Local and regional development is a broad-based term that defines the economic, social and environmental evolution and development of local places and regions. The Yorkshire Universities’ Strategy (2022-25), underpinned by its place-based vision and mission sets out how we will support and encourage local and regional development in Yorkshire over the coming months and years, with a view to the region addressing systemic inequalities and reaching its full potential through increased productivity and improved prosperity.
Universities and the Higher Education sector are uniquely placed to provide the tools and contribute towards the interventions required to achieve successful and enduring local and regional development. These include:
- skills, training and talent development;
- research and innovation;
- knowledge exchange; business support;
- infrastructure and finance investment; and
- wider engagement and impact with local and regional institutions and governance arrangements.
At Yorkshire Universities, our role is to help think, convene and facilitate member contributions towards local and regional development from short, medium and long-term perspectives, thus connecting topics that impact on daily lives now, such as the cost-of-living crisis, to broader structural opportunities and challenges facing Yorkshire.
Memorandum of Understanding with Yorkshire & Humber Councils
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in 2021, between Professor Shirley Congdon (the then Chair or YU Board) and Kersten England (the then Chair of Y&H Councils Chief Executives Group). Since then, the YU Board members and the Y&H Chief Executives Group have met regularly, and YU has been facilitating discussions and activity related to the jointly agreed priority areas. From autumn 2024, we look forward to working closely with the newly appointed Chair of the Chief Executives Group: Sarah Norman at Barnsley Council.
This MoU sets out how Yorkshire Universities and the Yorkshire and Humber Councils (YHC) will work together to identify and develop new opportunities for stronger collaboration between the sectors. Progress and achievements, under the MoU, so far have included:
- Development of, and agreement on, an initial set of shared priorities – focusing on Levelling Up; Health and Well-being; and Environment/Climate Change.
- Sign off by the Yorkshire Leaders’ Board for the Joint YU-YHC Position Statement on Levelling Up.
- Successful bids, totalling approximately £10m, to UKRI to fund Y-PERN and Y-PIP, with both programmes underway based on joint YU and YHC governance.
- Initial work completed to scope out the parameters of a Yorkshire Vitality Index which is being tested by researchers and policy partners who are establishing a new Yorkshire Office for Data Analytics (YODA).
- Discussions on developing and strengthening graduate talent work in the local government sector.
- Piloting four place-based partnerships capacity building workshops held in West Yorkshire.
Regional Development Group
The Regional Development Group (RDG) acts as the interface of collaboration and partnership between YU member institutions and between universities and other partners in Yorkshire working together on place-based development.
Sarah Hall
Chair of the RDG and Director of Strategy for Research Impact at the University of Leeds
Sarah provides strategic direction and oversight on issues related to research impact at the University of Leeds, working to ensure its research makes a difference in the wider world. She is responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of institutional knowledge exchange and heads a team with specialist expertise in regional, policy and public engagement.
Her ambition for the Regional Development Group is to harness the collective talents of the 12 Yorkshire universities to drive impact and positive change within the region.
Members of the RDG:
- Alex Prince
Head of Innovation Services, Sheffield Hallam University - Amanda Selvaratnam
Associate Director for Research and Enterprise, University of York - Andrew Jones
Head of Careers, Employability and Enterprise, Leeds Arts University - Chris Baker
KE Policy & Economic Development Manager, Sheffield Hallam University - Claire Newhouse
Dean of External Engagement and Impact, Leeds Trinity University - Emma Calverley
Director of Knowledge Exchange, University of Hull - Justine Daniels
Director of the Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange Directorate, University of York - Marc Eatough
Head of Regional Development and Engagement, University of Leeds - Mark Gunthorpe
Head of Economic Development, University of York - Natalie Allen
Head of Business Partnerships within Research and Enterprise Services, Leeds Beckett University - Patsy Gilbert
Vice Principal and Director of Performance, Leeds Conservatoire - Pilar Pousada Solino
Director, Research and Innovation Services, University of Hull - Professor Parikshit Goswami
Director Research, Innovation, and Knowledge Exchange, University of Huddersfield - Professor Philippe Wilson
Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Innovation and Knowledge Exchange, York St John University - Sarah Hall
Director of Strategy for Research Impact, University of Leeds - Simon Baldwin
Associate Director of Knowledge Exchange, Leeds Beckett University - Susan Cooke
Associate Deputy Director – Regional Enterprise, University of Huddersfield - Yasmin Knight
Assistant Director Partnerships and Regional Engagement & Head of Regional Engagement, University of Sheffield
West Yorkshire Economic Development Group
The Yorkshire Universities (YU) West Yorkshire Economic Development Group (WY EDG) is an informal, advisory forum focussed on economic development policy and strategy, and which brings together representatives from Higher Education and the West Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (WYMCA). The group provides a collective forum for nine YU member institutions in Leeds City Region to come together to discuss with WYCA economic development matters that have specific HE dimensions, particularly providing specialist input on research and innovation, and knowledge exchange. WYEDG also has the functions of supporting sub-regional policy and strategy development and consultations, as well as operationalising priorities set through YU’s strategic engagement with WYMCA.
Natalie Allen
Head of Business Partnerships within Research and Enterprise Services, Leeds Beckett University
Natalie takes pride in working for an Anchor Institution, putting people and place at the centre. Harnessing the university’s translational research strengths in Health and Wellbeing, Sustainable Urban Environments, and Inclusive Economy to drive genuine impact through the exchange of Knowledge and sharing best practice.
Natalie takes a collaborative approach to her role, whether that is building partnerships with businesses and regional stakeholders or working alongside fellow Yorkshire Universities and Policy makers. Natalie is a member of the West Yorkshire manufacturing Advisory Board, West Yorkshire Innovation Strategic Group and of the Yorkshire Policy Engagement Research Network (Y-PERN) Academic Steering Group.
Members of WY EDG:
- Andrew Jones
Head of Careers, Employability and Enterprise, Leeds Arts University - Andy Mycock
Chief Policy Fellow, Y-PERN - Claire Newhouse
Dean of External Engagement and Impact, Leeds Trinity University - Dr Liam Sutton
Associate Director, Research & Innovation, University of Bradford - Justine Daniels
Director of the Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange Directorate, University of York - Kayleigh Renberg-Fawcett
Senior Programme Manager, Y-PERN - Marc Eatough
Head of Regional Development and Engagement, University of Leeds - Mark Gunthorpe
Head of Economic Development, University of York - Patsy Gilbert
Vice Principal and Director of Performance, Leeds Conservatoire - Professor Parikshit Goswami
Director Research, Innovation, and Knowledge Exchange, University of Huddersfield - Professor Philippe Wilson
Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Innovation and Knowledge Exchange, York St John University - Simon Baldwin
Associate Director of Knowledge Exchange, Leeds Beckett University - Susan Cooke
Associate Deputy Director – Regional Enterprise, University of Huddersfield - Tom Haines-Doran
West Yorkshire Policy Fellow, Y-PERN
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