The Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IfEL) based within the Department of Research and Innovation is an exciting, inter-disciplinary, pan-institutional research and development institute of Swansea University, and represents the first of its kind in the whole of Europe!  

Professor Paul Hannon is the new Director of the Institute of Entrepreneurial Leadership and Director of LEAD Wales. Since April 2013, Paul and his team have been busy enhancing opportunities for enterprise and entrepreneurship for staff and students at the University . In May 2014 IfEL will be hosting a major international forum on ’Developing the Entrepreneurial University’ with the European Commission, OECD, the United Nations and the Malaysian Government.  This will be a high profile event for the University.

Since April last year IfEL has been:

• Providing entrepreneurship opportunities for students, graduates and alumni
• Serving the community and the wider economy by doing research into what it means to be an entrepreneurial leader in a small firm
• Supporting the LEAD Wales programme, to help the entrepreneurial community to take advantage of new business opportunities
• Providing continuing professional development opportunities for educators who teach, or want to teach, entrepreneurship in all its forms
• Stimulating connectivity and interactions across the boundaries between individuals and groups through their network activities and events
• Developing collaborative partnerships across Wales, Europe and internationally

Being part of Swansea University’s Department of Research and Innovation, IfEL provides both a research and development function as well as a central point of coordination for the delivery of entrepreneurial activity at Swansea.

The team at IfEL aim to stimulate cross-campus opportunities and develop projects and programmes to encourage entrepreneurial aspiration and action amongst staff and students. So far the Institute has developed and delivered an entrepreneurship programme at Swansea University for staff.  It also works with students and graduates through the Enterprise Support Programme to help them start-up and run their own companies.

IfEL is closely engaged with the Swansea Employability Academy, the Government’s Youth Entrepreneurship Strategy (YES), and as well as being represented on Swansea Bay Partnership.  The Institute also works closely with the European Commission.

Paul said of Swansea University:

  “Being back at Swansea University is a great privilege. With the development of the new Swansea Bay Campus for Science and Innovation, Swansea will continue to be a leading University with entrepreneurship fully at its heart. LEAD Wales is making a great contribution to the Welsh economy through creating new jobs in SMEs and IfEL will ensure that being entrepreneurial is part of the way of life for our students and staff and key stakeholders.”

 About Paul Hannon:

• Paul is a graduate entrepreneur who during the past 30 years has helped shape enterprise and entrepreneurship education.
• Paul has supported small business support and development in the UK and overseas in various roles such as a CEO, Director/Head of an Academic Unit, Professor and Company founder/owner.
• Being no stranger to travel, Paul has worked with governments, global and national agencies, universities and colleges, business and industry partners and professional bodies in the UK, across Europe, in Malaysia, India, China, Africa, the Middle East, Indonesia, Australia and America.

Paul is also a graduate of Swansea University!