Are you interested in starting, or are you currently running, your own enterprise?

Do you want to reach a senior level within your organisation?

Do you want to explore entrepreneurial opportunities within the science and technology cluster?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you are invited to attend MEETS, a new course which takes place at Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge.

MEETS is specifically designed to meet the needs of mature female professionals with substantial work experience who are currently working in business, taking a career break, or are considering starting a business of their own. The course aims to give delegates the knowledge, skills and networks to set up their own ventures, or take leadership roles within organisations.

The Challenge

Increasing the number of women starting businesses and becoming senior managers is a key challenge facing the UK economy. Women are substantially less likely than men to become entrepreneurs or take leadership roles in organisations. However, recent research has shown that mid-career women are the group most likely to succeed in starting and running a business, so MEETS has been designed to help them overcome barriers to innovation and realise their full potential.

The Course

The course is held over two weekends at Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge University. The next course is scheduled for spring 2006, 9-11 March and 4-6 May. Each weekend will begin on Thursday morning and close on Saturday afternoon.

The programme combines presentations, practical workshops, small group sessions and individual project work, preparing delegates to take the next step in their career. Topics covered include:

• What it takes to be an entrepreneur
• Presentation and networking skills
• Negotiation and organisational skills
• Career anchors and self assessment
• Business planning and finance

One-to-One Support for Your Ideas

The MEETS inter-term project is done during the seven weeks between the two weekends, and will give you the opportunity to develop your idea or career goal into a viable and coherent plan. Each candidate is assigned a personally selected mentor, supervised by Cambridge University’s Judge Business School, who can provide you with advice and support during the project.

Application and Costs

Candidates are carefully selected to ensure that everyone gains the maximum possible benefit from the programme. In order to avoid disappointment, please apply as early as possible to secure a place. Lunches and dinners are provided, with guest speakers on Thursday and Friday evenings.

Non-residential cost for both weekends: £900
(Bursaries are available to deserving candidates)

Email meets@cmi.cam.ac.uk for more information.

Event Co-Organisers

Lucy Cavendish College works at the heart of the University of Cambridge but it is also able to contribute something radical and exciting which is not replicated elsewhere in the University: it offers mature women the opportunity to flourish within an environment where they can make the most of their wide-ranging experiences as they draw upon the resources of one of the best universities in the world.

The Cambridge-MIT Institute (CMI)is a pioneering partnership between two world-class institutions: the University of Cambridge in the UK and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US. Established in July 2000, it receives funding from the UK government and industry partners to carry out education and research to enhance the competitiveness, productivity and entrepreneurship of the UK economy by improving university-industry knowledge exchange.