Another Face of the Entrepreneurial University — Campus Radio
How can universities demonstrate entrepreneurialism beyond the usual suspects? It should go beyond mere commercialisation of research.
I touched on this subject only recently in an article entitled,“Taking the Campus Radio a step further Edutainment and Youth Development Creative Industries and Entrepreneurship.”
In that article, I cited the exploits of campus radio stations both in Africa and the UK. In the case of the former, I noted the University of Pretoria’s Tuks FM award-winning exploits. In the latter case, London-based Bloomsbury Institute Radio has become a “changemaker,” offering a platform for the “student voice,” as well as education & training for members of its community.
This article takes a slightly different perspective that hinges upon the humane entrepreneurship 4Es (Empathy, Equity, Enablement and Empowerment) especially of the youth with a view to serving “third mission” of universities.
Yes, the campus radio presents that platform, despite the fears over their autonomy considering that funding may be from the University coffers.
However, let’s not forget that a similar model applies to students unions who remain autonomous irrespective of funding source. In these times of misinformation and the need to echo the student voice in universities the campus radio not just ticks the box in terms of “source credibility” but also serves myriad other purposes — both social and economic.
I was privileged to be invited to a panel discussion on “how entrepreneurship education can join the dots and have real world impact” (see above image) as part of the Global Entrepreneurship Week under the auspices of the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN-UK) and the Bloomsbury Institute, London.
The panelists included experts such as Arif Zaman, Academic Lead for Enterprise, Bloomsbury Institute, Education Advisor to Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN-UK) and Advisory Group for the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU); Jerry Allen, Director for Entrepreneurship, UCL Innovation & Enterprise and former Director, Enterprise Educators UK (EEUK); Nathaniel Peat, founder, The Safety Box (supporting high risk youth), Gennex (a green business for good making solar cells, training and employing women in Africa), and “2015 Governor General Award (Jamaica) and BBC’s The Last Millionaire Winner”; Katie Matthews, National Director, Northern Ireland, GEN UK; and Elaine Gold, Global Advisor, Executive Director, GEN UK.
The panel was subsequently broadcast in a live interview session on Bloomsbury Radio within the week, highlighting the role of the “campus radio,” as a space for inclusion of the student voice in all matters that pertain to their education — from teaching and learning, to internship opportunities, and alumni relations — something many universities have struggled to keep a tab on — especially in these VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) times.
Ultimately this is a clarion call for entrepreneurial universities to stand up and be counted if not for anything else, let’s think about the utility of the “student voice” on matters that affect them and their experiences - this should include “enablement” in terms of training, empathy, equity and empowerment.
Something worth rethinking.
