Research in Enterprise, Innovation & Strategy

Our broad-based research themes and areas of expertise include:

• The Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (Regional, National, International Perspectives)
• Entrepreneurial Activity within SMEs
• Small Business & Innovation
• Entrepreneurial Incubators & Accelerators
• National Infrastructure & Support for Enterprise
• Raising Entrepreneurial Intentions & Entrepreneurial attributes within Business
• Enterprise and/or Entrepreneurship Education
• The Entrepreneurial Stakeholder

We welcome applications from anyone whose research ambitions links, however broadly, with these areas, and members of the team are happy to discuss the possibility of developing studentship and funding applications.

In UWS, all of our research on enterprise, innnovation and strategy is undertaken within the Transformative Enterprise Research Group (TERG). TERG creates and disseminates impactful research that focuses on the big societal problems of the day and the future offering meaningful and practical solutions to these problems.

TERG concentrates on undertaking research projects and producing impactful outputs which focus on:

• SME start-up
• Sustainability and growth
• Enterprise policy
• Entrepreneurial practice & skills

Transformative Enterprise Research Group

The study of enterprise and entrepreneurship concerns all walks of life, sectors, and can provide a remedy to several societal challenges as alluded to in the UN SDGs. cur current research activities directly map to 6 UN SDGs:

SDG 1 - No Poverty; SDG 4 - Quality Education; SDG 7 - Affordable & Clean Energy; SDG 8 - Decent Work & Economic Growth; SDG 9 - Industry Innovation & Infrastructure; SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities & Communities.

UWS aims to be among the global leaders of excellent, relevant and purposeful research aligned with the United Nations SDGs by placing them at the heart of our Strategy 2025.

In the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024, UWS was officially recognised in the top 400 universities worldwide as assessed against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UWS was recognised as the 2nd most impactful university in Scotland, and 16th globally, for 'reducing inequalities' (UN SDG 10).

Find out more about UWS AND UN SDGS

The minimum requirements for an applicant for registration for the degree of MRes or MPhil or for the degree of MRes/MPhil with the intention of transfer to PhD shall be a first or second class honours degree of a university in the United Kingdom, or of an equivalent qualification.

Applicants holding qualifications other than those specified in (above) shall be considered on their merits and in relation to the nature and scope of the programme of work proposed.

Direct registration for the degree of PhD may also be approved, at the discretion of the University if the applicant holds an MRes/MPhil degree of a United Kingdom University, or an MRes/MPhil degree of equivalent standard of a non-UK University, provided that the MRes/MPhil degree is in a subject area which is appropriate to the proposed programme of work.

Exceptionally, direct registration for the degree of PhD may also be approved, at the discretion of the University, even if the applicant is not the holder of an MRes/MPhil degree, but does hold an exceptionally high-quality honours degree or taught master’s degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline, AND has appropriate research experience at postgraduate level which has resulted in significant peer-reviewed publications, and where verifiable evidence of accomplishment is supplied.

For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level. The qualifications below must have been gained within two years of the start of your course.
General English language requirements at UWS: International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)

For our research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf), applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

• overall score of 6.5
• no sub-test less than 6.0

More on English Language Requirements