Morning, Monday, 15th July 2024
This conference will focus on key developments and next steps for strengthening the relationship between universities and their local communities.
It is bringing together stakeholders and policymakers to discuss latest thinking on priority areas in which HEIs can contribute to their communities, strategy and best practice for implementing effective civic roles, and the way forward for measuring the impact of partnerships between local government, businesses and universities.
Delegates will discuss latest thinking on areas where the involvement of universities in their communities can have the most beneficial local impact, including outreach and mentoring for SMEs, schools and colleges, and support for employment, communities and regeneration, as well as key sectors such as the creative industries.
Those attending will also look at cost-benefit for universities, examining options for incentivising HEIs to contribute to local growth while reducing unnecessary associated administration and bureaucracy.
It will be an opportunity to discuss next steps for the National Civic Impact Accelerator (NCIA) and the Action Learning Programme (ALP), with 12 civic university partnerships aiming to accelerate the local social and economic impact of UK universities. Delegates will assess what has been learnt so far from evidence gathering by NCIA to establish what works, share innovation, and provide universities with the framework and tools to effectively contribute to communities.
The agenda also includes discussion on priorities for driving universities’ public and community engagement, and working with the public and third sectors - which was a focus of KEF3, with results for individual universities published in September 2023 - as well as the role of HEIs in local innovation and regional regeneration.
Further sessions will look at funding for local HEI research projects, including identifying and securing sources of revenue for long-term regional projects, as well as best practice for applying funds to effectively achieve key outcomes.
We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with: Alice Frost, Director of Knowledge Exchange, UKRI; Adam Leach, Programme Director, National Civic Impact Accelerator; and Greg Wade, Head of Innovation Policy, Universities UK.
The conference will be an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who are due to attend from DLUHC; DBT; DSIT; Department for the Economy, NI; IPO; Home Office; and the Welsh Government.
