Our Vision
Yorkshire Universities is an action-oriented regional partnership representing eleven universities and one specialist higher education institution in Yorkshire.
We are driven by a passion and belief in the power and potential of Yorkshire and its global connections and aspirations. Convening a diverse ecosystem of educational providers, we support and encourage our members to work together and with partners to provide civic leadership in the region.
Yorkshire Universities adds distinct value to the places where our members are located, and the communities in which they work. We use our combined voice as a higher education powerhouse with the determination to change our region for the better.
Our Strategy
We champion Yorkshire as diverse, resilient, inclusive, and rich in collaborative learning and innovative ideas. Our theory of change model illustrates how we will implement our Strategy, which is centred around four key priorities. Where there are overlaps between individual priorities, we will ensure there is a coordinated approach in our interventions.
The 2022-25 Strategy is underpinned by a shared vision of the power and potential of Yorkshire and its global connections, has four key priorities:
- Promoting the value of higher education to society, culture, and the economy.
- Championing Yorkshire knowledge and skills.
- Championing civic leadership in Yorkshire.
- Brokering and leading partnerships.
A wide range of partners and stakeholders helped us to create this Strategy, alongside our member institutions. In doing so, we asked a series of questions about what they want from Yorkshire Universities, and how they might work with us. In response, they told us of the real value of Yorkshire Universities:
- as an umbrella organisation that can support and champion universities’ collective aspirations on global questions, such as skills, infrastructure, and innovation;
- undertaking a catalyst role to enable all member institutions to lead in the civic agenda through connecting public policy with practice informed by research and knowledge transfer; and
- encouraging stronger partnerships between higher education institutions and key policymakers and social and economic actors across the diversity of the region’s economies, places, businesses and communities.
The 2019-2022 YU Strategy adopted a place-based approach and focused on three priorities. Find out more and read the 2019-22 YU Strategy here.