FLEDGLING businesses will be able to study enterprise in Newport after £138,000 was granted to set up a course for success.

Assembly members have praised the decision by the Welsh European Funding office to grant money to the University of Wales College, Newport, to set up the business skills course.

Now 30 students from across Newport and Monmouthshire will be able to take up the postgraduate Diploma in Enterprise and learn how to run a business.

The money has come from the European Objective Three fund to stimulate economic growth.

Rosemary Butler, Assembly Member for Newport West, said: "It is very, very good news for Newport. The university is really expanding and the opportunities available to the students are growing. "There is obviously a need for this sort of course, for people who are leaving university, who don't have the skills to run their own business but obviously would like them."

Neighbouring AM John Griffiths, member for Newport East, was equally impressed with the funding.

He said: "I think it is great news - this fits in so well with the assembly's agenda to increase entrepreneurship in Wales.

"It is part of our policy to increase the business 'birth rate', and the way to get this done is to try to get people to think about being entrepreneurs. This is part of the economic strategy for the next ten years."

Monmouthshire AM David Davies said: "I certainly give the scheme a cautious welcome. Anything that helps to change the anti-enterprise culture in Wales is a good thing.

"For far too long, Wales has lagged behind the rest of the country in terms of business creation.

"There has always been a culture prevalent that you should not go out and make more money than anyone else."