Civic University Agreements – List of Signatories

Following the launch of Truly Civic: Strengthening the connection between universities and their places (the final report from the UPP Foundation Civic University Commission) there are now over 40 vice-chancellors who have committed their universities to develop civic university agreements – one of the report’s key recommendations.

This page will be continually updated to reflect the latest number of signatories. We would be delighted if your university would like to be added to this list – contact us to join the #trulycivic movement.

Civic University Agreements – Statement of Intent

Universities are proud of the places and communities we share. They have shaped us, and we have shaped them. These may be towns, cities or even whole regions; often rural. Some universities have been civic institutions for over a century, others are civic institutions that have only relatively recently become universities. But, as a sector, we are united by our commitment to delivering opportunity and prosperity to the people and communities with whom we share our place.

Universities have long worked to support social mobility; drive innovation and economic growth; and support the cultural strength of our communities. However, the profound economic and social changes that are happening across Britain today has made the civic role of universities even more vital. The time is right, therefore, for us to focus and strengthen our efforts. Universities must examine, with purpose and with rigour, how we should fulfil our civic missions in the future.

That is why we fully support the recommendation in the UPP Foundation Civic University Commission to establish a new approach – a Civic University Agreement.

As signatories of this statement we are pledging our universities to develop Civic University Agreements. The agreements will better align our priorities with those of our local partners.  Alongside schools, further education colleges, local authorities, charities, the NHS, civil society and businesses large and small, we want to make sure our place thrives in the coming decades.

This is not how government has recently thought about universities. As the cost of paying for a degree has shifted towards students, so too have policy, regulation and incentives increasingly emphasised the private benefit of a degree over universities’ public good. Whichever way universities are funded, we believe the public and private benefits from higher education must be developed together.

The long-term funding settlement for our sector will inevitably impact on what we can do and the extent to which we can do it. This includes our civic role. However, within that constraint this statement is a commitment from us, as autonomous institutions, to continue to serve the educational, economic and societal interests of our communities and our place. We will continue to embed our civic responsibilities into the core of what we do; be this research, education or knowledge exchange. We hope that funders recognise and continue to support this.

We will publish our Civic University Agreements publicly. As we develop them, we will be driven by the following principles:

1. As place-based institutions we are committed to attaching a high-priority to the economic, social, environmental, and cultural life of our local communities.

2. Our civic role will be informed by an evidence-based analysis of the needs of our place, developed collaboratively with local partners and informed by the voice of our local community.

3. We will collaborate with other universities and anchor institutions and form partnerships to overcome the challenges facing our local communities.

4. With our partners, we will be clear about what we do and how we measure it, so we can say with confidence what we have achieved – and how we might do better in the future.

As Universities, we are responsible to our students and our staff, but we are also responsible to the places around us. Our Civic University Agreements will be an opportunity to set out clearly, coherent and creatively how we will fulfil that responsibility.

List of signatories

Professor Colin Bailey, President and Principal, Queen Mary University of London

Professor Liz Barnes, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Staffordshire University

Sir David Bell, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Sunderland

Professor Dame Janet Beer, Vice-Chancellor, University of Liverpool

Professor Nishan Canagarajah, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Leicester

Professor George Boyne, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Aberdeen

Professor Hugh Brady, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Bristol

Professor Amanda J. Broderick, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of East London

Professor Alec Cameron, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Aston University

Professor Andy Collop, Interim Vice-Chancellor, De Montfort University

Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Warwick

Professor Paul Croney, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Teesside University

Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor and President, Newcastle University

Professor Lynn Dobbs, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, London Metropolitan University

Professor Sir David Eastwood, Vice-Chancellor, University of Birmingham

Professor Graham Galbraith, Vice-Chancellor, University of Portsmouth

Professor Pamela Gillies CBE, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Glasgow Caledonian University

Professor David M. A. Green CBE, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Worcester

Professor Sir Chris Husbands, Vice-Chancellor, Sheffield Hallam University

Professor Koen Lamberts, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Sheffield

Professor David Latchman CBE, Master, Birkbeck University of London

Professor John Latham, Vice-Chancellor, Coventry University

Professor Geoff Layer, Vice-Chancellor, University of Wolverhampton

Professor Susan Lea, Vice-Chancellor, University of Hull

Professor Jane Longmore, Vice-Chancellor, University of Chichester

Patrick Loughrey, Warden, Goldsmiths, University of London

Professor Helen Marshall, Vice-Chancellor, University of Salford

Professor Quintin McKellar CBE, Vice-Chancellor, University of Hertfordshire

Professor Trevor McMillan, Vice-Chancellor, Keele University

Professor Kathryn Mitchell, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Derby

Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Glasgow

Professor Paddy Nixon, Vice-Chancellor and President, Ulster University

Professor Nick Petford, Vice-Chancellor, University of Northampton

Professor Judith Petts CBE, Vice-Chancellor, University of Plymouth

Mr Andrew Rhodes, Registrar and Chief Operating Officer, Swansea University

Professor Colin Riordan, President and Vice-Chancellor, Cardiff University

Professor Mark E. Smith, Vice-Chancellor, Lancaster University

Professor Sir Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Exeter

Professor Steven Spier, Vice-Chancellor, Kingston University

Professor Mary Stuart, Vice-Chancellor, University of Lincoln

Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor, University of Sussex

Professor Saul Tendler, Acting Vice-Chancellor and President, University of York

Professor Rob Warner, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Plymouth Marjon University

Professor Shearer West, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Nottingham

Professor Steven West CBE, Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Officer,

University of the West of England

Professor Tim Wheeler, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, University of Chester