The economic impact of universities in 2014–15

Report
16 October 2017
Economic impact
Download Send Email
 

​​The higher education sector is vital to the UK economy. In 2014–15 it supported almost one million jobs, and contributed £21.5 billion to UK gross domestic product.​

This report​ investigates the economic contribution that universities make annually​ to the UK economy through generating GDP, jobs and taxes, and their longer-term impact on the UK. 

The research – carried out for Universities UK by Oxford Economics – also quantifies future economic benefits by estimating the long-term impact of the research, development, and skills generated in UK universities in the academic year 2014–15.​

Read a summary ​of the research, or watch the above video, narrated by Universities UK President Professor Janet Beer.

 

Universities and Colleges and the Industrial Strategy report cover

Universities and colleges and the Industrial Strategy: exploring data on knowledge exchange, research and skills

Report
22 September 2020
Economic impact Innovation, growth and skills
A research paper commissioned by the Industrial Strategy Council looking at the contribution of further and higher education to the UK’s prosperity.
Economic impact of UK universities

The economic impact of universities in 2014–15

Report
16 October 2017
Economic impact
An investigation into the economic contribution that universities make annually​ to the UK economy through generating GDP, jobs and taxes, and their longer-term impact on the UK. 
HERB – Lords second reading

The economic impact of international students

Briefing
6 March 2017
Economic impact Immigration Parliament and government
This briefing outlines new figures for 2014–15 on the economic impact of international students studying in the UK, including the jobs generated at a regional level and the income they provide local businesses.
12345...Next Last

Download the full report

 

Infographics to download and share

​Report summary

News

A business is born every two hours at UK universities

28 August 2020
​University graduates start 4,000 new businesses and are responsible for supporting tens of thousands of jobs every year.
A young man smiling straight at the camera with the text '2020MADEUS want to prove ourselves' overlayed on the image

Universities UK launches campaign to boost confidence among university students

7 August 2020
Students awaiting their exam results this August are being urged not to let the coronavirus pandemic stop them from pushing forward with their lives, in a new campaign, #2020MADEUS, launched today by UUK.

Blog

Purchasing power: how university procurement teams benefit students and society

29 March 2019
We all benefit from effective purchasing by university procurement teams, writes Professor Nick Petford.
International students

£3.2 billion of tax from each cohort of international students who stay to work in the UK

21 March 2019
Nick Hillman, Director of HEPI, digs further into new research on the economic impact of international students who stay on to work in the UK.