UEL leaders share vision in National Leadership Report

The report brings together insights from senior higher education leaders across the UK and calls for urgent, bold leadership to address the challenges of financial pressure, rapid technological change, and the need for deeper industry collaboration.

Professor Broderick delivers a powerful call to action, urging universities to move beyond tradition and embrace a new role as engines of inclusive innovation and economic transformation.

“Entrepreneurial leadership demands more than rhetoric – it requires bold and timely decisions backed by meaningful action,” says Professor Broderick. 

Too often, institutions get caught in cycles of consultations, pilots and stakeholder engagement without ever making the leap. But credibility comes from follow-through. If we want to build trust with staff, students, partners and the public, we must be willing to act with conviction and resource our commitments accordingly.”

Professor Broderick highlights how UEL’s Vision 2028 strategy puts careers and entrepreneurship at the heart of the university’s mission. As part of this commitment, UEL has seen a significant rise in graduate startup activity, moving from 90th to 2nd place nationally. Through initiatives like the BACK:ED fund, the university is making entrepreneurship more inclusive. 

Today, 62% of the startups supported by UEL are led by women, and 77% by students from the global ethnic majority.

UEL’s Mental Wealth and Professional Fitness framework, a signature innovation, ensures students graduate not only with academic knowledge but also the emotional intelligence, commercial awareness and cultural fluency needed to succeed in an ever-changing world.

The publication also celebrates UEL’s strategic partnership with Siemens, showcasing how industry collaboration can accelerate sustainability goals, support green job creation, and provide students with hands-on experience in a “living lab” of innovation.

Adam Doyle, whose work bridges academia and industry, contributes a compelling perspective in the report. He positions universities as natural leaders in their communities, playing a vital role in place-based innovation and regeneration.

"Despite the issues facing higher education as a sector, the trust and regard most people hold for universities make them an obvious leader in place,” writes Doyle.

Decades of research and community engagement have led to a wealth of knowledge of community needs, the challenges they face and the policies that are intended to provide support. Meanwhile, government at all levels is increasingly expecting universities to deliver economic growth.”

This perspective reflects UEL’s wider mission as a civic university one that actively partners with communities, industry, and government to create meaningful change. From driving local regeneration to contributing to national policy discussions, UEL is committed to shaping a more inclusive, sustainable and innovative future.

With an annual economic impact of over £1 billion and a clear focus on inclusive entrepreneurship, UEL is proud to be recognised as a national leader in entrepreneurial education delivering opportunity, resilience and real-world outcomes for our students and the communities we serve.

Read the full report: Why Entrepreneurial Leadership Now?