Local Businesses Across Sussex To Benefit From University's Expanded Business Growth Programme

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) across Sussex will receive continued practical business support from the University of Brighton’s Help to Grow: Management Course. 

Thanks to renewed funding from the Department for Business & Trade, the University will deliver three new cohorts of the Help to Grow: Management Course – offering more local businesses the chance to gain essential tools to accelerate sustainable growth, boost leadership capability, and build long-term resilience. 

These new groups will run in Brighton (September 2025 and January 2026) and Crawley (November 2025), helping a larger number of local businesses access the tools they need to drive long-term success, while supporting the growth of small and medium-sized businesses in the region. 

Designed to equip business leaders and senior managers with tools to enhance leadership, employee engagement, digital adoption, and change management, the government’s commitment  to extend funding until March 2026 underlines the proven value and impact of the programme over the past three years – at a time when SMEs play a key role in local job creation and community development. 

Since launching at the University of Brighton’s School of Business and Law, the programme has played a pivotal role in strengthening the local business community, supporting over 240 businesses employing over 9,000 people from diverse sectors including hospitality, manufacturing, construction, food services, arts, and education. 

Local course participants who have benefited from the programme in the past, have hailed its benefits.

Dr. Adam Jones, Programme Director of Help to Grow: Management at the University, highlighted the programme’s impact:

“At the University of Brighton, we are proud to continue supporting local SMEs through the government-funded Help to Grow: Management Course. Following our success in helping over 200 businesses, we have secured additional funding to assist more SME leaders.

"The programme has been transformative, enabling leaders to develop effective growth strategies, and we are honoured to be among the Small Business Charter accredited business schools chosen for this opportunity."