CHESTER Business School has been named the best in the North of England at a prestigious awards evening. 

It was given the accolade of Business School of the Year in the Educate North Awards held on Thursday, April 18, in Manchester.

The awards bring together the North’s leading higher, further and sixth form institutions and organisations to celebrate world-class achievements, developments, and success. 

This year is the 10th Educate North Awards, celebrating, recognising and sharing best practice and excellence in education in the north.   

Chester Business School was recognised for its commitment to making a positive difference to Cheshire’s economic growth and for embarking on a new and purposeful phase of business engagement.  

   Flourishing despite the challenge of changes in external funding, the Business School team has worked in partnership with other business support providers and Cheshire West and Chester Council, to make a difference in the region.  

The school has expanded its business network and provided support from grant development to coaching and workshops. In just six months, from summer 2023, it has worked with local businesses to realise around £1.7m of business investment and more than 60 new jobs locally, while creating opportunities for future growth and for students. 

The university was also shortlisted in the category of Innovation for its The Westminster Centre for Research in Veterans’ project Where Are All the Veterans?

This project carried out research into the prevalence of mental health disorders within ex-Service personnel using primary healthcare records also resulted in more valid and reliable data on the mental health needs of the ex-Service personnel community.  

Associate Professor Kirstie Simpson, Dean of Chester Business School, said: “I am so proud of this amazing result which demonstrates the clear difference colleagues from the Business School are making not only to the lives of our students but to our communities and region as a whole.

"I’d like to thank everyone involved in this fantastic achievement.” 

Louise Goodman, Knowledge Exchange Manager in Chester Business School, said: “The Chester Business School team has supported some remarkable businesses through Cheshire West and Chester’s UK Shared Prosperity Innovation Programme.

"This accolade is particularly rewarding as it recognises the value of our business engagement activities and showcases the impact of business innovation as a catalyst for growth.”