Reinforcing university-based start-up development through digitisation: an evaluation of a Scottish business school

Through ideas, invention, and innovation enterprising behaviours evolve and respond to a multitude of societal and market demands. The recent COVID-19 pandemic, witnessed financial instability amongst sectors, and global student recruitment crises has brought about a need to understand, use, and develop enterprising and digital skills. Towards this practical and pedagogical endeavour, this paper evaluates the digitised offering and institutional response from a team within a Scottish university. This involves an exploration of over 500 students enrolled in taught modules or enterprising activities such as competitions and external engagement. Feedback from students, concerning the support offered, opportunities to network and realise entrepreneurial potential, and the likelihood of business growth contribute towards recommendations. This includes (1) an illustration of factors which add to enterprise agendas which in turn support businesses through digital platforms and forums, and (2) a prescriptive ‘four-stage model’ of anticipated activity through teaching and support: information, organisation, digitisation, and acceleration. This paper crystallises and highlights the need for a unified approach, both pedagogically and culturally, to university-based start-up activity to effectively utilise digital methods of engagement and development.