Seven QUT staff have been recognised internationally with the Entrepreneurial Leadership Team of the Year award at the Triple E Awards, recognising their commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry collaboration.
The award was officially announced at a ceremony during the Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities (ACEEU) Forum in Prague.
The QUT Collaborative Entrepreneurial Leaders team comprises seven staff recognised for embedding entrepreneurship across QUT;
- Professor Robina Xavier (Provost)
- Professor Rowena Barrett (Pro Vice-Chancellor, Entrepreneurship and Regional Innovation)
- Dr Erin Rayment (Chief Commercialisation Officer)
- Professor Cameron Newton (Deputy Dean, Faculty of Business and Law)
- Associate Professor Glen Murphy (Director, QUT Entrepreneurship)
- Ms Kate Taylor (Director, Office of Industry Engagement)
- Dr David Herold (Entrepreneurship Study Area Coordinator)
The win acknowledges the university's sustained leadership in building an entrepreneurial ecosystem that empowers students, staff, and the broader community to create real-world impact.
Professor Robina Xavier, QUT Provost, said the Triple E Award is recognition of the way QUT has integrated entrepreneurial thinking across all of its core business activities.
"Our team's collaborative approach, harnessing connections across faculties, industry, and the community, ensures impact for our students and staff," Professor Xavier said.
"This award recognises that entrepreneurship at QUT is not the work of a single program or office, but the outcome of a connected community working towards a common goal of creating impact together."
Within QUT, more than 150 entrepreneurial ventures are backed each year, with the QUT Collaborative Entrepreneurial Leaders team hosting events and programs such as the Commercialisation Club, Pitch Night, and the annual Excolo! Pitching Challenge.
Professor Rowena Barrett, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Entrepreneurship), said the award was an important recognition of the collaborative culture that defines QUT.
"This award reflects the passion and dedication of so many people across QUT who work every day to bring ideas to life," Professor Barrett said.
"Our leadership in entrepreneurship is about more than start-ups – it's about cultivating mindsets, building skills, and enabling every student and staff member to turn challenges into opportunities.
"By nurturing entrepreneurship at every level – curriculum, co-curriculum, research and regional partnerships – we're not just teaching entrepreneurship; we're living it."
This win builds on the 2023 recognition at the Triple E Awards where QUT was named Entrepreneurial University of the Year for the Asia-Pacific region.
About the Triple E Awards
Organised by the Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities (ACEEU), the Global Triple E Awards celebrate excellence in entrepreneurship and engagement across higher education. Winners are chosen from finalists who exemplify outstanding institutional, team, and individual-level impact on societal innovation. The 2025 ceremony took place in Prague alongside the ACEEU Forum (September 10-12, 2025).
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Top row (left-right): Dr Erin Rayment, Professor Rowena Barrett, Associate Professor Glen Murphy.
Bottom row (left-right): Professor Robina Xavier, Professor Cameron Newton, Ms Kate Taylor and Dr David Herold
