Academics from the Department of Strategy and Marketing at the University of Sussex Business School have partnered with a local charity The Launchpad Collective to support refugees into employment and entrepreneurship.
What began as an impromptu conversation following a guest workshop by Launchpad Collective evolved into a structured impact initiative designed to transfer academic expertise into the community. Dr Ozgu Karakulak, Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship, said: “We wanted to share our skills and knowledge in entrepreneurship, working with refugees.”
Dr Matilde Lucheschi, Assistant Professor of Marketing, added: “We recognised a simple yet powerful truth: refugee status is a legal status, not an identity. Many of the individuals supported through the programme hold university degrees and significant professional experience — yet face structural barriers when entering the UK labour market.”
Business School faculty led two targeted events. The first focused on entrepreneurship and self-employment, equipping participants with practical tools, including defining value propositions, identifying target markets, and evaluating routes to market. The second addressed employability, with a panel of experts offering guidance on articulating transferable skills, strengthening applications, and navigating recruitment processes.
The collaboration with The Launchpad Collective — a charity supporting refugee job seekers into employment — ensured that support was grounded in lived experience and regional labour market dynamics.
A key insight emerging from the project was the importance of engaging employers alongside job seekers. Businesses often demonstrate a lack of knowledge and understanding about the issues refugees face; uncertainty around legal status, qualification recognition, or perceived risk. The project demonstrated that by raising employer awareness and small shifts in understanding can significantly increase employer confidence — and unlock access to a highly motivated, skilled talent pool.
For the Business School, the initiative represents a natural continuation of its leading work on inclusive entrepreneurship, strengthening further the link between research, teaching, and practice. By engaging closely with refugee professionals, academics generated insight that informed their ongoing research and enriched classroom discussions, particularly around diversity, entrepreneurship, and labour market inclusion. In addition, the project team and The Launchpad Collective presented their project outcomes at the Eastern Arc conference- Sanctuary Solidarities.
Looking ahead, the team aims to expand engagement with local businesses, involve students more directly in future initiatives, and explore opportunities to scale the model.
This project reflects the Business School’s commitment to research-led impact with social relevance, creating value not only for students but for communities and employers alike.
Watch the video here: https://vimeo.com/1115145087
Business School faculty participants:
- Ozgu Karakulak, Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship
- Matilde Lucheschi, Assistant Professor in Marketing
- Mirela Xheneti, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Small Business
- Rana Zayadin, Assistant Professor in Entrepreneurship and International Business
Video by: Sarah West westcreative@me.com
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