Morning, Monday, 13th October 2025
Online
This conference looks at priorities for universities and their role in contributing to local economies and growth in the UK.
Policy affecting HEIs
It will bring together stakeholders and policymakers to discuss next steps in the context of a range of policy developments, including the Government recently committing to publish a Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper.
Delegates will assess implications of The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and it highlighting the importance of universities to the local economy, with a commitment of continued support for HEIs through the Higher Education Innovation Fund.
With concerns surrounding the financial sustainability of HEIs - and with universities looking to balance their civic, educational and research missions with commercial and regional development - sessions will consider potential opportunities offered by the 2025 Spending Review and the Government’s wider growth strategy, including funding for innovation clusters, infrastructure, and place-based R&D.
The £22.5bn per year R&D investment plan for university research, commercialisation, and public-private partnerships will also be discussed, with stakeholders and delegates considering strategies to enhance funding models that blend public and private investment to maximise place-based innovation.
Local collaboration and the Industrial Strategy
Delegates will look at how the Government’s devolution agenda might impact HEI collaboration with strategic authorities and businesses. Areas for discussion include the development of investment zones, clusters and related infrastructure, innovation hubs, as well as wider regional university-business partnerships aimed at driving innovation and supporting local economic growth.
Sessions will explore strategies and frameworks for how universities are engaging with local and combined authorities, and devolved administrations, to support regional economic blueprints and skills pipelines, including approaches to collecting data on economic benefits. Discussion will also consider challenges in aligning university strategies with local authority expectations, varying regional economic conditions, and labour market capacity.
Further discussion will look at implications of the Industrial Strategy for partnerships between HEIs and local authorities - and for regional relationships between businesses and universities - in the context of policy objectives around growth, productivity, and skills development. Delegates will consider how collaborative frameworks can evolve to both drive innovation and deliver tangible local economic benefits.
Examining the role of universities in developing regionally-led innovation clusters and translating R&D into economic impact, delegates will assess implications of the new Local Innovation Partnerships Fund and strategies to increase high-skilled job creation and productivity gains. Sessions will look at the place-based pillar of the Industrial Strategy and its alignment with local industrial specialisms and sector plans.
We expect discussion on the potential for universities to act as conveners of innovation ecosystems across public and private sectors, in line with evolving government priorities in the Industrial Strategy and the AI Opportunities Action Plan. Delegates will examine how universities can support regional AI capacity through computing infrastructure, data partnerships, and skills development aligned with local industry needs. There will also be a focus on the contribution of universities to sector-specific Industrial Strategy goals in areas such as clean energy, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing.
Procurement and new legislation
Attendees will assess the role of university procurement practices in supporting local economies in the context of recent implementation of the Procurement Act 2023. We expect discussion on how universities are approaching embedding inclusive procurement practices in line with the Act - prioritising local SMEs, social enterprises, and environmentally responsible suppliers - along with any issues and the impact on wider public value.
With new legislation expected to further strengthen university-community partnerships, we expect the session to bring out best practice examples in university partnerships with local stakeholders on civic projects. Delegates will also consider issues relating to wider policy, including reform to the Office for Students in its forthcoming 2025-2030 strategy, updated planning frameworks for delivering infrastructure projects, and impact of immigration policy on student retention.
HEI funding, financial sustainability and the role of students
There will also be a focus options for policy and sector practice to help institutions to manage financial strains. Attendees will examine the Shared Prosperity Fund, Higher Education Investment Fund and the UKRI Innovation Accelerator, as well as potential new funding routes stemming from devolved powers, and regional availability of private finance. Sessions will also examine blended funding models that combine public and private investment to support regional innovation priorities, and best practice in start-up and spin-out development.
Further sessions look at the local economic impact of students and graduates, with latest thinking on the role of international students, as well as local economic implications of recent fee and visa reforms.
Areas for discussion include strategies linking graduate retention with boosting local economies including frameworks for strengthening collaboration between universities and businesses on achieving positive graduate outcomes. Delegates will explore place-based graduate retention strategies, such as internship and enterprise programmes, and how local labour market intelligence can help shape curriculum and careers support.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those due to attend include officials from DHSC; DBT; Department for the Economy, NI; DSIT; NAO; and The Scottish Government.
