Welcome to our Department of Business and Enterprise
Thank you for taking the time to check out what we offer at University College Birmingham, which won best student support in the region at the 2024 Whatuni Student Choice Awards, as voted for by students themselves.
On top of this, more than 90% of of our students highly rated our quality of teaching, support and development in the National Student Survey 2025.
If you are looking at joining us to carve out a career in business, here is a glimpse into our student and staff community - with insight into the placements and enrichment we offer - to see if we are right for you.
Kathryn Hayat
Head of the Department of Business and Enterprise
Welcome from Associate Professor Kathryn Hayat
Welcome to the Department of Business and Enterprise, part of our Business School, a centre of excellence in high-quality higher education.
Here, education meets real-world impact. Our programmes are shaped by industry collaboration, innovative teaching, and the development of practical skills to prepare you for success in a fast-changing global business landscape.
You’ll gain insight from our network of business leaders and entrepreneurs, engage in live industry projects, and benefit from institutional membership of influential organisations.
Our alumni run multi-million-pound companies, work with global brands, and lead ventures across many sectors. Join us to build the confidence, creativity, and expertise you need to become a future-ready business leader.
*Kathryn pioneered the use of Facebook for marketing communications and her published research includes work on AI in hospitality and tourism.
“This really is a university where you will not only receive a high quality teaching and learning experience, but award-winning support at the very highest level. We pride ourselves on our industry connections to give you the best opportunities to gain the graduate advantage."
What’s happening
New Year's Honour kicks off exciting 2026 for graduate James
An entrepreneurial University College Birmingham graduate who built his own multi-million-pound business has high hopes for 2026 a…
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Business students travel to infinity in Global Entrepreneurship Week conference
The theme of this year's student learning conference could scarcely have been more relevant.
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Business School’s excellence recognised with CABS membership
The Business School is delighted to announce it has attained full membership of the Chartered Association of Business Schools.
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Students in spotlight as university pioneers innovative new conference
The Business School this week hosted the first conference curated by and for students in the University's history.
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AI could revolutionise higher education, according to lecturer research
Artificial intelligence could revolutionise higher education and improve the student experience at universities, but i…
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University joins prestigious AACSB Business Education Alliance
University College Birmingham is proud to announce that our Business School has succeeded in attaining membership of the Associa…
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Business students learn from leading figures at AI conference
The Business School has hosted an exciting future-focused conference on the transformational and unexplored potential of AI.
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Invictus Games inspire at tourism and events conference
The new academic year got off to a flying start as the Business School hosted its third annual Inspire Conference.
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University launches government-funded pilot to upskill adult learners
The Introduction to Cyber Security and Introduction to Digital Marketing courses are part of the Modular Acceleration Pro…
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Marketing students rise to the TikTok challenge to showcase Birmingham icons
Digital Marketing and Marketing Management students presented with the rare opportunity to take part in a social m…
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Commonwealth Games creative agency supports students' industry projects
Undergraduates from across the Business School had a full day of riveting guest talks and workshops with the creative m…
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Business conference equips learners with skills to navigate their future careers
The Sustainable Futures Business Conference launches today at the University, packed with an impressive array…
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Blog | Black History Month Spotlight – Celebrating Jen Ellin
Since graduating as a mature student, Jen now runs Jen's Tailored Events, with plans to provide opportunities for young people wit…
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Event empowering startups commences at Business School
The first-ever Skills4Startups Festival Roadshow took place earlier this month at University College Birmingham’s Business School. Pr…
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Luxury hotel boss returns to University to offer hospitality placement opportunities
A University College Birmingham graduate who has managed some of the UK's most famous luxury hotels has re…
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New placement opportunities for marketing students as agency boss delivers guest talk
University College Birmingham students have had the chance to gain expert insight on marketing from the h…
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Acclaimed business leader brings expertise to University to benefit students
A young leadership winner dedicated to creating opportunities for the region is now bringing her expertise to Univ…
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World of opportunities for students at biggest careers fair in University's history
No fewer than 80 employers – including the NHS, an award-winning national construction company and a kids’…
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University goes green with Chambers' Sustainable Business Series campaign
University College Birmingham will be spearheading this year’s Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Sustainable B…
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Digital squad of students support Team Scotland to tell Commonwealth Games story
Students from University College Birmingham are working as the official behind-the-scenes digital squad to tel…
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Students got to hear from motivational speaker Vijay Vikram Singh, the voice of the biggest reality show in India, Big Boss, during a guest talk for the Business School. During his visit, he shared insight into the importance of failure, stress management and having a growth mindset. He also talked about the importance of communication and enhancing your skills. Scroll for more >>>
Farm Urban
Farm Urban, a vertical farm revolutionising the food system, hosted our Business Enterprise students for their Innovation, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship module. They were taken on a tour of the facilities where they learned about the aeroponic technology used to grow crops without soil, and the sustainable and ethical elements of the project. Scroll for more >>>
Farm Urban (cont'd)
A highlight was learning about Farm Urban's Greens for Good campaign, an initiative aimed at educating the community about the benefits of fresh produce and accessing nutritious food locally. Our students gained insight and explored ways to develop solutions to support small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Scroll for more >>>
Beyond the classroom
At University College Birmingham, we offer education and training that goes far beyond everyday classes and lectures. We are committed to providing enrichment opportunities for our students, from industry trips and expert visits to linkups with local charities, entry into competitions and much more.
Scroll to find out more about what's been going on in our department:
Nicky Millard
Deputy Dean, Curriculum Development and Student Recruitment for the Business School
Meet Nicky Millard
We’re really proud of our links and partnerships with employers and alumni. At the heart of what we do is preparing you for a graduate career in your industry.
Our industry partners regularly visit to speak to students, set projects and provide graduate employment opportunities.
We’re also really proud of the outstanding support we’ve been recognised as providing for students while on their journey with us. It gives us great pleasure to pass on our skills to the next generation and your future starts here. We are ready to kick-start your career and we look forward to seeing you soon.
*Nicky gained her degree with us before launching a career in hotel business management in the USA and the UK before moving into HR and lecturing.
Industry testimonial
"I have been very impressed with University College Birmingham's committed focus to driving entrepreneurism in the region. In today’s business world, being a founder and an entrepreneur is a viable career option and the University is helping to provide the necessary skills and support required to help individuals take this vital first step."
Our students
Sohaib Hassan
Sohaib was looking for a university degree overseas that would give him the skills to take over and scale up his family’s business.
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Havva-Lara Lupu
Havva wanted to achieve big things in the financial services industry, but first needed to confront her fear of public speaking.
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Branimir Spicar
Branimir works as a performance analyst in the rail industry, in a role he gained experience of through his placement.
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Matus Herc
One thing Matus is certain of is that travel is a force for good, and he has embraced this philosophy through work and study.
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Jen Ellin
Jen had already built a successful business, but her course led to a change in direction.
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Gabriela Mester
Transitioning from roles in human resources to entrepreneurship in construction, Gabriela decided to broaden her skill set.
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Oliver Johnson
Knowing that he wants to retire early, Oliver is leaving nothing to chance in bolstering his career prospects.
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Kelly Sambatari
Representing a well-known international brand on social media may sound daunting, but Kelly's degree showed her the way.
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Sven Opolcer
Since receiving his first class degree, Sven has been busy driving diverse projects on a German car giant’s graduate scheme.
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Afroz Ahmed
Completing a culinary college course in his home city of Mumbai, Afroz was keen to expand on his skills overseas.
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Victor Basinyi
Already a successful CEO, Victor decided to start a new educational journey with a foundation degree.
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Daniela Caprian
Since graduating with her Enterprise Management MSc, Daniela has used her course experience and knowledge to develop integral IT systems for the likes of Volvo and E.ON.
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Maja Bosanac
Having moved from Croatia to study towards her dream events career, entrepreneur Maja is now setting the trend for sustainability in the industry.
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Melissa Payne
Melissa's marketing career has seen her climb the ladder to become a manager within a multi-million pound company.
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Ross Loveitt
Ross built up an armoury of transferable skills on his MA, from writing reports to instigating negotiations.
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Dan Clarke
Dan has pressed all the right buttons since graduating and is now marketing apps and business services for a start-up.
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Our facilities
Based in McIntyre House, our Financial Trading Suite at University College Birmingham is one of the largest among all universities in the UK. Providing hands-on training opportunities for students on our finance and accounting courses and other business and finance-related modules, this cutting-edge suite has been built to ensure every student develops the practical skills needed for this sector.
Our courses
Business Enterprise BA (Hons) / FdA
Dream of being your own boss? If you aspire to set up your own company or advance in management positions throughout the enterprising service sector, this…
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Business Management BA (Hons) / FdA
Want to forge a flourishing career in the competitive world of business? This CMI-accredited degree course will give you a sound grounding in everything fr…
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Marketing BA (Hons) / FdA
Our marketing degree, accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), equips graduates with a wide range of digital, marketing and management skills, inclu…
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Finance and Accounting BSc (Hons) / FdSc
Aspiring to become an accountant or work in the finance sector? This course arms you with specialist knowledge and practical skills for these fields,…
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Enterprise Management MSc / PGDip
Our Enterprise Management postgraduate course will equip you with the business knowledge and experience to advance in management positions within the enterpr…
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International Business Management MSc
Open to graduates from any subject background, this postgraduate course will develop your understanding of international business for a wide variety of c…
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Marketing Management for Events, Hospitality and Tourism MA / PGDip
This postgraduate course enables you to develop the specialist skills and knowledge to start a marketing career within the…
Read moreMeet your lecturers
Beverley Compaore
Beverley has worked at University College Birmingham for over 30 years. Prior to joining University College Birmingham (UCB), Beverley worked in the hospitality industry in…
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Nicola Sandford
Nicola is passionate about demystifying finance for students - it’s not as difficult as students may think, so they shouldn't be scared of it!
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Simon Chatterton
In business, there’s no definitive right or wrong answer. What matters is how you justify your decisions with logic and evidence. With the current pace of change within the s…
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Faiza Khan
Faiza's research has been widely recognised, with publications in leading journals, multiple conference papers, and awards such as the Highly Commended Award by Emerald Literati an…
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James Jinazali
James is most inspired by making data reveal the reality behind the figures, thus helping to avoid random choices.
Find out moreCollen Tichaona Mahambo
A common misconception is that finance is just about numbers; in reality, it’s about solving problems and making smart decisions in the real world.
Find out moreAsif Sadiq
With a strong foundation as a Financial Analyst and internal auditor, Asif brings a blend of industry expertise and academic rigour to his teaching role at UCB.
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Sonia Dosanjh
Sonia's career began at sixteen years old as a Maths and English tutor, before she progressed to founding her own Tutoring business. Now, she draws on that entrepreneurial backg…
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Bruce Morrison
Bruce spent over 26 years serving in the British Army in a wide range of leadership roles. He has since transitioned into education and has dedicated himself to teaching, mento…
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David Butterton
David has over two decades of international experience in business, marketing, and hospitality across the UK, Canada, and Dubai, and brings a truly global perspective to prepa…
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Carl Bennett
Carl's leadership journey spans 23 years in the British Army, rising through six promotions across nine regiments, where adapting to diverse teams and challenges taught him the t…
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Charda McLarty-Williams
Charda's industry experience spans operational management across banking, production, and hospitality sectors, as well as curriculum management and youth mentoring in…
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Debra Wale
Before teaching, Debra held a range of roles in industry - from managing Café Rouge restaurants, to delivering projects for Birmingham City Council’s International Women’s Festival…
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Elodie Wakerley
Elodie believes that digital tools and technologies can break down barriers to accessing education, foster inclusion, and open new paths for lifelong learning and creativity.
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Jaswant Sembhi
What truly excites Jaswant is the chance to empower students with practical skills and strategic thinking that can shape their careers and lives. He values fostering leadership…
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We look forward to seeing you on campus
As you prepare to join us, here's a refresher on some of the essentials: