Edge Hill University secures more than £400,000 of UK Levelling Up cash to launch leadership training programme for Liverpool city region SMEs. Tony McDonough reports

Edge Hill University’s Business School has launched a new leadership programme for Liverpool city region SMEs.

Leadership for Growth programme will be delivered by academic experts from Edge Hill’s Business School. The university has secured £409,342 from Liverpool city region’s £44.4m UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) allocation.

Part of the Government’s Levelling Up policy, the UKSPF is. £2.6bn fund set aside for local investment up to March 2025.

Edge Hill’s programme will run until that date and its aim is to help leaders from within SMEs to “improve business performance, productivity and resilience”.

Director of the university’s Small and Medium Enterprise Product and Innovation Centre, Professor Simon Bolton, said: “Our programme aims to create dynamic leaders who can lead businesses and employees through change, growth and development.

“This help for businesses will boost their profitability and productivity, ultimately boosting the economy of the entire city region.”

Everyone who completes the course will be awarded professional Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Management and leadership qualifications recognising their new operational and strategic leadership capabilities.

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This programme builds on the success of the centre’s award-winning Leading Lancashire programme which has supported 392 businesses and 924 employees.

Jay Cullen, director of Edge Hill’s Business School, added: “Our team of business experts are looking forward to delivering the programme to SMEs across Liverpool city region.

“Enhancing local businesses with the leadership and management skills to support business growth, is not only vital for the local economy, but it also provides high-quality work-related opportunities and graduate jobs for our students.”

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