Latest posts
Today is my eldest daughter’s 14th Birthday; one that she will spend, like millions of children, being home-schooled, but also apart from her grandparents, whom we are socially-distancing ourselves from in line with medical advice. I can’t recall a time like this in her young life or even my own – which is considerably longer – where the world has faced such an acute crisis as that caused by the COVID-19 virus. The Chancellor’s Budget Statement hit the headlines both for the background against which the Statement was made – the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) crisis – and the announcement of significant new investment in infrastructure (including science and innovation) as part of the government’s efforts to ‘level up’ the UK economy. UKRI committed in its original Strategic Prospectus to publish a Place Strategy and work is progressing towards its publication. Meanwhile, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has opened an investigation into ‘universities and geography’. Kevin Richardson, Research England, identifies many common issues. The phrase ‘anchor institution’ is currently in vogue but what does it mean in reality? What defines an ‘anchor’? What kinds of organisation are in a good place to take on the role? How might their different contributions complement each other as part of a wider system? More specifically for YU, what role should universities play? These questions were posed at a roundtable convened last week to discuss a new report published by Newcastle University researchers on universities and place-based leadership. The COVID-19 crisis
Dr Peter O’Brien, Executive Director
Budget 2020
Dr Peter O’Brien, Executive Director
Universities and Geography: Learning from the OECD?
Guest blog by Kevin Richardson, Research England
Unpacking the role of universities as civic anchor institutions
Professor Roger Lewis, YU Associate
Latest tweets
This has been a difficult week for all of us. I have been impressed by the resilience of our University staff and students. Many of whom have also joined the community fight against #COVID19 helping in multiple ways. Thank you! @UniversitiesUK @officestudents
