University to boost SMEs with Help to Grow: Management Course
The University of Sunderland is delivering a government-backed programme to empower business leaders and senior managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to transform their leadership skills and their business.
Help to Grow: Management Course is 90% funded by the government and can only be delivered by business schools with Small Business Charter accreditation – a recognised mark of a business school’s commitment to supporting SMEs and their local economy.
This 12-week course is designed to be managed alongside full-time employment and offers 10 hours of one-to-one mentoring, 32 hours of in-depth online and face-to-face teaching and access to an alumni network of other local businesses.
Flora Hamilton, executive director of the Small Business Charter, said: “We’re pleased to expand our network of business schools delivering the Help to Grow: Management Course in the north-east of England through the University of Sunderland Business School, further supporting the many ambitious and enterprising SME leaders in the region.
“The course is proven to drive SME productivity improvements and unlock economic growth, as recognised by the government in its continued commitment to the programme in the Small Business Plan.”
The University’s Business School will work with up to 30 SMEs employing between five and 249 employees to boost the skills, knowledge and confidence of business leaders and their senior managers, increasing business performance, resilience and long-term growth.
A team of academics and expert speakers will deliver the module sessions with the programme also offering peer to peer and business mentoring support.
Attendees will be joining over 11,000 senior leaders who have already signed up for the hands-on leadership training, delivered by world-class business schools, accredited by the Small Business Charter. This blended programme will combine online learning, face-to-face sessions and one-to-one mentoring, and will start in December 2025.
Dr Yvonne Dixon-Todd, head of school for business, management and tourism at the University of Sunderland, said: “We are proud of our accreditation with the Small Business Charter and delighted to support small and medium enterprises to learn and grow, which will in turn, support the economic growth within the north-east.
“With the government committing to the continued delivery of the Help to Grow: Management Course, we look forward to increasing the business support offer from the University”.
Tim Pain, director of innovation and enterprise at the University, added: “We’re delighted to work with our academic colleagues to deliver this practical, hands-on leadership course which will build on our already established links with SMEs and enhance our reputation as a professions-facing institution delivering innovative programmes for the benefit of the region’s economy.’’
In the most recent Ipsos evaluation it was revealed that of the SME leaders who completed the Help to Grow: Management Course 91% reported an increased awareness of factors that drive business productivity and growth while another 91% had improved their leadership and management skills.