Changemaker showcase demonstrates the depth and breadth of activities at the University of Northampton

Last week (24/25 May), visitors from America, Australia and Italy, alongside colleagues from the University, students and our local Changemaker partners, participated in a packed programme of events, demonstrating our commitment to Changemaker across the University.

The University was first internationally recognised for its commitment to social innovation and entrepreneurship in 2013 by being designated a ‘Changemaker Campus’ by Ashoka U – the global association of the world’s leading universities supporting social entrepreneurs – and was the first in the UK to be awarded this honour. The Changemaker Showcase was part of a process of renewing our membership of the AshokaU Changemaker Campus network. The AshokaU team, which included an Associate Vice-Chancellor from Central Queensland University in Australia, and senior observers from an Italian university, met with over 80 people during the two days demonstrating the wide variety of changemaking taking place across the University and within the community over the last five years.

The AshokaU team met with students, graduates, staff and lecturers to understand the breadth and depth of the Changemaker initiatives across all professional and academic areas of the institution, as well as how changemaker values are embedded into learning outcomes across our course portfolio.  In this, we are leading when compared to the other 40 AshokaU Changemaker Campuses in the network. The Changemaker Supper celebrated the impact changemaker projects are having within the communities in Northamptonshire

Tim Curtis, Changemaker Lead at the University commented: “This has been a very busy two days, with lots of people pleased to share their experience and ideas. It really is a joy and privilege to bring together so many initiatives from every part of the University together in one place. Thank you to everyone who took part and submitted to the written evidence element of the renewal process.

“Although the formal feedback from AshokaU won’t be received for some weeks, the early comments following the visit have been positive; the delegation commented on how impressed they were by the remarkable breadth of social innovation across a range of university subjects and services, as well as a depth of passion and commitment from students through to Governors of the University.

Wray Irwin, Head of the University’s Centre for Employability and Engagement said, “I’m always humbled by the way in which our students identify and then work to solve social problems, there’s such a wide variety of student lead projects happening and I am always impressed by the passionate way in which our students tell the story of their changemaker initiates. They are truly an inspiration, celebrating their success is wonderful.”