University of Liverpool Receives £1M Gift to Establish Sir Peter Rigby Centre for Enterprise

(IN BRIEF) The University of Liverpool has received a £1M donation from Sir Peter Rigby to establish the Sir Peter Rigby Centre for Enterprise. The Centre aims to boost student employability by enhancing enterprise education and entrepreneurial skills, targeting 50,000 people in its three-year pilot. It will provide support for business planning, funding advice, and commercialisation of academic innovations. Sir Peter Rigby, serving as Honorary President for Enterprise, expressed his commitment to promoting entrepreneurism and lifelong learning. Vice Chancellor Professor Tim Jones highlighted the growing student interest in start-up activities and the Centre’s potential impact on the University and the Liverpool City Region.

(PRESS RELEASE) LIVERPOOL, 16-Jul-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — The University of Liverpool has been awarded funding to establish a new Centre for Enterprise, thanks to a generous £1M donation from entrepreneur Sir Peter Rigby. The newly named Sir Peter Rigby Centre for Enterprise aims to significantly enhance student employability by advancing enterprise education and entrepreneurial skill development within the University community and the Liverpool City Region. The Centre has set an ambitious goal of reaching 50,000 people during its initial three-year pilot phase.

This substantial gift from The Sir Peter Rigby Charitable Trust provides a transformative opportunity for enterprise activities at the University. The initiative is driven by a new vision under Vice Chancellor Professor Tim Jones, with support from Sir Peter Rigby, who will serve as Honorary President for Enterprise.

The Centre will focus on equipping young people with essential enterprise skills, whether they aspire to start their own business or become valuable employees. It will also support the University’s mission to ensure all staff and students possess the skills necessary to succeed, thereby transforming futures within the city region.

Key activities of the Centre will include offering funding to enterprising students who might otherwise be unable to attend university, igniting entrepreneurial spirit among the student population, and supporting the commercialisation of innovative research by University academics. The Sir Peter Rigby Centre for Enterprise will serve as a central hub for students and staff seeking support with idea generation, business planning, and funding advice.

Sir Peter Rigby, founder and Chairman of Rigby Group, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative: “Next year, I celebrate 50 years of accelerating digital inclusion and innovation through various business interests and philanthropic pursuits. I’m honoured to lend my name and funding to The Sir Peter Rigby Centre for Enterprise, which embodies my commitment to entrepreneurism and lifelong learning.

“The University of Liverpool has a rich history of innovation and academic excellence, and The Sir Peter Rigby Centre for Enterprise will create more opportunities for commercialisation, innovation, and entrepreneurship, further strengthening the University’s positive impact for its students, academics, and the community.”

Vice Chancellor Professor Tim Jones added: “We are sincerely grateful to Sir Peter Rigby and The Sir Peter Rigby Charitable Trust for this generous gift to support enterprise in the City Region. We have observed a growing interest in start-up and enterprise activities among our students. Over the past year, approximately 1,500 students have engaged with our personalised start-up support service, and around 1,100 have participated in our curricular embedded enterprise program. I look forward to seeing the Centre at the heart of our campus, fostering increased collaboration across the University and generating a greater impact in the region.”

Media Contacts:

Joanne Carr
Deputy Director of Communications and Public Affairs
T: +44 (0)7825 434900
E: jocarr@liverpool.ac.uk

Catrin Owen
Media Relations Manager – Humanities and Social Sciences
T: +44 (0)7721 834238
E: catrin.owen@liverpool.ac.uk

Sarah Stamper
Media Relations Manager – Science and Engineering
T: +44 (0)7970 247396
E: sarah.stamper@liverpool.ac.uk

Jennifer Morgan
Media Relations Manager – Health and Life Sciences
T: +44 (0)7775 547589
E: J.L.Morgan@liverpool.ac.uk

Alison Cornmell
Media Relations Manager – Health and Life Sciences
T: +44 (0) 7771 700680
E: Alison.Cornmell@liverpool.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Liverpool