Yesterday, as Chair of the Leicester and Leicestershire Business and Skills Partnership I had the pleasure of chairing a roundtable focused on a vital question: how do our universities step up as the primary engines of our local economy? A great setting at Space Park Leicester for the discussions.
🎓 In Leicester and Leicestershire, we have incredible assets—from space tech and advanced manufacturing to health sciences. But as the national policy shifts toward "place-based" investment, the role of the university is changing. We are very lucky to have three amazing Universities in our County University of Leicester De Montfort University and Loughborough University.. all vital parts of our eco system for innovation research employment, skills and much more !
They aren't just places of learning anymore; they are "system integrators" for our entire region.
Three big takeaways from the discussion:
👁️🗨️ Beyond the Ivory Tower: Universities must act as brokerage hubs. Industry partners were clear—they need faster, more accessible pathways to R&D and a skills pipeline that actually matches the pace of business.
🥇 Leading Through Devolution: For regions without a Combined Authority, universities are the glue. They provide the evidence base and the leadership to ensure we don’t get left behind in the devolution shift.
💼 Strategic Alignment: Programs like the Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) and the new £80m University Defence Alliance aren't just funding pots—they are tools to align academic research directly with regional economic priorities.
A huge thanks to the teams from Universities UK, our local business leaders, and academic partners for the candid insights. The goal now is to turn these "missions" into measurable local growth.
