Brunel University London is supporting Universities UK’s economic and social recovery campaign #GettingResults to help people and businesses recover from the wide-ranging damage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
New research published today by Universities UK (UUK), ‘Universities and the UK’s economic recovery: an analysis of future impact’, which was compiled by the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education (NCEE), predicts that over the next five years universities in the London region will support:
- almost 6,000 new businesses and charities being formed
- give over 11,800 years’ worth of upskilling and training to businesses and charities
- 22,000 nurses, 27,000 medics and 24,000 teachers being trained.
It comes as UUK launches #GettingResults - a campaign to put universities at the heart of the economic and social recovery - with a renewed commitment from universities to do even more to reach out to new partners locally and nationally and deliver even greater impact than currently estimated.
Brunel is already supporting local employers in London through its partnerships with West London Business and the West London Alliance; through the Making the Future Digital Project, which is using £1.6 million of Research England Development funding to triple the Central Research Laboratory’s support for start-up businesses; and much more.
The skills of Brunel graduates will also have an important role to play in the future success of businesses and sectors during the Covid-19 recovery process.
Thriving examples include Ehab Sayed’s Biohm, the multi-award-winning company which harnesses mushroom-based waste to create organic, zero-carbon construction materials, and Lauren Bell’s Cosi Care, which creates products that offer instant relief to children suffering with eczema – both based in London.
Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and Chair of the West London Economic Prosperity Board, said: “As we emerge from the pandemic it is vital that our economic recovery is based on successful partnerships that draw on the talents and facilities of the private and public sectors.
“In education, universities are a vital component of this, and I am delighted that in West London they have shown their readiness to play a full part in supporting and promoting the local economy and becoming exciting hubs of regeneration and innovation. The Government must recognise their important role and ensure they and other public bodies are given the necessary support so we can have a fair and green recovery from the pandemic.”
Andrew Dakers, CEO of West London Business, added: “In West London it has been fantastic to see our Higher Education partners’ hands-on support to the local community through the pandemic, including business support programmes; transferring the Apprenticeship Levy to local SMEs; donating laptops through intermediaries to young people struggling to access online schooling; and exploring how to localise more supply chain spend.
“These are practical actions that will have a lasting impact and are revitalising the relationship between the sector and the communities HEIs call home.”
Professor Julia Buckingham CBE, Vice-Chancellor and President of Brunel University London and President of Universities UK, said: “Universities in the London region are very much open for business and want to develop even closer links with industry and charities. Our students, staff, researchers, and graduates have so much to offer. We must now ensure that our local employers and partners are getting the most out of what our universities can provide during this challenging process of recovery.”
“By working closely with their partners, including local government and employers, universities will play a vital role in the UK's post-Covid recovery. Together, they can contribute significantly to future economic success and improve lives. Moving forward it is important that employers fully take advantage of universities’ support and develop productive relationships so the region can bounce back stronger from the pandemic.”
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