The new president of Universities UK, Professor Steve West CBE, today gave his inaugural speech at the Universities UK Annual Conference. The conference, held at Northumbria University, is the first time university leaders have gathered since the start of the pandemic.
In his speech, Professor West emphasised the central role that universities can play in the post-pandemic recovery of communities and the economy, but issued a stark reminder to government that the wrong policy decisions could derail these efforts:
The stakes are high. The right policy decisions can ensure that anyone with the potential and ability to succeed at university can do so and deliver the supply of talented, highly educated, skilled people that business, public services, and communities need. But the wrong decisions may constrain, damage and set back the very towns, cities, and regions that the government most wants to level up, slowing our recovery and delaying our push towards an inclusive, prosperous global Britain.
Professor Steve West
President of Universities UK
You can read the full speech in the Insights and analysis section of our website or download the speech as pdf.
