Universities Scotland convened cross sector representatives at a “Universities and regional economic development” conference last week to develop a shared understanding of how universities are currently contributing to regional economic growth, and how they can most effectively contribute to thriving Scottish regions in the future. The importance of shared learning and collaboration was a key theme of the conference. We were delighted to be joined by Peter O’Brien and Kate Hainsworth of Yorkshire Universities, to hear about the ways in which their members’ collective sense of place is driving economic growth and policy impact through innovative local collaborations. In this blog our YU colleagues share more details on their approach, and reflect on newly emerging opportunities for universities to work together in pursuit of sustainable growth across the nations and regions of the UK.
We welcomed Universities Scotland’s (US) conference on Higher Education Institution (HEI) engagement with regions and economic growth as a timely chance to compare notes across the nations and regions, when choppy sectoral, political and economic waters are affecting us all.
Vice-Chancellors in England are reflecting on the ‘wide-scale reform’ referenced in Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson’s letter to the sector (November 2024), requiring HEIs to play a greater civic role and make a stronger contribution to economic growth, including ensuring that research delivers benefits to the economy and supports the UK Government’s five national missions/Industrial Strategy. These reforms, alongside HEIs’ funding challenges, coincide with the role out of devolution across England. (In Yorkshire, after various options on our configuration, we have 4 mayors – three Labour, one Reform.)
This new regional landscape matters to HEIs.
London, with its well-established Mayor and transport/infrastructure, outstrips Yorkshire on the Sutton Trust Opportunity Index in the percentage of kids from poor backgrounds who are in the top cohort of earners, as well as poorer kids going to university. Our new Yorkshire mayors have agreed to work together on jobs, skills and movement around/between their sub-regions. There’s an opportunity for HEIs to support these initiatives and position themselves as part of the regional solution.
Yorkshire Universities (YU) has always championed place for impact. Whilst our membership is diverse, HEIs value the glue YU provides for cross-regional collaboration and expertise in partnering our public sector anchor institutions: the NHS, climate action, and the local and mayoral authorities. Recently that has been articulated through a series of MoUs/compacts and agreements.
Our strategy focuses on driving regional economic development, including skills. We develop partnerships across all levels of government and sectors (with devolution increasingly an influential factor in shaping and remaking these relationships). Our universities value the headspace and connections as YU convenes a common agenda. We also embed HEIs into regional policy by facilitating research cooperation between academics and local, regional, and national government. YU shaped the frameworks for our Y-PERN and YPIP activity, backed by £10m+ of UKRI funding.
Finally, despite headwinds, we’re keen to grasp this chance to work more closely together across the UK nations and regions. This conference posed key questions for us all: what do we want from new structures, and how can we respond to thrive in them? As always when we compare notes outside our patch, we learn a lot. We are delighted to share the journey with US in finding structures and interventions that work. It’s pioneering work for all of us – so the more we keep talking, the better chance we all have of riding the waves.
For information:
Yorkshire and Humber is a microcosm of the UK with urban, suburban, rural and coastal populations adding up to 5.7 million. A mix of thriving industrial or cultural hot-spots and desperate disadvantage. The HEI sector in Yorkshire is, according to UUK analysis, worth around £8bn per annum. YU is a registered independent charity and a limited company, and our Vice-Chancellors are trustees on our Board.