5 million revenue growth.

Read her story

10 Years of Team Entrepreneurship – Danielle Sepersaude (2019)

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Read Danielle’s story to understand how she was captivated by the practical ethos of the TE programme and how this laid the foundation for a professional career driven by authenticity and diversity

A captivating conversation

When Danielle was considering universities, she was initially interested in a business management course, however, her path took an unexpected turn when she ventured into the Team Entrepreneurship (TE) hub during a UWE open day. A conversation with a TE student revealed how the course pushed them out of their comfort zones, sparking her interest in gaining practical skills whilst also focusing on self-development. She was captivated by the concept of “learning by doing” and knew it was right for her to challenge herself in ways a traditional course might not.

Driven to learn and lead on diversity

What made TE stand out for Danielle were the immersive experiences that transformed the classroom into an open-plan office environment.

“The team coaches were amongst our peers, like a colleague, so there wasn’t this barrier of hierarchy between students and staff”

This collaborative approach fostered an atmosphere of self-driven learning and critical thinking, allowing students to extract practical insights from real-world business situations.

During Danielle’s time on the course, she began multiple projects, including “Female TE”, which involved networking, event planning, and inviting female entrepreneurs to the university to share their experience and knowledge with TE students. Danielle worked with international TE academies and ran workshops for international TE students visiting the UK. Danielle extended her reach to schools, promoting TE to aspiring sixth form students.

Forging a path from strong foundations

After successfully graduating from UWE with a first-class degree, Danielle ventured into the professional realm. Her journey began with roles in London as a graduate project executive. Danielle learnt about managing geographically dispersed teams, working with complex projects, agile product development, and strategy planning.

In her current position as a Product Owner at Future PLC, she has made several remarkable achievements, including playing an instrumental role in driving 1,000% YOY in revenue growth thus far in FY23 for products within her responsibilities.

“My next steps would be to get a promotion to senior product manager, I think that is my short-term goal, alongside continuing to develop additional skill sets around product development.”

In Danielle’s journey, TE wasn’t just a university course; it was a foundation. The learnings in authenticity, diverse leadership styles, and the confidence she gained from TE have become foundations for her professional and personal values.

Find out more – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-sepersaude/

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