Glenalmond College | New Entrepreneurship Programme with Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Glenalmond College in Perthshire, Scotland, is launching an exciting new entrepreneur programme in partnership with Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. Running from October 2026, the programme will be open to Glenalmond pupils aged 14 to 17 and combines in-person events at both Glenalmond and Oxford Saïd with monthly online sessions led by Oxford Saïd academics.

Jenny Davey, Warden of Glenalmond College, said: “The stories from the Inspiring Female Founders reflect our determination to make the world a better place.  I could not be prouder that Glenalmond is the first school in the world to support this initiative to champion inclusion and to challenge gender stereotypes. Glenalmond was founded to make a difference through our pupils and, as we celebrate our 180th anniversary, this partnership with the world-renowned Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford will give all our pupils a unique opportunity to learn how to think like entrepreneurs, to experience the world of business innovation and technology which harnesses the power of female role models, underpinned by our values of service, courtesy and kindness.  ”

At its heart, the programme uses the stories of female founders drawn from the Inspiring Female Founders (IFF) case library founded by the Saïd Business School. 

Professor Basak Akdemir, Chairperson of Glenalmond College and CEO of 35 Education, said: “Education must evolve alongside the world it serves. Our ambition for Glenalmond is to create an environment where academic excellence is complemented by real-world experiences that develop creativity, leadership, and entrepreneurial thinking. Partnering with Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, allows us to offer pupils access to some of the brightest minds in business and innovation, while encouraging them to become confident problem-solvers and future changemakers. It is exactly the kind of transformative opportunity that will define the next chapter of Glenalmond's growth and global outlook." 

From October through to March, students will take part in monthly 75-minute online sessions led by Oxford Saïd. Between sessions, mixed groups of three to five pupils will develop their own business ideas, using SOFIA — an AI tool trained on the IFF case library — to research and refine their thinking, with day-to-day support from Glenalmond teachers and feedback from Oxford Saïd at the start of each new session.

The programme concludes with a full day at Saïd Business School, Oxford, in Spring 2027. Pupils will enjoy a keynote from Professor Pinar Ozcan, a panel of women founders, selected group presentations, and awards at the Saïd Business School.

Professor Pinar Ozcan, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, said: “I am delighted to be working with Glenalmond College on this programme. The Inspiring Female Founders case library and SOFIA, the AI tool for entrepreneurship we trained on the case library, were built to be free and globally accessible. Glenalmond is the first school we work with to build additional educational content using these tools in order to train boys and girls in entrepreneurship using female role models. ”

Hugh Hegarty, Executive Director of Education at ACES, said: “True education has always been about preparing young people not just for the world as it is, but for the world they have the power to shape. This partnership embodies that ambition. By embedding entrepreneurial thinking and the inspiring example of female founders into the curriculum, we are giving students the tools and the confidence to create lasting global impact. We are proud to help equip the next generation to imagine a more inclusive future, and then to go out and build it.”

The Oxford Saïd partnership is the latest in a series of high-profile collaborations for Glenalmond College, following the announcement of a ground-breaking partnership with Chelsea Football Club, the first of its kind between a Scottish independent school and a Premier League club. Together, these partnerships reflect the school's commitment to providing pupils with experiences and opportunities that extend well beyond the classroom.