From Sunderland to Sussex, Durham to Dundee, Universities UK’s campaign on the role of higher education in our recovery has been felt far and wide. NCEE were delighted to produce the report for UUK, showing the potential impact of the UK’s universities over the next five years.

By May 2026, more than 191,000 nurses, 84,000 medical specialists and 188,000 teachers will graduate from UK universities.

Universities will attract over £2.5 billion of funding for local regeneration projects with significant economic and social impact in local places across the UK.

UK universities will be commissioned to provide over £11.6 billion of support and services to small enterprises, businesses and not-for-profits over the next five years. This includes specialist advice, access to the latest facilities and equipment to develop innovative products, and conducting bespoke research projects.

In Northern Ireland, universities will deliver the equivalent of 410 years of professional development training and education courses to businesses and charities in the next five years. (To put this in perspective, 410 years ago Galileo Galilei discovered moons orbiting Jupiter). Scottish universities will provide 3,490 years of training by May 2026, and Welsh universities will deliver the equivalent of nearly 4,800 years of upskilling in the next five years. In England, universities will provide the equivalent of 54,936 years of training by May 2026, and 10,580 years’ worth in the next year alone.

The report sets out how university partnerships need to be at the forefront of not only the recovery from the pandemic, but also the response to long-standing structural issues facing our society, from deep-rooted inequalities between places to the climate emergency. It provides a set of forecasts on what is possible over the next five years. The limitations of the data used to calculate these forecasts needs to be borne in mind. But the opportunities, if universities are supported in their efforts, can be transformative.

There are several important things to note. First, these figures could represent significant under-estimates, given lower data returns during the pandemic and changes around, for example, the cap on medical school places. But, given the dramatically changing economic and policy environment, such a contribution from the region’s universities cannot be taken for granted. World-class innovation and research assets need support. Training highly skilled people requires investment. Ensuring the benefits of both of these are felt equally around the UK will depend on robust policy and funding decisions.

Enterprise and entrepreneurship in higher education will play a key role. One of the recommendations, for example, calls for more partnerships between Local or Combined Authorities and universities on enterprise incubators and start-up support. These can boost local job creation, and working together on innovation programmes increases the competitiveness of small businesses.

The report shows the impact possible by supporting universities. These results are underpinned by partnerships with employers, colleges and other organisations. Given the benefits of working together and the scale of the recovery ahead of us, these partnerships need to continue to grow and develop. In doing so universities provide support for businesses and jobs, for key workers, and for levelling up the UK’s towns and regions.