Ten independent retailers have won scholarships to attend the Oxford University’s Keble College this month, worth nearly £2,000 each.
The summer school takes place over seven intensive days between 21-27 August and offers an unparalleled opportunity for retailers from around the country to build on their practical knowledge, with essential lessons from some of the top retailers in the UK.
Skillsmart Retail partnered with the Retail Trust to offer 10 free scholarship places for this year’s event, run by the British Shops and Stores Association (BSSA). For the first time, the bursaries were exclusively available to retailers with fewer than 1,000 employees – helping to give independent retailers a boost in the current difficult conditions.
Now in its 81st year, the Oxford summer school will bring together a speaker line-up of experienced retailers including Joseph Wan, chief executive of Harvey Nichols, Mark Newton-Jones, chief executive of Shop Direct Group, and Susan Aubrey-Cound, director of Multi Channel Development at Marks and Spencer, to name a few.
Anne Seaman, chief executive of Skillsmart Retail, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer these highly valuable scholarships to our winners again this year. The Oxford Summer School offers a fantastic opportunity to engage with some of the most important figures in UK retail and network with colleagues from across the industry.
“It has been especially exciting to be able to give this fantastic opportunity exclusively to smaller, independent retailers. Sharing experiences and learning from them is essential and Skillsmart Retail is pleased to continue its support for the Summer School.”
Source: Skillsmart Retail
