Generating growth and opportunity across England: briefings

Training key public sector workers is one of the most visible ways in which universities contribute to their local communities.

Universities work closely with their local NHS services to train the doctors, nurses, paramedics and other allied health professionals of the future, but also to refresh the skills of key health workers to ensure top quality patient care.

Universities support existing businesses of all types through their infrastructure, facilities, and expertise.

An example of universities supporting local productivity and jobs is the Knowledge Exchange Concordat. Through the concordat, over 100 universities review the range and impact of their knowledge exchange activities and set ambitious targets for growth and development.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and microbusinesses are critical employers across the UK, particularly in areas that don't have larger employers or well-developed economic clusters. They are often the businesses that have the greatest potential for growth and job creation, but the least time or resource to achieve this.

Universities play a key role in supporting the creative industries and cultural life in the UK, from producing skilled creative graduates to working with local councils and supporting the UK’s cultural prosperity and social wellbeing.

A study by Savanta ComRes for Universities UK revealed that more than two thirds (69%) of parents think students gain vital creative skills at university, which are essential to powering the UK’s creative industries.

#ThisIsDerby is a national award-winning partnership initiative with the University of Derby, Derby Theatre, Derby County in the Community Trust and Derby’s Cultural Education Partnership.

The partnership brings cultural education and events to young people in areas of deprivation and of low cultural engagement with the aim of developing their ‘Essential Life Skills’, including confidence, communication and teamwork.

Professor Kathryn Mitchell DL, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, said: ‘#ThisIsDerby is a flagship example of how the University’s partnership-building has galvanised the city to work together to improve the lives of thousands of children and young people from the most disadvantaged areas of the city, and it is wonderful to receive national recognition for this important work.’

Anglia Ruskin University is collaborating with experts in Jordan to develop innovative wearable sensors to monitor newborn babies in poor areas.

Researchers were alerted to the scale of the issue through their work in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, where they saw the effect that limited access to respiratory monitoring had on access to appropriate healthcare.

Inkjet-printing technology will create stretchable and biocompatible sensors for the monitor, and the project team will work closely with industry to ensure the designs conform to medical standards and can be easily commercialised.

Professor Dingchang Zheng from Anglia Ruskin University said: 'There is an increasing need for remote, low-cost, reliable, and comfortable respiratory rate sensors that provide physicians with accurate readings and to assess the health condition of newborns […] We’re delighted to be working with our partners in Jordan to create this vital piece of technology. We believe it will have a real tangible benefit which can save the lives of vulnerable babies.’

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have played a pivotal role in making London’s air healthier. 

Air pollution is responsible for approximately 40,000 premature adult deaths in the UK each year. In addition, research has linked air pollution to a range of serious long term conditions, such as dementia, heart disease and cancer. 

The team at QMUL showed that increased exposure to nitrogen oxides and particulate matter in London was linked to reduced lung function. It found that falls in air pollution due to the London Low Emission Zone weren’t enough to reverse the harm. Their research influenced the introduction of the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and the decline of diesel vehicle sales.

Newcastle Health Innovation Partners brings together Newcastle University, Newcastle City Council, two NHS Foundation Trusts, and the Academic Health Science Network for North East and North Cumbria. Using world-class research, education, and clinical practice, the scheme aims to to address health inequalities in the region.

Pat Ritchie CBE, Chief Executive of Newcastle City Council, said: ‘Our region has some of the country’s greatest health inequalities and the aim of this centre is to help address these by delivering new treatments, pioneering research and better workforce education.’

The Universities of Manchester, Liverpool, Bolton and Salford and Manchester Metropolitan University have clustered together to form the North West’s Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst (IBIC). IBIC is a collaborative initiative which harnesses the region's research expertise to accelerate knowledge exchange, impact, and innovation, while manufacturing food, fuels, and medicines. 

IBIC is poised for significant growth with a market potential exceeding £34 billion in the UK alone. The cluster is predicted to directly stimulate £2.5 million cash and £4 million in-kind co-investment, establish 150 collaborative projects, train 200+ students, create up to 100 green jobs, and establish 20+ new commercial ventures which could attract a further £10 million in investment.

Solent University have used Regional Innovation Funding to develop a partnership with Union Maritime Limited (UML), a leading innovator in wind propulsion for the shipping sector. UML have recently invested in wind technology, alongside vessel design, fuel efficiency and data-led performance analytics, in an effort to make a meaningful contribution to a sustainable and environmentally responsible future for the maritime sector. 

Solent and UML will collaborate to develop and deliver tailored wind propulsion training programs for both shore-based professionals and seafarers operating UML vessels. This will accelerate progress towards the International Maritime Organization’s net zero target for 2050.

The Joint Centre for Excellence in Environmental Intelligence (JCEEI) is a strategic partnership between the University of Exeter and the Met Office, in collaboration with the Alan Turing Institute.

JCEEI provides the expertise and capability to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to address the escalating threats of climate and biodiversity change.

For example, the Climate Impacts Mitigation, Adaption and Resilience (CLIMAR) framework uses Data Science and AI to integrate multiple sources of data to quantify the risks of climate change on populations, infrastructure and the economy across a range of real-world applications.

SymbioTex is a start-up founded by University of Wolverhampton graduate Olivia Simpson. While studying Medical Science and Clinical Practice, Olivia undertook a placement in the NHS, where she witnessed first-hand the vast amount of medical plastic waste generated. For example, each year over 60 million inhalers are distributed in the UK and only 0.5% are ever recycled. 

SymbioTex uses renewable seaweed as a sustainable alternative to plastic. The patented material allows manufacturers in the medical sector to create biodegradable 3D printed products like gallipots, sharp bin lids and cosmetic pots.

A partnership between the University of Leeds and Asda saw customers reduce food waste and save money.

The UK throws away 9.5 million tonnes of food each year, and household food waste accounts for 70% of this amount. Professor Young, an expert on consumer behaviour and modelling, worked with Asda to tackle knowledge barriers faced by consumers around waste.

Face-to-face behaviour change initiatives, such as community networks, focus groups, and in-store ‘champions’, proved highly successful in influencing and motivating consumers to take action.