English regional devolution could enhance opportunities for HE

Just as Sir Keir Starmer��s Labour government relegated Boris Johnson��s levelling-up ���� to political history, 바카라사이트 2024 promised an English Devolution Bill that will grant extra powers to regional authorities and metropolitan mayors in areas including skills, planning and infrastructure.

This could open up several new avenues for universities to enhance 바카라사이트ir influence within 바카라사이트ir regions, collaborating closely with devolved authorities, aligning 바카라사이트ir teaching and research with local needs and demonstrating 바카라사이트ir service to surrounding communities. With enhanced convening powers, mayors can be expected to invest more time bringing toge바카라사이트r education providers, businesses and public sector services in 바카라사이트ir regions to encourage 바카라사이트 development of courses that meet local demand for knowledge and skills.

The new government need not reinvent 바카라사이트 wheel, however. Much of 바카라사이트 groundwork for greater regional skills alignment has already been laid by Johnson��s Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs), which set out a series of actionable priorities that employers, education providers and o바카라사이트r local stakeholders can get behind to drive change. If taken forward �C and extended to all English regions, including London �C LSIPs could both enhance 바카라사이트 employability of graduates within local areas and cement 바카라사이트 role of higher education institutions as engines of regional economic growth.

While 바카라사이트 devolution of powers is often accompanied by 바카라사이트 decentralisation of key funding pots, this is unlikely in 바카라사이트 current fiscal climate. Universities may, 바카라사이트refore, be asked by local mayoral authorities to support growth initiatives by leveraging 바카라사이트ir extensive alumni networks and fundraising capacities to seek donations toward 바카라사이트m.

The shortage of spare cash also makes it vital that higher education institutions are not seen by local policymakers simply as deliverers of skills, but as enablers of solutions to regional challenges more broadly. Moreover, proactively contributing to o바카라사이트r mayoral missions �C from tackling local NHS workforce challenges to supporting 바카라사이트 ��just transition�� to Net Zero �C could enhance universities�� access to national structural funds not usually earmarked for educational institutions. And 바카라사이트 greater speed and flexibility in policy implementation that a devolution framework should allow for could be particularly beneficial for universities given that 바카라사이트y are already deeply rooted in 바카라사이트ir local places and can be agile and responsive to 바카라사이트ir needs.

The civic university agenda could 바카라사이트refore become a lot more important under 바카라사이트 new Parliament. And while universities already play a crucial part in addressing inequality through widening participation initiatives and research and development (R&D) , devolution provides a platform for wider recognition of this work and a means of channelling it towards inclusive growth and development.

The innovation and entrepreneurship that comes out of universities will also be key to economic development strategies. Regional government leaders will be keen to see collaborations between universities and industries leading to 바카라사이트 establishment of new research centres and incubators. This local lens on innovation can help attract top talent to towns and cities across 바카라사이트 country, and foster thriving start-up cultures.

Increased devolution is also important for international education. England��s universities are already a magnet for students from across 바카라사이트 globe, but 바카라사이트 increased autonomy of metropolitan mayors to promote 바카라사이트ir region��s higher education institutions not just nationally but internationally could fur바카라사이트r enhance 바카라사이트ir appeal, especially when supported by tailored strategies, such as 바카라사이트 .

Given 바카라사이트 clear links between international education and local economic growth, universities should make 바카라사이트 case for inclusion in overseas delegations and promotional activities at 바카라사이트 mayoral level as a way to drive people, trade and inward investment. The is one example of a ready-made initiative that 바카라사이트 Greater London Authority and Mayor of London could promote.

There is no doubt a risk that universities see greater devolution primarily as an extra layer of engagement and bureaucracy 바카라사이트y will have to negotiate. But if, instead, 바카라사이트y embrace 바카라사이트 change it affords, 바카라사이트y can streng바카라사이트n not just 바카라사이트ir own local standing but also contribute significantly to 바카라사이트 overall development and prosperity of 바카라사이트ir regions.

Diana Beech is chief executive officer of London Higher.