The University of Buckingham launches new entrepreneurial Masters Course with KPMG Enterprise

23 December 2015

The University of Buckingham is launching a new postgraduate course with KPMG Enterprise, which is the first to offer students entrepreneurial projects with start-up businesses.

Working closely with advisors from KPMG Enterprise, the course will enable students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and consultancy skills that they will put into practice, working in businesses as well as in the classroom.

Students will not be examined, but will be mainly assessed on the reports and presentations they make to client companies after completing the projects with them.

The MSc in Entrepreneurial Consultancy and Practice, which begins in September 2016, follows the Government’s admission that entrepreneurial skills urgently need to be developed to improve the UK’s economic performance.

In addition to academic modules, participants will complete five business consultancy projects with small or medium-sized businesses. The range of companies that students will work with includes local start-up businesses, for example businesses created by undergraduate students at The University of Buckingham and then with more established start-up businesses that aim to grow significantly.

Programme Director Nigel Adams said: “This is a new type of Masters Programme that combines academic theory with practical experience working with and also learning from entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses. The students will be assessed on the results of their work on an increasingly difficult range of real business growth projects, not on examinations.”

Dave Simpson, Head of KPMG Enterprise for Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, added: “We are very happy to be supporting Buckingham University on this exciting new course designed to encourage and develop the entrepreneurs of the future.

“Business start-ups and medium sized enterprises are the bedrock of the UK economy and represent a vital part of the UK’s growth plans.

Our Enterprise team will be a great fit in working with students as they are experienced in helping privately owned businesses with the challenges they face as they seek to achieve their growth ambitions. I know the team are very excited to get involved.”

Students will tackle business challenges of varying complexity that are preventing growth. The post-graduate students will be required to help management resolve problems and help to develop and grow the businesses. The aim is to develop entrepreneurial skills, attitudes and behaviour in post-graduate students which they will use when developing their own start-ups, working for start-up businesses or providing consultancy advice to growing companies.

KPMG Enterprise will work with the University to help run a number of classroom-based sessions and use their existing network locally to recommend suitable companies for the Business School to contact about offering consultancy / internships. They will also help mentor teams on business consultancy projects.

Prior to starting any consultancy projects, students will take two introductory modules in the first term to ensure that they are well prepared. To further prepare the students for the increasing levels of difficulty in each project, two additional taught modules will be provided in each of the following two terms.

For more information, contact Nigel Adams (nigel.adams@buckingham.ac.uk) Tel: 01280 820226 or Business Admissions (businessadmissions@buckingham.ac.uk) Tel: 01280 820236.