Northumbria maintains prestigious Small Business Charter status

Northumbria University's Newcastle Business School has secured reaccreditation with the Small Business Charter Award, a mark of excellence recognising business schools which are centres of excellence in supporting small businesses, student enterprise, and the local economy.

Originally achieving Small Business Charter status in 2015, Northumbria was the first institution in the North East to receive the award. The reaccreditation extends Northumbria’s recognition for a further five years, cementing its status as a leading supporter of entrepreneurship and small business growth in the North East.

The awarding panel praised the University for playing a vital role within its local economy through its emphasis on experiential learning which supports the development of SMEs and provides students with practical learning opportunities on how to run a business.

Assessors highlighted the role of Northumbria’s Business Clinic, a student-led consultancy service which provides final-year business students with real-world experience while offering pro-bono support to SMEs, multi-national organisations, charitable organisations, educational trusts and social enterprises. The award-winning service has delivered over 870 consultancy projects involving more than 3,500 students across all business subjects since it was established in 2013.

Last month, The Business Clinic hosted ‘A Simple Guide to Social Impact Investment Vehicles’, a free session designed to help charities access private investment and craft compelling pitches that resonate with investors. Drawing on research funded by The Marketing Trust, the event covered social impact investment vehicles, accessing investor capital, and pitching with confidence.

Flora Hamilton, Executive Director of the Small Business Charter and CEO of the Chartered Association of Business Schools, said: “We are delighted to reaccredit Newcastle Business School with the Small Business Charter in recognition of their exceptional support to small businesses and their significant contributions to regional economic growth and local innovation.

“Newcastle Business School exemplifies the vital role business schools play in fostering growth and innovation among SMEs, as well as the important civic role they fulfil in their communities. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with them as part of the SBC network.”

Northumbria’s support for entrepreneurs and small businesses also includes its Incubator Hub, a pre-accelerator facility supporting current students and graduate start-ups. The University has been ranked in the top 10 in the UK for the last 16 years for graduate start-ups based on aggregate turnover, according to the Higher Education Business Community Interaction Survey (2023/24), and has been placed in the top five for 13 of those years. This ecosystem of support helps drive economic growth and job creation throughout the North East.

Maintaining the accreditation also positions Northumbria to access additional funding streams and collaborative opportunities with the Small Business Charter network. This includes the government-backed Help to Grow Management programme, which supports SMEs across the UK to strengthen their business practices and leadership capabilities.

Professor Matthew Brannan, Head of Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University, said: "Securing Small Business Charter reaccreditation is a testament to our commitment to supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses across the North East. It reflects the work of a team led by the Business School but involving colleagues from across the University. This recognition highlights the significant impact our students, staff and programmes have in driving regional economic growth by powering an inclusive economy and supporting social mobility.

“As we continue to navigate an evolving economic landscape, this reaccreditation strengthens our ability to deliver transformational support that makes a real difference to the region's business community. We look forward to continuing that work."

For more information on business support from Northumbria please visit: www.northumbria.ac.uk/business