Christine Atkinson Named IOEE Enterprise Educator Of The Year

Christine Atkinson, co-director of the Centre for Enterprise and lead of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Hub at the University of South Wales, was recognised at the Celebrating Enterprise Awards 2016, held in the House of Lords last week. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The IOEE Enterprise Educator of the Year award recognises an individual who has demonstrated an enterprising approach to developing and delivering enterprise and entrepreneurial learning and skills, inspiring students and enabling them to realise their enterprise potential. The IOEE Enterprise Educator of the Year is someone committed to continually developing their own skills and who champions enterprise education widely. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Since joining the University in 1999, Christine has worked tirelessly to promote enterprise and career progression for women. In 2008, she was instrumental in the creation of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Hub, which has been at the forefront of many innovative enterprise education projects across Wales, the UK and Europe. Between 2012 and 2015 Christine was Co-Director, then Director of the £5 million Women Adding Value to the Economy (WAVE) Convergence ESF project. She currently runs the Developing Entrepreneurial Women: Changing Horizons (DEWCH) Erasmus+ Project, shaping a joint Masters in Gender and Entrepreneurship, and promoting entrepreneurship as a relevant career choice for women. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Christine Atkinson said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It’s an honour and a privilege to receive the Enterprise Educator of the Year Award especially this year when the SFEDI Group is celebrating its 20th anniversary! It was wonderful to be part of the celebrations and to be in the company of highly esteemed colleagues who are all doing amazing work in the field of enterprise.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​