About Iraa Wimpenny FHEA
I specialise in marketing and student entrepreneurship, bringing 15+ years of industry experience delivering award-winning marketing and web campaigns for regional, national, and international clients.
I lead the core first-year Business Management and Entrepreneurial Skills module, where students develop professional skills through the Take £25 Challenge, which has raised nearly £50,000 for The Children’s Foundation over five years.
Alongside my teaching, I shape and deliver our undergraduate recruitment strategy, turning faculty vision into activity and impact across our undergraduate Business programmes.
Teaching and supervision
I have taught at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels on our Marketing, Management, and Digital courses in Sunderland Business School.
At present my teaching duties include:
Module Leader & Teaching:
My teaching focuses on helping students build employability and professional skills through applied entrepreneurship and real-world practice. I lead the core first-year Business Management and Entrepreneurial Skills module, where students take part in the Take £25 Challenge, developing and pitching ideas, running ventures, and reflecting on their learning while raising funds for good causes.
Take £25 Challenge impact and recognition
- Student ventures have raised nearly £50,000 for The Children’s Foundation over five years.
- The project has attracted media attention for its practical, entrepreneurial approach and its focus on lasting social impact.
- It has also received external recognition through the Educate North Awards, including a nomination for Community Engagement (University Sector).
Research
My research interests sit at the intersection of marketing psychology, influencer strategy, and brand building, alongside practice-led work in entrepreneurship education.
In marketing, I’m particularly interested in:
- Parasocial relationships (PSR) and influencer marketing, exploring how engagement and perceived authenticity translate into purchase behaviour.
- Branding, equity, and loyalty, focusing on how brand creation influences buyer behaviour and how loyalty loops build and sustain long-term value.
Alongside this, I’m also interested in entrepreneurship education, particularly how students, educators, and industry partners can co-design learning that has real-world impact.
Conference presentation:
Future Facing Education: Industry, Educators & Students as Co-Creators of Entrepreneurial Learning Opportunities for Personal, Societal and Economic Growth
Learning, Teaching & Student Experience (LTSE) Conference, 2026
Presented on collaborative approaches to entrepreneurial learning, linking authentic assessment with real-world partners and measurable impact.
Further information
Member of the Learning and Teaching Academy as a Fellow of the HEA