Enterprise student spotlight

The University of St Andrews supports the development of Graduate Attributes. These are the 20 identified characteristics which students have the opportunity to acquire during their time at the University. Underpinned by the attribute of Social Responsibility, the Graduate Attributes are divided into four categories:

Valuing Diversity
Leadership Skills
Entrepreneurial Mind-set
Global Outlook.

The Graduate Attributes are developed by a combination of curricular, co-curricular (University activities that aren’t part of the academic curriculum), and extra-curricular activities. Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Education supports the development of the attributes through taught modules including ID2007 and VIP modules, co-curricular activities such as the Summer Team Enterprise Programme and extra-curricular activities like workshops and our Pecha Kucha evenings.

Explore the content below and learn about the wealth of enterprising opportunities offered at St Andrews, as well as the students' own thoughts on what makes a successful entrepreneur.

We are eager to shine a light on enterprising students and to showcase their endeavours. Please email enterprising@st-andrews.ac.uk if you would like to be featured.

Listen to a series of podcasts produced by the Enterprise Club, as part of the Summer Teams Enterprise Programme, analysing the journeys of pioneering founders and entrepreneurs. The Enterprise Club is a student team comprising six members: Priyansha Agarwal, Iona Bielby, Ella Watson, Aimee Watts, Eleanor Duce and Cameron Edge.

1. Adam Braun of Pencils of Promise

2. Daniel Lubetzky - Founder of KIND

3. Muhammad Yunus - Founder of Grameen Bank

4. Tony Hsieh - CEO of Zappos

5. Yvon Chouinard - Founder of Patagonia
As part of the Summer Teams Enterprise Programme, the Enterprise 2030 student team was given the task of forecasting the main challenges and trends that St Andrews graduates will encounter in 2030, and how the University can better prepare them to meet these challenges.

The four key trends and challenges they highlighted were:
1. Rise of gig-working and zero-hours contracts
2. More flexible working patterns
3. Rise in STEM jobs and creation of new roles
4. Job market polarisation and skill mismatching
The team, comprising Eimear Duggan, Chris Toward, Erin Boddie, John Kite, Pavel Andreichenko and Emily Lomax, produced a comprehensive research paper to:
- highlight the major trends that will define the graduate experience of 2030 and beyond
- understand the challenges and opportunities of the changing job market
- identify some of the ways universities should refocus their attention towards dispensing the most appropriate lessons to the graduates of today and 2030.
Read their Enterprise 2030 report (PDF) for more information.
As part of the Summer Teams Enterprise Programme, the Enterprise in Lockdown team was tasked with documenting the lived experiences of students during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in the summer of 2020, and understanding how these experiences can help develop enterprise capabilities.

The project team, comprising Jay Spoehel (project leader), Claire Gordon, Amelia Ward, Juan Pablo Rodriguez, Kyle Boutilier and Gage Fox, conducted surveys with 90 students and qualitative interviews. This was to document how students utilised and developed enterprising behaviours in response to the many challenges of Covid-19.

Watch a video produced by the project team to highlight a few of these stories and experiences.
As part of the Summer Teams Enterprise Programme, the Enterprise Capabilities project team was asked to develop a creative way to illustrate what enterprising capabilities look like in the real lives of inspiring leaders in the world of sport, politics, business or culture.

The project team, comprising Paris Malik (project leader), Akshika Kandage, Abigail Tumborang, Jourdan Toh and Lakshmi Thiagarajan, produced a mix of podcasts and videos that analyse how the lives and careers of these leaders exemplify the six key enterprise capabilities.

Agatha Christie by Abigail Tumborang

Alex Ferguson (Manchester United) by Jourdan Toh

Muhammad Yunus (Grameen Bank) by Lakshmi Thiagarajan

Dr David Nott by Paris Mailk

Adam Braun (Pencils of Promise) by Akshika Kandage
While studying for an MSc in Sustainable Development with a focus on contemporary environmental issues and sustainable business, Pabita was involved in multiple enterprising activities. She joined St Andrews’ Enactus HR & Socials Team, co-founded her third start-up (STEGIs) and successfully completed the FastStart Changemaker Programme at the University’s Entrepreneurship Centre, placing first in the pitch competition and winning the maximum prize money of £1000. Furthermore, she participated in the Leading Social Change Programme and was part of the first cohort of FastStart Design Thinking at the Entrepreneurship Centre. In March 2023, she competed in the Enterprising Mind of the Year competition and was awarded the runner-up place.

In this interview, she talks about her passion for sustainability, her understanding of an enterprising mind and how her time at St Andrews allowed her to pursue new avenues of thought and discovery.

The Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Education Team is grateful to Pabita for her time and her enthusiasm for inspiring others to discover what enterprise means to them.

Enterprise student spotlight

Summer Teams Enterprise Programme (STEP)

Enterprise Club podcasts

Enterprise 2030 project

Enterprise in Lockdown Project

Enterprise Capabilities project

Alumni Spotlight interviews