Collectively the twelve Yorkshire Universities member institutions…
Invested over £325 million in capital assets in 2024/25, helping to support local regeneration and capacity building in the region.
Universities invest in residential, catering and other operational expenditure. In many cases, institutions drive major physical developments and regeneration schemes.
Attract a large and diverse student population from across 145 countries.
In 2024/25 the largest number of international students were from China, then India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Nepal and Malaysia.
Annually have over 200,000 students studying in Yorkshire.
The majority of the students are studying full-time and for their first degree. There are also more women enrolled in higher education than men. Read more on this here.
The top most studied subject areas are: business and management, followed by subjects allied to medicine, then social sciences, then engineering and technology.
Start-up companies started by graduates of universities in Yorkshire and Humber, turned over £52 million in 2024-25.
The creation of UK-based businesses offer new employment opportunities, both locally and nationally.
Develop highly-skilled people by producing 87,335 graduates in 2024/25, creating opportunities for the region’s workforce.
In comparison, have a look at the graduate numbers in the rest of the regions:
| North East | 50,940 |
| North West | 103,190 |
| Yorkshire & Humber | 87,335 |
| West Midlands | 83,905 |
| East Midlands | 74,245 |
| East of England | 64,855 |
| London | 222,295 |
| South East | 116,780 |
| South West | 72,025 |
| Wales | 52,685 |
| Scotland | 83,055 |
| Northern Ireland | 92,235 |
| Total | 1,043,665 |
Contributed an estimate of £8 billion in gross output and £5.3 billion in gross value added to the UK economy, in 2021-2022.
This figure includes the economic activity generated by employing people, their purchasing of goods and services, and the local spending power of staff and students. Read more here about the local economic impact of universities here and their contribution to the UK economy here.
Support 46,000 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) jobs within member universities themselves.
Universities are often important local employers in their own right – in many cases, the largest after the NHS and local authority. In 2024/25, HEIs in Yorkshire and the Humber spent over £2 billion on staff.
A large proportion of staff work in roles including central administration and services, staff & student facilities. These jobs are at a range of skill levels, but, on average, they are high quality and well paid. Average salaries are typically in excess of prevailing local averages.
The 12 universities generated over £29 million in consultancy contracts in 2024/25:
This constitutes over 2,100 contracts: over 700 are with non-commercial organisations, over 700 with SMEs and over 650 with other commercial businesses.
Generated nearly £138 million in contract research in 2024/25:
This constitutes over 2,550 contracts: over 1,500 with non-commercial organisations, over 200 with SMEs and over 750 with other commercial businesses.
Obtained over £174 million in collaborative research in 2024/25:
This includes public funding, in cash and in-kind collaboration contributions.
Over 58,000 people access museum and gallery exhibitions ran by universities in the region.
The Yorkshire and Humber region is rich in culture. Universities in the region run a number of creative and historic exhibitions accessible to the public.
Public lectures hosted by HEIs in the region welcomed over 55,000 total attendees, in 2022-23.
Higher education institutions of all types, across the region, are providing lectures to the wider community.
As anchor institutions, they are working together to support local councils, NHS and businesses and play a vital role in the region’s civic, social and cultural life through community outreach and volunteering, creating accessible and vibrant public places through libraries, arts and sporting facilities.
Prior to the pandemic there was a growing momentum behind the idea of universities being civic institutions working with local partners to drive local socio-economic development. Read more about the Civic University Network here and the Leeds Inclusive Anchor Network here.
Facing the challenges posed by the climate emergency and Covid-19, universities alongside further education have been playing a crucial role in formulating economic recovery plans, helping to reskill adults, supporting local businesses and start-ups, and in driving locally focussed research and innovation.
Read about the work universities have been doing in collaboration with the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission here.
Read about how universities contribute to the following areas: