The role of universities in driving overseas investment into UK Research and Development

While universities already play an important role in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to the UK, there is a clear opportunity to expand and enhance this role through better collaboration between universities, local growth partners and government.

This HEPI Report intends to begin a conversation – within universities and across local economic organisations and national government – about what this role currently looks like, how it can be co-developed for mutual gain and what benefits this could create for local innovation-led growth and the UK’s global competitiveness.

A more intentional and coordinated approach could create an array of additional benefits for universities, local economies and the whole UK, including: helping to overcome growth and productivity challenges; supporting the expansion of innovation clusters with universities at their heart; and enabling universities to leverage their global connections for greater economic benefit.