Nottingham Business School will celebrate its 30th anniversary in the 2009/10 academic year but believes it has much more to celebrate than the passing of the years.
The business school, which is part of Nottingham Trent University, has made major in-roads into the surrounding business community and beyond, and currently works with over 600 organisations in 40 countries. The school has helped businesses and entrepreneurs through its numerous executive education programmes, extensive research projects into business-related areas, and by undertaking research and consultancy through partnerships with both private and public sector organisations. The themes of collaboration, networking and partnership are key to understanding how Nottingham Business School engages with industry.
Key connections
Nottingham Business School has worked with many major companies, from Rolls Royce to Walt Disney, but it is also helping to nurture and develop entrepreneurial talent. This is done through courses such as MBA and through The Hive, a purpose-built developmental centre for start-ups and small businesses which offers support, advice, facilities and access to funding.
Dr Kostas Galanakis, programme leader of executive education at Nottingham Business School, says that business courses differ from traditional university programmes, as there is greater emphasis on building relationships, networks and connecting people: “The MBAs are different from other university courses as they don’t just aim to create information and knowledge, but also networks of people. Networks are the most important things for the companies afterwards when they are looking to expand and grow at an international level.”
Interaction and experimentation can have dramatic results and so Galanakis is less concerned about his students finding definitive answers and more interested in the process of overcoming obstacles and developing ways of thinking and working that will lead to success. “It’s not about ready-made solutions but more about thinking about the problems and ideas and the alternatives that can be put on the table. This can be more creative than the textbook solutions that you have usually.
“It’s not that we teach people how to be an entrepreneur as such, but we encourage them to take that step. The people have the seeds inside them but you have to encourage them and they need the right environment.
Nottingham’s commitment to innovation and technology is epitomised by its start-up incubator centre, The Hive. Here students can conceive and experiment with ideas and develop business plans which are actually put into effect. In keeping with the Nottingham’s practical approach, The Hive is not just about learning but also is focused on building businesses based on the innovative ideas that come through.
“I think that the important thing is that you are always trying not only to transfer the existing knowledge, but also to help businesses to take the next step forward,” says Galanakis. “We aren’t here just to lecture or write papers and add to the existing knowledge. We are always trying to combine knowledge with something which will take them further.”