On Wednesday 26 November, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves presented the Autumn Budget. The Budget confirmed that Government will work closely with local leaders, universities, and Northern businesses on the Northern Growth Corridor to grow the economy and attract inward investment, with a plan for the Corridor to be set out by early …
Background Recent government policy has focused on the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) for the future of the UK’s economy and society. In January 2025, the UK Government published the AI Opportunities Action Plan. The Action Plan set out the government’s intention to create a number of AI Growth Zones across the UK to boost …
Professor Charlie Jeffery CBE, Vice-Chancellor and President at the University of York, has been appointed as the new Chair of Yorkshire Universities. Professor Jeffery takes up the role at a significant time for Yorkshire Universities (YU), where he will oversee the delivery of the recently launched YU 2025–2030 Strategy. Bringing extensive strategic engagement experience from …
A new Higher Education Compact has been signed by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and higher education institutes in York and West Yorkshire. The Compact represents a commitment between the region’s higher education institutes (HEIs) and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to work together to stimulate inclusive economic growth, drive innovation, and enhance social and …
Powering Place Unlocking Potential Yorkshire Universities (YU), the representative body for universities and higher education institutions in Yorkshire, has today (Thursday 25 September) published a new five-year strategy that will amplify regional strengths, unlock new investment and ideas, and strengthen partnership work to help drive benefits and positive impacts for people, places and business. The …
The AI Research Development Network (AI.RDN+) A joint project by the University of Leeds and Aston University has been awarded £3.4m by the Research England Development Fund to set up a network to assess publicly available artificial intelligence (AI) tools for PhD research. The AI Research Development Network (AI.RDN+) will bring together 20 universities from …
Dr Peter O’Brien, YU Executive Director The end of Yorkshire Universities’ (YU) 2024/25 year coincided with the anniversary of the Government’s first year in office. As we headed into summer, the breadth of complex challenges facing Ministers increased, and we saw a plethora of new policy initiatives and legislation, including the 2025 Spending Review, Industrial …
How Universities Can Help Drive Local and Regional Economies The Institute of Economic Development and AtkinsRéalis have today (Thursday 24 August) published a report on how universities can help drive local and regional economies. In line with government’s shift towards a place-based approach to growth, the report looks at the opportunities for universities as hubs of …
The Government is working with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and with Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs), to develop a ‘regional innovation funding programme’ as part of the wider devolution arrangements published in the English Devolution White Paper in December 2024. More recently, the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) has indicated that a high-level …
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, has today (4 June) announced £15.6 billion in transport funding settlements, to be delivered by regional mayors. The funding is intended to enable local leaders to invest in transport projects that will make a real difference in their communities. As part of this investment, a total of £3.6 …