The role of universities will help the UK’s social and economic recovery

By working together with their partners, including local government and employers, universities will play a vital role in the next chapter of our country’s history.

Professor Julia Buckingham, President of Universities UK

Universities UK has worked with National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education (NCEE) to analyse the impact universities can have on the UK’s economic and social recovery.

The report predicts that in the next five years numerous jobs, new businesses, and prosperous partnerships will be created across the UK through university collaborations with employers, local government, and other partners.

Universities and higher education institutions are vital for boosting the UK’s economic and social recovery and are already contributing.

The analysis is based on historic records compiled from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, ONS, and Innovate UK data. and the actual results can differ but it estimates that UK universities will:

• Provide £11.6 billion worth of services and support to small enterprises, businesses, and not-for-profit organizations

• Help created 21,700 new companies and charities due to the work of universities.

• Train 191,000 new nurses , 84,000 medical specialists and 188,000 teachers.

• Contribute an estimate of £21.7 billion of research collaboration between UK universities and non-academic organisations.

Universities are open for business and through partnerships with employers, colleges, the NHS, and the cultural and voluntary sectors, universities can play an important role in the economic and social recovery from the pandemic in the UK. Through innovation, training, skilled graduates and knowledge exchange, universities will drive productivity and boost competitiveness.

As part of the #GettingResults campaign, universities are and will commit to work closely with a wide range of organisations and seek out new opportunities for collaboration nationally and locally to improve the economic and social situation.

This work is being overseen by Universities UK’s Economic and Social Recovery Taskforce, led by Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor at Newcastle University.

Professor Day said that universities form the core of the nation’s recovery from the pandemic and we have seen over the past year achievements and results of strong collaboration between our universities and their partners and they want to continue to do so: “Now universities want to do more, to help the UK to bounce back stronger, with opportunity and prosperity spread across the country. We are looking to form strategic partnerships with employers and sector bodies throughout the UK to strengthen collaboration between universities and their partners.”

The President of Universities UK, Professor Julia Buckingham, believes that with the right kind of support and funding the growth and impact of Universities could be even stronger than the prediction of the report and she added:

“By working together with their partners, including local government and employers, universities will play a vital role in the next chapter of our country’s history. This report shows that university partnerships can contribute significantly to future economic success and improve lives across the UK.”

You can find out more about the campaign #GettingResults and the report on the Universities UK website: https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/