The previous regional structure of government (including Regional Development Agencies and Regional Government Offices) has been transformed by the current government into a larger number of Local Enterprise Partnerships, LEPs.

LEPs bring together private and public sector organisations in a smaller, defined economic area to support enterprise, innovation, global trade and inward investment. There are 38 LEPs in England and almost all have some form of higher education representation. The LEPs are a key route for the investment of Regional Growth Funds (RGF) which are aimed to boost private sector employment.

Universities UK has been lobbying the departments responsible for LEPs and the RGF, the Departments for Communities and Local Government and Business, Innovation and Skills, to ensure that LEPs are effectively engaged with higher education and universities can participate and lead bids to the RGF.

Under the previous regional structure of government universities organised themselves into Higher Education Regional Associations (HERAs), meeting regularly at the regional level. In some regions these groupings were considered no longer relevant and have been dissolved. Many, however, remain active and Universities UK organises regular meetings of the directors of the remaining HERAs to share intelligence and best practice and to inform UUK policy priorities.