The Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) is today launching the initiative at Aston University in Birmingham.

Social enterprise and entrepreneurship generally refers to organisations that try to find new solutions to social problems, and are less focused on making a profit than conventional businesses.

The ?2 million programme will be delivered by UnLtd, which has already been working with Hefce to raise awareness of social entrepreneurship in universities.

According to Hefce, a ?1 million programme running from 2009 to 2011 helped create 200 social ventures in 70 universities.

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In a statement, UnLtd¡¯s chief executive Cliff Prior, said: ¡°Social entrepreneurs are becoming ever more central to the social and economic recovery in the UK, innovating for good and enterprising for sustainability.¡±

David Sweeney, Hefce¡¯s director of research, innovation and skills, added: ¡°Higher education institutions play a vital social leadership role in the wider economy and society.¡±

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¡°Our successful partnership with UnLtd has enabled institutions to develop expertise in finding, funding and supporting social entrepreneurs. This next phase of work will embed social enterprise support across the sector and put universities and colleges at the heart of work to deliver positive social change in their locality,¡± he continued.

david.matthews@tsleducation.com