Surrey Business School earns top award for supporting small businesses
Surrey Business School at the University of Surrey has been awarded the prestigious Small Business Charter (SBC) accreditation for the next five years – achieving a perfect score across all 30 out of 30 areas assessed.
The national accreditation recognises business schools that play a leading role in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), student entrepreneurship and local economic growth.
Surrey Business School’s success highlights how closely it links teaching, business support and real-world impact.
The Small Business Charter assessment panel praised the School as “a significant and dynamic business school” with a “holistic approach to delivering business education”.
They highlighted its 2024–2030 Incubating Vibrant Futures strategy and its strong focus on knowledge exchange and collaboration with the small business community.
Professor Iis Tussyadiah, Dean of Surrey Business School, said the result reflects a collective effort:
“We are delighted to receive the Small Business Charter accreditation with such an outstanding result."
"This recognition reflects the collective effort of our colleagues, partners, and wider community in building a business school that is deeply connected to enterprise and impact. It reinforces our commitment to supporting SMEs, fostering entrepreneurship, and contributing to inclusive and sustainable economic growth.”
Jim Sears, Director of Business Partnerships at Surrey Business School, said the accreditation underlines the strength of the School’s work with companies across the region and beyond:
“This achievement highlights the strength of our partnerships with businesses across the region and beyond. Through initiatives such as the B-Clinic, the Surrey Hatchery, executive education, and collaborative innovation projects, we are creating meaningful opportunities for businesses to grow while equipping our students with real-world experience.”
Key initiatives such as:
- The B-Clinic – where students and academics work with real businesses on live challenges
- The Surrey Hatchery – supporting start-ups and student entrepreneurs
Executive education and innovation projects – helping businesses develop skills, innovate and scale all contributed to the School’s perfect score.
The accreditation marks a major milestone in the Incubating Vibrant Futures strategy and provides a strong platform for Surrey Business School to expand its impact across the SME ecosystem over the next five years.