Growth and productivity are key issues affecting our economy, so how can we better utilise the power of universities to support the economic renewal of towns and cities right across the country?
The authors in this chapter – who come from the worlds of business, politics, local government and higher education – provide some answers. They explore ideas about the next steps for levelling up, and about the role of research and development, innovation and university-business collaboration in supporting local economies.
We also learn about how universities can help to drive up place-based foreign direct investment, how new institutions could stimulate local growth and how the sector can better utilise the opportunities arising from devolution. And we make the case for universities as regional infrastructure.