The national environment for R&D investment is challenging. Private‑sector R&D has fallen in real terms. International competition for investment in science and technology is intensifying. At the same time, UK universities face unprecedented financial pressures and increasing scrutiny of their public benefit.
However, this pressure is also accelerating innovation. Universities are now more willing to collaborate on economic development, land use, investment propositions and new revenue models. They are taking a more active role in trade and investment which is complementing research and teaching and delivering civic and economic impact.
There is huge, untapped potential in aligning universities’ global relationships with regional economic strategies. Universities have global alumni networks, deep scientific capabilities, talent pipelines critical to advance industries, diplomatic and cultural capital, and credibility with global investors. No other parts of the public sphere bring resources together in this way.
These assets, when properly harnessed, can turn our global ambitions into regional growth. The challenge – and opportunity – is to harness these assets not institution‑by‑institution, but collectively
The goal should be to bring together civic commitments with national priorities to solve global challenges and bring local investment. To achieve these ambitious goals the sector needs to find ways to collaborate and regulators need to find ways to support these new models of working.
Scale
There is a persistent misconception in parts of the sector that universities must choose: be global or be civic. As though engaging internationally somehow dilutes your responsibility to the place you serve, or acting locally means limiting your ambition. But the opposite is true.
The unique superpower of universities is their ability to operate at whatever spatial level is needed – local, regional, national, global – to deliver meaningful outcomes for people and places.
However, for global ambitions to be turned into civic impact funding and regulation need to enable collaboration. UKRI’s thematic “buckets” aligned to government priorities create the conditions for shared action. But policy and funding structures must reinforce collective working, not inadvertently create competitive behaviours that run counter to place‑based growth.
Universities will do this work anyway but impact will always be limited where collaboration is not the default. There is little funding, support, or regulatory encouragement, to enable pan-regional collaborations that also support the UK’s global ambitions. It is a missed opportunity to further embed universities at the heart of the UK’s economic ambitions.
If the UK is serious about long‑term, productivity‑driven growth, it needs institutions whose strengths align with the opportunities emerging across its regions. Take the University of Newcastle. We are pursuing national priorities through our regional distinctiveness which in turn addresses global challenges. This includes sustainable energy and energy transitions, addressing health inequalities and enabling people to live longer and healthier lives, building trust in AI, and fuelling economic growth through culture and creativity.
Newcastle’s institutional strengths map closely to the sectors driving both regional renewal, national priorities and global challenges. Crucially, these strengths do not sit in isolation. They are deeply entwined with the regional economy, industrial strategy, and the civic mission. They form the basis of investable propositions – ones that attract partners, talent and capital.
Development
The basis for success exists within the partnerships within our regions. Using institutional strengths, to combine with regional needs, and in turn attracting global attention and investment. More support from funders and regulators will help but there is also the need for institutions to support inward investment.
The Midlands Campaign around inward investment led by Midlands Innovation and supported by UK’s International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) is a striking example. Universities have been key players in shaping the emerging national campaign around investing in UK university R&D – a partnership approach that seeks not only to promote regional opportunities, but to strengthen the UK’s global brand and to draw investment into place‑based clusters.
Colleagues from Universities for North East England, the Midlands and Government recently came together on a trade mission to the East Coast of the United States – a strategic market for MedTech, life sciences, digital innovation, energy and advanced manufacturing.
Working alongside Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs), the mission represents a powerful shift towards collaborative, place‑aligned, economic diplomacy, demonstrating what can be achieved when regulation, funding and strategic direction encourage collaboration rather than competition.
The programme included high‑level engagements with venture capital investors, MedTech and diagnostics leaders, innovation agencies, and public‑sector partners in Boston, Washington DC and New York. The delegation showcased a pipeline of major research‑intensive investment opportunities across the Midlands and North East.
This is not just a mission about attracting investment. It is about building long‑term partnerships that will advance research, create high‑value jobs, and support regional priorities.
The world
A world‑class civic university is one that contributes to its place in ways that are globally relevant. By acting as both civic anchor and global actor, universities strengthen the communities they serve while enhancing the UK’s international competitiveness.
The lesson is clear: the UK does not face a choice between global universities and civic universities. It needs institutions that are confidently, ambitiously, unapologetically both.
This article is published as part of a project between Policy.Partners and UCL. To share your ideas get in touch with James.