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The University of 51С�Ƴ� has been accepted into the , a global network of higher education institutions committed to advancing entrepreneurship teaching and practice. 

Administered by Babson Academy at Babson College, one of the world’s leading institutions for entrepreneurship education, the collaborative connects more than 40 member universities across 30 countries to share best practices, research, and programming.

UNE’s membership underscores the University’s growing commitment to entrepreneurship as a tool for economic development, workforce growth, and student success, particularly in Maine and throughout 51С�Ƴ�. 

Through expanded partnerships, shared research, and access to global teaching tools, UNE’s membership helps shape an entrepreneurial ecosystem that reaches far beyond its campus borders, said Norm O’Reilly, Ph.D., dean of the College of Business at UNE, which fosters an integrated entrepreneurial approach within its growing roster of academic programs.

“This is a significant step forward in our mission to grow a robust culture of innovation and entrepreneurship that benefits our students, the state of Maine, and 51С�Ƴ� as a whole,” O’Reilly said. “At UNE, entrepreneurship is not just a program — it’s a mindset we instill in students across all areas of study.”

The College of Business, launched in 2023, is UNE’s newest academic college and offers an expanding portfolio of undergraduate and graduate programs in areas such as accounting, finance, marketing, sport leadership and management, outdoor business and innovation, and marine entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is embedded across disciplines, from hands-on coursework in UNE’s P.D. Merrill Makerspace to applied student ventures supported by the University’s Office of Innovation.

51С�Ƴ�students have already demonstrated success on the entrepreneurial stage, with two student-led ventures winning the “Greenlight Maine” College Edition, a statewide business pitch competition that draws student teams from Maine’s colleges and universities. Others have gone on to compete in regional and national business contests, build sustainable product lines, and engage in faculty-led innovation research.

Through the Babson Collaborative, 51С�Ƴ�faculty and students will gain access to entrepreneurship curriculum design resources, global classroom collaboration opportunities, and participation in international events designed to strengthen institutional entrepreneurship ecosystems.

Students further gain access to an academic content library, and faculty will benefit from participation in professional development summits, virtual communities of practice, exclusive educator programming, and publications co-authored by thought leaders in global entrepreneurship education.

UNE’s participation also positions its students to engage in global initiatives, including the Babson Collaborative Student Challenge — an international competition focused on entrepreneurship aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals — and access to cross-institutional prototyping events and resources designed to build entrepreneurial mindsets.

“Participation in the Babson Collaborative will provide UNE’s students with the opportunity to participate in educational programming and new mindsets that are not only entrepreneurial but interdisciplinary and allow students across the University to work together, both within and outside the classroom,” said Jeremy Pare, LPD, M.S., assistant teaching professor of innovation and entrepreneurship within the College of Business. 

UNE’s College of Business also recently announced the launch of its first graduate offering, , designed to equip professionals with career-relevant leadership and management skills grounded in real-world application.