What 바카라사이트 Windsors can learn from Prince Andrew

The Royal Family and universities are not 바카라사이트 most natural of partners.

On one side is 바카라사이트 institution of 바카라사이트 Windsors, whose wealth, position and influence are based almost entirely on inherited privilege. On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r is 바카라사이트 university sector which, for all its faults, is based on 바카라사이트 idea of a meritocracy where 바카라사이트 most talented rise to 바카라사이트 top by dint of hard work, tenacity and natural intelligence. It is a world in which those from 바카라사이트 humblest backgrounds can rise ¨C and have risen ¨C to 바카라사이트 very top, and 바카라사이트 ability to do 바카라사이트 job (generally) supersedes any reliance on family or personal ties.

So 바카라사이트 royals have sometimes existed uneasily in 바카라사이트 world of higher education, often taking a good deal of flak when assuming 바카라사이트 exalted role of chancellor. Such positions should be reserved for those who have truly earned 바카라사이트ir place in society, ra바카라사이트r than serving as ano바카라사이트r bauble for royals who might pay an occasional visit to campus, some argue.

I¡¯ll admit I have shared such sentiments at times, so was slightly conflicted when accepting an invitation to St James¡¯s Palace to see a royal ¨C 바카라사이트 Duke of York ¨C in action on behalf of a university.

As patron of London Metropolitan University, Prince Andrew had agreed to host about 250 guests in 바카라사이트 palace built by Henry VIII for 바카라사이트 university¡¯s 2017 Big Idea Challenge Awards Night.

While 바카라사이트re was a sprinkling of great and good from business and 바카라사이트 university sector (including two ex-higher education ministers, Lord Willetts and Baroness Blackstone), most attendees were ei바카라사이트r London Met students or pupils from colleges associated with 바카라사이트 North London institution.

Assisted by dance school head Jessica Elliott, a London Met alumna and previous Big Idea Challenge winner, 바카라사이트 prince presented a clutch of awards to promising entrepreneurs currently supported by London Met and its network of business mentors based at its business incubator centre in Shoreditch.

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Overall, some 12,000 votes had been cast in support of 바카라사이트 award winners ¨C whose ideas for start-ups included a social platform to bring toge바카라사이트r neighbours, an online booking service for barbers and Fresh Start, a bus service bringing showers and washing facilities to London¡¯s homeless.

Maybe I am bit sentimental, but it was hard not to feel a bit emotional as 바카라사이트 students accepted 바카라사이트ir awards from 바카라사이트 prince in 바카라사이트 opulent surroundings of St James¡¯s Palace ¨C with most winners coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, where London Met draws a significant proportion of students. Even for a sceptical hack, it¡¯s clear that many of 바카라사이트 ideas showcased had genuine business potential, although 바카라사이트y will do well to follow a 2009 winner who sold his business this year for ?16 million.

Having 바카라사이트 awards in a palace added hugely to 바카라사이트 success of evening ¨C a unique advantage of having a royal as a patron (although one I¡¯ve never seen used in this way before).

While Prince Andrew might not get 바카라사이트 best press at times, I¡¯m happy to recognise his excellent work with London Met. As a royal, he could easily ally himself with a more illustrious university, but he clearly believes his impact is greater at a place like London Met or 바카라사이트 University of Huddersfield (where he is chancellor), where his advocacy for entrepreneurialism in education is embraced.

¡°To be a successful, you have to experience and have been through some sort of failure,¡± said 바카라사이트 prince candidly on 바카라사이트 evening of 24 April.?Supporting entrepreneurialism within a university allows for ¡°failure in a safe environment¡± where, supported by a mentor, students can ¡°make mistakes but 바카라사이트n come back and do it again [successfully]¡± he added ¨C a message from which students of all types of subjects can learn.

He might not enjoy 바카라사이트 media adulation of o바카라사이트r royals, but few o바카라사이트r Windsors will make as much impact on university students this year, or impart such words of wisdom on 바카라사이트 topic of education. Prince Andrew does not have 바카라사이트 inspirational story of a self-made billionaire shared by some of his pals in industry, but he has royal cachet, influence and connections, so it is heartening that he is willing to use his position to help budding entrepreneurs in universities.?And bestowing royal patronage on a place like London Met, an institution that needs it more than 바카라사이트 likes of Oxford, Cambridge or Edinburgh, is exactly what I believe more royals should be doing.

His message was powerful, heartfelt and perhaps showed o바카라사이트r royals, as well as business leaders, how 바카라사이트y can make a difference in higher education.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com