Tara Lovejoy
Senior Lecturer in Enterprise Education, Programme Lead for BA (Hons) Business Management and BSc (Hons) Business Psychology. Head of Marketing and Admissions for Business School
About
Tara joined the Business School in 2017, bringing with her a wealth of experience from Chichester College, where she taught undergraduate, postgraduate courses in Higher Education and professionally accredited programs. During her 8-years at Chichester, Tara established and managed the prestigious Peter Jones Enterprise Academy (2011–2014). This initiative, one of over 30 academies supported by renowned entrepreneur and BBC TV star Peter Jones CBE, was designed to equip young people with the skills to launch their own businesses while completing an accelerated diploma.
Under Tara’s leadership, the Chichester Academy became a flagship institution. Her innovative mentoring and coaching provided critical support to students as they transformed business ideas into reality. Tara fostered strong relationships with local business leaders to offer students invaluable opportunities through weekly guest speakers, networking events, business challenges, and investment prospects. The Academy’s success was underscored by one student being crowned the UK National Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012, leading to a year-long mentorship with Peter Jones and later Sir Richard Branson. Another student, runner-up in 2013, went on to work in confectionery for Buckingham Palace and Fortnum & Mason.
Prior to transitioning into education, Tara built a diverse and accomplished career across multiple industries. She successfully launched and managed her own businesses, gaining first-hand entrepreneurial experience. As a consultant, she provided strategic investment into businesses, overseeing large, grant-funded portfolios. Tara also spent significant time in the City of London, where she developed her expertise in the high-paced world of investment banking and research. Additionally, she worked within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, contributing to international relations and global affairs. This rich blend of entrepreneurial, financial, and governmental experience informs her teaching and research today.
Professional
At the Business School, Tara continues to champion student-centred learning. Her pedagogical approach focuses on ‘problem-based’ and ‘action learning’, utilizing real-world business challenges to cultivate entrepreneurial mindsets and critical thinking skills—key attributes sought by employers today. In addition to leading modules in entrepreneurship, sustainability, global business, and strategic management, Tara is the Programme Lead for both the BA (Hons) Business Management and BSc (Hons) Business Psychology degrees. She is also deeply involved in course and module development, ensuring alignment with current industry trends and economic demands.
Tara is also Head of Marketing and Admissions for the Business School, where she oversees all facets of student recruitment and leads on initiatives related to conversion, open/applicant days, outreach activities, alumni engagement, and provides vital support to prospective students as they navigate the decision-making process.
Tara is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Member of the Chartered Management Institute
Research Interests and potential PhD
Tara’s research interests lie at the intersection of entrepreneurship and sustainability, reflecting both her extensive industry experience in supporting business start-ups and her long-standing commitment to environmental issues. Her consultancy and research work in Further Education have focused on fostering entrepreneurial mindsets and evaluating the impact of guest speakers on student readiness for employment. These insights have been instrumental in shaping her teaching strategies and curriculum development.
Currently, Tara is delving into the crucial field of sustainability, with a particular focus on reducing carbon emissions within the food industry—an issue of growing urgency as global population and consumption continue to rise. Her research explores innovative approaches to food production and carbon storage, investigating how we can mitigate emissions while meeting future demands.
One area of particular interest is Blue Carbon—the process of using ocean and coastal ecosystems to sequester carbon in sediments. Tara’s work looks at the potential for transforming the commercial fishing industry to capture more carbon than it releases, contributing both to environmental goals and food security. This research explores how a shift in commercial fishing practices could promote biodiversity, support wild fish stock recovery, and foster sustainable industry practices. Tara is especially intrigued by the mindset of the commercial fishing sector, examining perceptions, behaviours, and attitudes towards this concept, and assessing whether such a transformative ‘sea change’ can be realised within the UK.
