Vice-Chancellor to advise government on universities and regional growth
Plymouth University’s Vice-Chancellor has been appointed as an expert adviser in a major national review into how universities can support regional growth.
Professor Wendy Purcell has been invited alongside six other leading national independent experts, including senior figures from Oxford University and the universities of Manchester and Nottingham, to support the Government's Department for Business Innovation and Skills in its ‘Review of Universities and Growth’.
Independently led by Sir Andrew Witty, CEO of GlaxoSmithKline, the ‘Witty Review’ will seek to build a greater understanding of the diverse ways in which universities contribute to growth, working with Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and drawing on other cross sector expertise.
It will use this evidence base to develop recommendations to maximise the impact of universities by working with relevant agencies, local organisations and business, in support of the Government’s Industrial Strategy and in response to the Heseltine Review.
In his letter of invitation to the panel of independent expert advisers, Sir Andrew Witty said: “Our Universities have a worldwide reputation and make a valuable contribution to innovation and economic growth through a wide range of activities. They are one of the major sources of knowledge generation for the UK and are national and local assets supporting innovation and growth. They have a fundamental value in the creation and transmission of knowledge. Added to this they can act as centres of economic activity in their own right, often being among a region’s biggest employers and supporting the local and national economy with thousands of skilled workers each year.”
On her appointment, Professor Wendy Purcell commented: “The role of universities as catalysts of economic growth and anchors in their region is critical. Through our enterprise led agenda, we are committed to using our world class research, unique academic resources and innovation assets to play a lead role in economic regeneration to the benefit of our students and the wider community. I welcome this as a positive and influential opportunity to share best practice on how universities across the country can drive growth in their areas, and for the benefit of the wider UK.”
Examples of how Plymouth University is successfully leading growth in the South West include its innovative Growth Acceleration and Investment Network (GAIN) which was founded with Plymouth City Council and the Tamar Science Park to accelerate the creation, growth and investment in high quality businesses and ideas to create wealth and jobs in the South West.
It amounts to more than 500 businesses with 32,000 staff and a turnover of £2.7bn, including a growing portfolio of innovation centres and formation zones managed by the University.
A key component of GAIN was the recent award of the Government’s Regional Growth Fund, following a successful £3.9 million bid that is expected to create around 500 jobs.
Plymouth was the first University in the UK to be awarded the RGF and also recently became the first University in the world to receive the Social Enterprise Mark.
The University's world class Marine Institute and marine innovation centre, housed in its new £19m Marine Building, and investments of £25m in medical research and £12m in performance and creative industries, mean it is well positioned to help drive growth across key industry sectors.
