The national award, presented at the Small Business Charter Annual Conference in London, recognises the school’s transformative impact on regional and national economic growth. This success is driven by the University’s Productivity and Innovation Centre (PIC), which enables SMEs to scale through a unique blend of leadership development, innovation-led growth and AI integration.
The Business School’s research-informed model empowers organisations across sectors from manufacturing and health to digital and retail to overcome productivity barriers and achieve sustained growth.
Professor Jay Cullen, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, said: “I am delighted that our Business School has been honoured with this Excellence Award. It is a testament to our commitment to supporting entrepreneurs and the wider regional economy through research and partnership.
“I am particularly grateful to the team in our Productivity & Innovation Centre, Professor Simon Bolton, Michael Banford, Andrea Cunningham and Steve McArdle, for their tireless dedication to our partners and students.”
Since the beginning of The Business School, such programmes as the ‘High Growth Innovation Sprint’ has supported 353 SMEs, creating 483 jobs and 174 new or improved products. Using advanced AI-enabled tools and behavioural insight, the programme helps SMEs rapidly generate high-value growth strategies.
The Business School continues to expand its reach, recently launching the ‘Help to Grow: Management’ course and a new Start-Up Hub for the University’s 350+ students who are aiming to set up as sole traders, start a new business or go freelance.
Professor Simon Bolton, Associate Dean for Knowledge Exchange, added: “Winning this award is a proud moment for us all. We are incredibly excited about the year ahead.
“We have just welcomed over 25 graduates from disciplines as diverse as Health, Law and Computer Science to our new intensive start-up support programme. With our Business Hub now fully operational, the ‘Accelerate’ programme marks the beginning of an ambitious 12-month schedule of business growth, leadership training and AI readiness initiatives.”
The Small Business Charter Excellence Awards celebrate business schools that provide sustainable, specialist support for small businesses and enterprise students.
Find out more about Edge Hill University Business School.
June 29, 2026
