As a young and very nervous researcher, 38 years ago, I presented my first ever paper on the role of small firms in job creation, based on my work as a research assistant, at the UK Enterprise and Management Research Association (UKEMRA) conference in Gleneagles, Scotland.

Recently, I had the immense pleasure of attending, presenting my latest research and playing a small part in organising, as conference co-chair and convenor of a policy forum, the annual conference of the re-named  in Sheffield. Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) in Sheffield.

My presentation this time around was on how we can enhance the contribution of ‘pracademics’ to entrepreneurship research. ‘Pracademics’ are practitioners who join higher education hoping to contribute to emerging research and make an impact. My research supports the need to reform academic career structures, promotion criteria and research assessment processes to reflect the reality that academic careers are increasingly non-linear, with policy and practice experience adding considerable value to emerging research and ‘conventional’ academic methods.

I was as nervous as I was in 1986, for different reasons. Times are hard in the higher education sector, and I was worried that attendance would be low and that delegates would be preoccupied with the challenges facing universities.

I couldn't have been more wrong. The conference was one of the liveliest, most stimulating and even joyous events that I have attended for many years. I met old friends and colleagues and made many fabulous new connections. Most importantly, I came away convinced that the future of entrepreneurship and small business research, policy and practice is in excellent hands.

I was blown away by the standard of the discussions and the amazing range of new ideas, approaches and ways of understanding the role of entrepreneurship in addressing inequalities. Some highlights I took from presentations were the use of visual imagery to understand the culture of family firms and the role of religion and spirituality in entrepreneurial development.

Conference delegates expressed a clear and genuine commitment to bringing together insights from researchers, practitioners and policymakers, recognising the need to consider regional and global inequalities, and to address wider issues of social injustice and sustainability in devising policies to support entrepreneurs.

My work is currently focused on how researchers, policymakers and practitioners can best work together to ensure that entrepreneurship research is focused on addressing ‘wicked issues’ - such as climate change and forced migration - that require creative solutions based on multidisciplinary approaches. Practice-focused institutions such as Leeds Trinity University and ISBE are well placed to play our part in meeting these challenges.

Steve Johnson is Professor of Business and Innovation at Leeds Trinity University.