Professor Sarah Underwood

Professor Sarah Underwood is the Director of Executive and Professional Education at Leeds University Business School and a Chair of Entrepreneurial Practice, and was previously the Director of the Centre for Enterprise & Entrepreneurship Studies. 

She was also the University of Leeds Programme Director for Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses; working with high-growth SME owners across the UK (2010-2019).

Since joining the University of Leeds, Sarah has helped to established “enterprise” as a discipline at the university and launched many new elective modules at undergraduate level and masters level programmes. Sarah has also developed and implemented a number of teaching innovations within the Leeds curriculum, including the Year in Enterprise.

Prof Sarah Underwood awarded Honorary Fellowship of EEUK in 2019 in recognition of her dedicated service to the organisation and her contribution to the wider enterprise educator community.

She was the Chair of Enterprise Educators UK in 2017/2018 (serving on the board from 2013-2019) and was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2017 in recognition of her contribution to developing innovations in enterprise education. In 2015/16, Sarah’s innovations in developing enterprise activities for students contributed to Leeds University’s recognition with the ‘Duke of York Award for University Entrepreneurship’ and the Times Higher Education ‘Entrepreneurial University of the Year’ award. This follows the 2014 Small Business Charter Gold award.

In addition to her Enterprise activities, Sarah led major strategic projects for Leeds University Business School through the escalation of the faculty’s blended & digital learning portfolio. This culminated in the successful roll-out of more than 1,400 iPads to all postgraduate students in 2014.

 

Qualifications

Fellow (Higher Education Academy)

PhD (University of Leeds)

BSc Hons (University of Bristol)

Experience

2018-present: Professor of Entrepreneurial Practice
2018-present: Director of Executive & Professional Education
2015-present: Director of the Centre for Enterprise & Entrepreneurship Studies
2014-2018: Associate Professor of Enterprise
2014-2015: Deputy Director of the Leeds Enterprise Centre
2013-2014: Director of Undergraduate Studies, Faculty of Business (0.5 FTE role)
2010-2014: Lecturer in Enterprise
2008-2010: Enterprise Teaching Fellow

 

RESEARCH

Sarah’s research interests include enterprise education and social enterprise.

PUBLICATIONS

Books

• Nov 2012: “Contemporary Issues in Entrepreneurship Research, Volume II: Social and Sustainable Enterprise: Changing the Nature of Business” Emerald, UK. Underwood S, Blundel R, Lyon F, Schaefer A. (Vol Eds) Henry C, Marlow S. (Eds)

Recent Publications; Peer-reviewed journals

• Jones, S., Underwood, S. (2017)”Understanding students’ emotional reactions to entrepreneurship education: A conceptual framework.” Education+ Training.
• Murdoch-Eaton, D., Underwood, S. & Dube, S., (2015) ‘Developing Enterprise Skills in Undergraduate Medical Students: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation?’’ Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development. In press.
• Clarke, J., Underwood, S. (2011) “Learning based on ‘entrepreneurial volunteering’: Using enterprise education to explore social responsibility” Industry & Higher Education 25(6) 461–467

Policy papers & general articles

• Chartered Association of Business School (Case study contribution; Underwood, S.) (2016) “Business schools: delivering value to local and regional economies” CABS Available online https://charteredabs.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Chartered-ABS-Delivering-Value-Report-2.pdf [Accessed September 2016]
• Young, L., Golds, A., Durbin, G. …, Underwood, S., … (2014) “Enterprise For All; The Relevance of Enterprise in Education” 3rd Report on Enterprise & Small Firms. UK Government Available online https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/338749/EnterpriseforAll-lowres-200614.pdf [Accessed June 2016]
• Clarke, C., Underwood, S. Davis, M. (2013) “Wake Up and Smell the Coffee: Developing Students’ Understanding of Fair Trade Through Experiential Learning” Inspirational Guide for the Implementation of PRME. Available online http://www.gseresearch.com/pages/prme.aspx [Accessed May 2013] Invited Blog Posts

• Underwood, S. (2017). ‘New and renew’ 20^th Sept. Enterprise Educators UK. [Online] Available from: http://www.enterprise.ac.uk/index.php/chairs-blog/item/748-new-and-renew
• Underwood, S. (2016) ‘Crossing the divide: developing an enterprising culture by bridging curricular and co-curricular opportunities’ 16th Jun. Small Business Charter. [Online] Available from: http://smallbusinesscharter.org/crossing-the-divide-developing-an-enterprising-culture-by-bridging-curricular-and-co-curricular-opportunities/
• Underwood, S. (2016) ‘ ‘Tis the Season…’ 20th Mar. Enterprise Educators UK. [Online] Available from: http://www.enterprise.ac.uk/index.php/chairs-blog/item/561-tis-the-season
• Underwood, S. (2015) ‘3 Secrets of Success: Reflections from the Entrepreneurial University of the Year’ 10th Dec. Small Business Charter. [Online] Available form: http://smallbusinesscharter.org/3-secrets-of-success-reflections-from-the-entrepreneurial-university-of-the-year/

Recent External Conferences

• Jones, S., Quesada-Pallares, C, Simmons, E. and Underwood, S. (2016, May) ‘Is Online Learning Suitable for Entrepreneurship Education?’ In 4th International ECSB Entrepreneurship Education Conference. Leeds
• Shepherd, A., Underwood, S. & Wilkinson, C. (2016, Mar) ‘The scale of the challenge: staff vs student perspectives of iPads in higher education’, In iPads in Higher Education Conference. San Francisco, USA
• Jones, S. & Underwood, S. (2015, Nov) ‘Recognising students’ emotional responses to entrepreneurship education; a cross-disciplinary inquiry’ In 38th International conference of the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) Conference. Glasgow
• Simmons, E. & Underwood, S. (2015, Sept) ‘Global Collaborations in the Entrepreneurial Classroom’ In International Enterprise Educators Conference (IEEC). Anglia Ruskin
• Clarke, J., Underwood, S. & Wilkinson, C. (2015, Apr). ‘iPadagogy for Business Education’. In ABS/HEA Learning & Teaching Conference. York.

• Simmons, E. & Underwood, S. (2014, Sept) ‘Flipping fantastic; individual vs group online learning’ In International Enterprise Educators Conference (IEEC). Newcastle
• Berry, A., Holland, J., Simmons, E., Underwood, S. & Wray, K. (2014, Sept) ‘Huge Worldwide Free Education? Exploring Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in Enterprise Education’ In International Enterprise Educators Conference (IEEC). Newcastle
• Jones, S. Underwood, S. (2013, May) ‘How do educators recognise and account for students’ emotional responses to entrepreneurship education?’ Refereed paper presented at the Inaugural ECSB Entrepreneurship Education Conference. Denmark
• Brookes, S., Moseley, A., Underwood, S. (2012, Nov) ‘Contextual Games; Pervasive Learning Activities in Enterprise Education (a case study)’. In 35th International conference of the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) Conference. Dublin.
• Underwood, S., Jones, S., de Costa, I. (2012, Sept). ‘Mapping the Entrepreneurial University’. In International Enterprise Educators Conference (IEEC). Plymouth.
• Clarke, J., Underwood, S. (2012, Apr). ‘Getting social with education for entrepreneurship’. In ABS/HEA Learning & Teaching Conference. Manchester.
• Underwood, S., Clarke, J. (2011, Nov). ‘Student-led Social Venture Creation; A Pedagogical Journey from Practice to Curricula’. In ISBE International Conference. Sheffield.

 Internal Student Education Conferences

• Underwood, S., Shepherd, A., & Wilkinson, C. (2016, Jan) ‘iLearn, iTeach; What happened when iPads came to LUBS’ In UoL Student Education Conference. Leeds
• Shepherd, A., Underwood, S. & Wilkinson, C. (2016, Jan) ‘The scale of the challenge: staff vs student perspectives of iPads in higher education’ In UoL Digifest Conference. Leeds
• Simmons, E. & Underwood, S. (2015, Jan) ‘Accessible Academia: An Innovative Approach to Supporting Students’ Transition to University through MOOCs’ In UoL Student Education Conference. Leeds
• Underwood, S. (2014, Mar) ‘So NearPod, so far; the story of iPad integration into LUBS’. In UoL Hands on the Future Conference. Leeds
• Underwood, S. (2014, Jan) ‘Business and Community Engagement’. In UoL Student Education Conference. Leeds
• Underwood, S. (2013, Jan) ‘Education in an Alternate Reality: Innovating Social Enterprises’. In UoL Student Education Conference. Leeds.
• Underwood, S., Bell, C. (2011, Jan). ‘Learning beyond lectures; Using VLE groups and organizations to encourage student engagement’. In UoL Learning & Teaching Conference. Leeds.

TEACHING

Modules 2017/18

• LUBS5536M Small Business Growth (Semester 1)
• LUBS2035 Finance for Small Business (Semester 1)
• BIOL5269M Commercialising Biopharmaceuticals (Semester 2)

Teaching Grant Income:

• Sept 2015 Footsteps Fund (Lead) ‘Achieving an Intrapreneurial Mindset (AIM)’ Programme (£5,100)
• 2014-17 Erasmus+ Knowledge Alliances for Higher Education Bid ‘European Food Studies & Training Alliance’ [CI] (£988,000)
• 2012-14 Higher Education Academy ‘The Dragon’s Apprentice: Enterprise Skills for Modern Languages’ with Harrington, G. [PI] (£20,000)