Based on research recently conducted by the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning, in collaboration with the Faculty of Education at Cambridge University, females are almost always under-represented in the entrepreneurial training programmes. This is due to the fact that mainstream entrepreneurship education consistently fails female participants, especially in programmes targeted at engineering, science and technology students. In addition, it has been found that women researchers avoid attending entrepreneurial events and suffer from low levels of confidence and self-efficacy.

With the support of industry, we are in the process of developing a leadership programme targeting our female students in STEMs in order to help them increase their confidence and develop their skills

Theano is working closely with national and international organisations alongside key players in industry to establish the first structured programme at the University of Southampton which aims to tackle this problem; we hope to build female students’ confidence and encourage them to initiate their own start-ups. The programme will be designed specifically for female students in engineering, science and technology with the purpose of developing skills, knowledge, confidence and building practical skills (learning-by-doing), learning from others, and provision of role models.  All of this will take place in a safe and challenging environment.

More details about the programme will be reviled soon, so WATCH THIS SPACE. Registration will be open in summer 2019.

Main Outcomes: The proposed programme stresses the importance of creativity as a starting point for innovation and focuses on equipping the participants with entrepreneurial capabilities to add value beyond the educational setting. The programme will enhance the participants’ entrepreneurial attributes, behaviours and skills and prepare them to move into industry or create spin-outs. Desirable outcomes include:

  • Building females in STEM with resilience, confidence, full understanding of business values and the capability of dealing with uncertainty.
  • Preparing females in STEM for the workplace by enabling them to identify opportunities, evaluate ideas, assess the market and argue their views using business language.
  • Allowing females in STEM to put the taught skills into practice by working on business problems set up by industry.
  • Producing females in STEM with the capabilities to establish and manage a new business venture.