Much of the focus upon university leadership has historically been within institutions. This is unsurprising given the complexity of composition of universities and the challenges the sector has faced, particularly in the last decade. Following on from Richard Calvert’s article last week around how universities can maximise their impact on place, it is clear the importance and impact a university has within its community cannot be underestimated.
The replacement of European Union funding with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund has ‘truly local decision making and better target the priorities of place’ at its core. Investment zones have a ‘culture of collaboration with higher education and research institutions’ as a defining feature of success. As my colleague Professor Warren Manning has stated, there is a need for universities to engage with industry to close higher skills gaps and attract inward investment. On paper, it sounds like universities interacting with government and industry should be straightforward.
In practice, however, it is often not so simple. The coherence of desired outcomes can become muddled when exploring the detail. Definitions of success are not always consistent. The sometimes-competing aims and subsequent interpretation of policy between institutions and the various levels of government only add to this complexity. The challenge for universities is not only being at the table to discuss their role in community development, but also being there at the appropriate time, and engaging at various levels within the partner organisation. Successful engagement is required with all of these to achieve alignment.
