Renewed accreditation highlights Kingston Business School role in supporting small businesses and future entrepreneurs

Kingston Business School has been successfully reaccredited by the Small Business Charter (SBC), a nationally recognised award that celebrates business schools playing a leading role in supporting small businesses, student enterprise and local economies.

The five‑year reaccreditation recognises the depth, consistency and impact of Kingston Business School’s work in enterprise education, engagement with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and collaboration with regional and national partners. 

The reaccreditation also enables Kingston Business School to continue delivering the government‑funded Help to Grow: Management programme, access to which is restricted to SBC‑accredited institutions. With the scheme recently renewed, the School will be able to continue supporting small business leaders through the 12‑week programme, which combines academic insight with practical application to strengthen leadership, innovation and growth.

Professor Sankar Sivarajah, Head of Kingston Business School, said universities play a vital role in supporting the UK’s small business‑led economy. “At Kingston, that role is delivered through an integrated approach that spans enterprise education for students, direct practical support for small and medium‑sized businesses, and deep engagement with the wider business and stakeholder community,” he said. 

“Programmes such as Help to Grow enable us to provide structured, high‑impact development for business leaders, while our procurement practices, student placements and enterprise activity demonstrate a long‑term institutional commitment to regional economic growth.”

Assessors appointed by the Small Business Charter noted the scale and embedded nature of Kingston’s activity across the institution. In their feedback, they emphasised the significant amount of enterprise education and related activity taking place, with particular strengths in raising awareness among students of SME roles and entrepreneurship as valuable career paths, alongside the strong integration of local activity and consultancy across the University.

This approach reflects Kingston University’s enterprising strategy and emphasis on Future Skills, research‑informed practice and civic engagement. The University engages more than 4,000 students annually in enterprise education and supports participation across all faculties, creating a sustained pipeline of entrepreneurial talent. 

Kingston has been ranked among the top institutions in England for graduate start‑ups for eight consecutive years and supported 747 graduate start‑ups between 2019 and 2022.

The reaccreditation announcement comes alongside further external recognition for Kingston Business School. In June, the School was shortlisted in all three categories of the Small Business Charter Excellence Awards 2026: Outstanding Support for Small Business, Outstanding Stakeholder Engagement, and Outstanding Support for Student Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, in which the School was Highly Commended. Together, these achievements further strengthen the national profile and recognition of Kingston’s enterprise activity.

The University also plays a direct role in supporting SMEs through its own business practices. Eighty‑nine per cent of Kingston University’s suppliers are SMEs, accounting for more than a quarter of annual procurement spend, underlining its contribution to local and regional economies.

Director of Research Excellence and Head of Graduate Studies Professor Simon Wortham said Kingston Business School’s approach to enterprise and SME support was grounded in research, knowledge exchange and long‑standing partnerships with industry, policymakers and representative bodies. “Initiatives such as Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, worth more than £10 million, alongside a range of research‑led programmes delivered through the Business School, demonstrate how close collaboration between academics, businesses and partners can generate tangible outcomes for organisations and communities,” he said.

The importance of the Small Business Charter nationally was highlighted by Flora Hamilton, Executive Director of the Small Business Charter and CEO of the Chartered Association of Business Schools. “This reaccreditation recognises Kingston Business School’s sustained commitment to supporting SMEs, fostering entrepreneurship and strengthening its local economy, and reflected the vital role business schools play in driving innovation and growth through close engagement with small businesses,” she said.

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