Driving Change: A Research-Backed Approach to Responsible Leadership
At Enactus UK & Ireland, our core mission is simple: responsible leadership development for young people. To ensure our work remains effective, relevant, and purpose-driven, to sustain our impact in a world of change, we are committed to a growth mindset. This means continually adapting and evolving our programmes to ensure we deliver the best possible outcome for the young leaders involved.
It is for this reason that we are incredibly grateful for the vital support and thought leadership of the Enactus Global Research Network (EGRN). Their work to share key insights and research with our network, supports us to continuously refine our programme's effectiveness and approach, to evolve to generate even greater outcomes.
This value was demonstrated at this year's EGRN academic symposium, hosted at the Srinakharinwirot University in Thailand, which placed our core focus, responsible leadership development, at its core with the theme: "Empowering Graduates for a Sustainable Future: Integrating Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainability in Higher Education".
The research shared by a growing network of global scholars reinforced the foundations of our work and provided practical insights to accelerate our impact.
Across the research the key findings were clear:
Experiential Learning is the Engine of Impact: Our project-based model effectively bridges the gap between theory and action. This hands-on, community-focused approach is a powerful driver for real-world impact.
Soft Skills are the Core of Sustainable Leadership: Enactus participation actively cultivates vital attributes like adaptability, curiosity, creativity, and collaboration, core competencies for any responsible leader.
Partnerships Amplify Reach: Strong cross-sector collaborations between universities, businesses, and local communities are essential for strengthening impact and ensuring social entrepreneurship initiatives are scalable.
The Power of Purpose: Students are increasingly defining success through the lens of purpose and community impact rather than focusing solely on competition results.
The huge growth in participation, from 57 authors from 12 countries last year to 173 authors representing 21 countries and 80 research projects this year, reflects the global commitment to the idea that experience-based learning and innovative thinking are non-negotiable in preparing leaders.
By continuing to engage with this global research, Enactus UK & Ireland remains at the forefront of innovation in enterprise education. It ensures we prepare young changemakers with the skills they need to become the next generation of responsible leaders, with a head for business and heart for the world. To find out more and benefit from the research yourself, we encourage you to read through the 2025 Research Compendium which you can access here.
