- Universities have a good record on civic engagement and driving economic growth. Lucy Haire, Director of Partnerships at HEPI, asks whether there is scope for doing more.
Just as singer Joan Armatrading pleads ‘what more can we do’ in her song ‘Flight of the Wild Geese’ from the 1978 war film The Wild Geese, higher education leaders — gathered at a recent roundtable dinner convened by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and Lloyds Bank in Liverpool — echoed her sentiment as they grappled with mounting demands.
We took two of the Secretary of State for Education, the Right Honourable Bridget Phillipson’s five demands of universities, as set out in her November 2024 letter to university leaders, as our focus for the evening’s discussion. Phillipson urged higher education providers to ‘Make a stronger contribution to economic growth’ and ‘Play a greater civic role in their communities’, themes that Lloyds has explored at some length with partner PwC, culminating in their Drivers of Growth report launched at the University of Birmingham earlier this academic year.
Lloyds Banking Group regards higher education as a strategic priority, integrating it with a broad spectrum of regional regeneration initiatives. These efforts drive local development, nurture businesses connected to university ecosystems, and address critical needs such as housing, skills development, digital literacy and charitable support. Lloyds representatives spoke candidly about the significant financial pressures facing the UK higher education sector and highlighted their active role in developing institution-specific action plans. In addition, the Group has recently contributed to the Universities UK Efficiencies Taskforce, advancing another of the Secretary of State’s key priorities: the implementation of ‘a sustained efficiency and reform programme’ across the sector.
A Russell Group university vice-chancellor reminded dinner guests that six civic universities — Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, and Bristol — were founded in the first decade of the twentieth century and are often called the original ‘red brick’ universities, highlighting that the civic university concept is far from new. He expressed a preference for the term ‘place-based’ over ‘civic’ to describe his university’s mission, suggesting it better reflects a modern approach. While the concept wasn’t new, it was also pointed out that it hasn’t remained consistently fashionable – for example, Warwick University had deliberately not taken the name of its nearest city, Coventry, when it was established.
The vice-chancellor outlined the many ways his university supports the local region: as the area’s second-largest employer after the NHS, a major economic contributor, operator of an academy school and a recruiter of many students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The university’s turnover surpasses that of any Premier League football club, and it maintains formal partnerships with major multinational companies and local SMEs and start-ups, including university spin-outs. ‘Why are we seen as out of touch with the local community?’, he wondered. ‘What more can we do?’
The conversation shifted to recent Government policy, with many expressing disappointment over the proposed immigration white paper —particularly its suggested levy on international students—which was seen as a greater setback for higher education than the latest Spending Review. The implicit answer to the persistent question of the night, ‘what more can we do’ when it comes to civic impact and economic growth, was that ‘we could do more with more favourable government policies’. The Government’s stated focus on economic growth drew attention to persistent issues: sluggish national growth since the 2008 financial crisis and chronic regional productivity gaps, even in major cities like Manchester and Liverpool.
Two senior university leaders from a small specialist institution and a large post-92 expressed doubt that the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) will deliver a step change in participation by mature learners. One said she thought the LLE’s design did not match well with the urgent priorities currently facing many institutions; the other said she could see little evidence of substantial demand.
Several university leaders highlighted concrete initiatives that directly challenge the narrative that universities aren’t supporting their regions. Examples included student-run legal clinics providing millions of pounds’ worth of free legal advice to local residents, specialist support for businesses on decarbonisation, large-scale recruitment of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and substantial capital investment in regional development. A recent HEPI webinar with the UPP Foundation focused on similar student-led civic initiatives.
There was a consensus that, behind closed doors, the Government is far more appreciative of universities’ regional impact than public statements tend to suggest. One former vice-chancellor noted that transformative change led by universities often unfolds over two or three generations — progress rarely captured by short-term political agendas. Another leader observed that countries like China and those in Southeast Asia are much more vocal in championing their higher education sectors. Some around the table called for more third-party endorsements, while one colleague highlighted the significant export value of his practice-based institution, where a quarter of students are international.
A dinner guest with Whitehall experience remarked that government policy towards higher education often amounted to ‘benign neglect’. While the sector is valued, he argued, ministers are currently preoccupied with issues that matter to swing voters, particularly immigration, making universities an easy target in related policy debates. He suggested that to shift the negative narrative, the sector should place greater emphasis on the financial sustainability and broader impact of university research. A vice-chancellor added that universities are too often perceived as merely ‘big schools’: while more people understand their teaching role, far fewer appreciate the significance of their research.
The former government official also noted that the trend toward devolution and the emergence of combined mayoral authorities present a significant opportunity for higher education. Regional mayors and council leaders—regardless of political affiliation, including those from the fast-growing Reform party—are often strong advocates for their local universities. However, another guest pointed out that many institutions fall outside these combined authorities and therefore miss out on the benefits of mayoral champions.
Another attendee, who is researching the concept of civic universities alongside his university administration role, referenced the original Roman meaning of ‘civic’: citizens as active members of the community, expected to uphold behaviours that sustain a functioning society. He observed that American culture has historically embraced this ethos, extending it to democratic ideals. The conversation shifted to the recent ‘war on universities’ led by President Trump, with several guests observing that events in the US underscore the need for UK universities to speak with a unified voice about their societal value. As the discussion drew to a close, the lyrics from the final lines of Armatrading’s song resonated: ‘Now madness prevails, lies fill the air. What more, what more, what more can we do?’
The evening concluded with a shared recognition of the need for long-term, place-based stewardship under strong and visionary leadership.