Embracing early signs of better mood music with the new government

With ministerial portfolios currently being announced, it is very early days yet as we welcome the new Labour government and seek out opportunities to work with them across our key policy areas.    

Whilst the new Cabinet is quite close to the Prime Minister’s former shadow cabinet, the ministerial appointments have delivered a number of big surprises. The return of Jacqui Smith to government as Universities Minister via a seat in the House of Lords is a welcome sign that Bridget Philipson is holding true to her promise to focus in and support our universities. And this morning’s announcement on Gareth Thomas as Small Business Minister had not been widely anticipated.  

The onus is now on us all to carry the messaging that our business schools play a pivotal role in teaching the most popular subject at university (1 in 6 undergraduates and 1 in 4 postgraduates), delivering one of our most successful exports (1 in 3 international students) and supporting SMEs and economic growth (9,140 enrolments on the Help to Grow: Management Course). I encourage you all to echo the messaging from our letter to the new Department of Education Minister of State, a copy of which is on its way to Deans’ Inboxes.    

Whilst the Home Office has endorsed the recommendations of the Migration Advisory Committee, we can’t rest on our laurels on the Graduate Route. We need to impress upon the soon-to-be announced new Immigration Minister on the critical role of international business students in the health and vitality of the UK’s universities, the local economies in which they reside and in the global reputation of UK higher education.    

We must continue to lobby on further exemptions for postgraduates to get dependents’ visas and our conversations with this new government have to be around the need to balance between maintaining the integrity of the UK’s immigration system and ensuring that the UK remains an attractive study destination.  

With the Chancellor announcing growth as our national mission, we are hopeful of a continued role for the Small Business Charter in delivering programmes like Help to Grow: Management.  

Whilst Jonathan Reynolds is settling in as Business Secretary and Gareth Thomas owning the small business portfolio, the stats and evaluation speaks for themselves – enrolments at the end of March were 9,140 and according to IPSOS, 93% of participants reported having greater confidence in leading and managing their business, and 85% reported being better able to innovate within their business.  

With 67 Small Business Charter accredited business schools across the UK & Ireland, we are uniquely placed to deliver impact within the new government’s industrial strategy in empowering small business productivity and growth.  

This is the messaging, not just for DBT ministers, but for all MPs and I urge you to draw on the materials that we are sending your way so you can engage with your local MP to ensure that they have a personal understanding of the unique role that business schools play in their regional economies.  

We are all looking forward to working with the new government and will seize every opportunity to draw upon our mission to support and champion business schools for the benefit of business and society.  

Please join us on this critical journey.