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Students and small businesses are set to benefit from a new collaboration announced by the University of Suffolk and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

The tie-up was signed during the FSB’s 50th anniversary bootcamp held in the University’s Waterfront Building on Thursday 18 April, which featured more than 100 small firms gather for workshops on sales, marketing and PR from local businesses Boughton Marketing, Sales Geek, and Nurture Marketing alongside Google. 

The new collaboration will mean that Suffolk’s small businesses will benefit from a series of opportunities focused on enabling them to grow their connections, learn new skills and broaden their knowledge, as well as giving university learners and graduates the chance to connect with local businesses to explore opportunities for work placements, apprenticeships, and work experience.

With the majority of businesses in Suffolk being SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), the new relationship will enable University of Suffolk students to better understand the benefits of working for a small business, and create connections between learners and firms in the region for mutually-beneficial opportunities.

Professor Gurpreet Jagpal, Pro Vice-Chancellor Business and Entrepreneurship at the University of Suffolk, said: “The University of Suffolk prides itself on ensuring students have access to career and industry opportunities during their studies, as well as being job-ready when they graduate.

“This new collaborative relationship with the FSB will be a significant step in that goal, ensuring students and graduates can connect with firms across the region and delivering valuable opportunities for small businesses to benefit from the University’s broad spectrum of business support.”

Candy Richards from the FSB said: “Working closely with the University of Suffolk to support Suffolk small businesses enables our SME community not only benefit from the broad range of facilities on campus but also to explore opportunities to network, upskill, and tap into the talent of the University’s graduates.

"With many students looking for local placements and job opportunities, it makes perfect sense to make it as easy as possible to connect graduates with our burgeoning local businesses.”

The University of Suffolk featured in the top 20 for graduate prospects in the Times Good University Guide 2024, and was ranked second overall in the East of England for graduate prospects in the Complete University Guide 2024.

Undergraduate Business Management students also took part in the FSB 50th event, putting the entrepreneurial theories they have learned into practise with a pop-up business challenge, which also helped raise funds for good causes.

º£½ÇÉçÇø the FSB
Established 50 years ago to help small businesses succeed in business, the FSB is a non-profit making and non-party political organisation that is led by its members, for its members. 

Members receive an exclusive package of great value business services including advice, financial products and support. The benefits include protection in the case of tax inspection, legal and HR advice, as well as local networking groups and business banking.