Higher Education Policy Institute: ResearchPlus - a manifesto for a new collaborative of universities

On Thursday 26 June, HEPI will publish the below blog post by the 10 founding members of ResearchPlus setting out their manifesto for a new collaboration.

ResearchPlus is a new collaboration bringing together long-established and highly regarded research-focused universities that constitute a critical element of the broad foundation upon which the UK's globally leading research and innovation system is built. Each of us has outstanding research teams and specialist areas that are recognised as being amongst the very best in the world, attracting global talent in staff and students, and we are essential to the success of the industrial and business ecosystems, public services, and community and cultural life in the places where we operate.

ResearchPlus universities provide a wide range of the most important UK research capabilities, as well as a number of distinctive specialisms. There are many areas in which, to drive ongoing economic, social, and technological development and to secure national interests, the UK must maintain and grow the research capacity, the related specialist education, and the advanced skills development that we provide. Most ResearchPlus universities have our foundations in successive initiatives by government and industry to invest in economic growth, through the advancement of technology and public services, and the expansion of educational opportunity and social mobility. We remain true to those missions, and we are key partners for government, businesses, and communities in re-imagining the contribution of universities to the public good as we enter the second quarter of the 21^st century. We will play a vital role in delivering the ambitions of the Industrial Strategy across all eight high-growth sectors.

The need for a new voice

The UK has achieved its world-leading position in research and innovation because it has a diverse higher education system, but it needs to hear the voices of all parts of that sector if it is to maintain that position. Over the past 30 years, the sector has organised itself around representative groups with distinct missions focused on advancing specific agendas and interests. By articulating policy positions, and through their organised interventions, these groups have engaged government and have enabled understanding of their various strengths amongst a range of stakeholders, including government departments, industry research partners, inward investors, students, and others. Higher education in the UK is stronger as a consequence.

However, there is no collective voice or visibility for the research-focused universities outside the Russell Group. We see this as a problematic gap and a weakness in the system. Our collaboration seeks to address this in a complementary way that will enable us to work better with each other and with existing groups across the national research and innovation system. Several universities in our collaboration are categorised as ‘large, highly research intensive and broad-discipline universities' by Research England, and demonstrate high levels of excellence in research, knowledge exchange, and research-informed and inclusive education. Others are more specialized, delivering excellent research in particular subject areas, or are oriented to technological research and innovation, in combination with research-informed skills education.

In bringing many of the universities of this type together, we have huge potential to deliver the UK's research, innovation, and advanced skills agenda. We have substantial strength in these areas, and we possess both great agility and capacity for growth: we are ready and able to do much more to serve the public good. We attract a substantial proportion of public funding for research and innovation and span the UK's cities and regions. Together we offer research that is competitive nationally and globally, that is recognised across the full breadth of disciplines and interdisciplinary fields, and much more. We provide excellent research, education, and knowledge exchange to many areas beyond the major cities across the country.

In addition to the research we conduct, we are making distinctive contributions to:

• Innovation and impact
• Industry partnerships and knowledge exchange
• Research-informed education and advanced skills development
• Civic life and community development
• Cultural life and creativity
• Social inclusion and social mobility

It is for this reason that we are calling our collaborative partnership ResearchPlus.

ResearchPlus will contribute to the flourishing of our communities and their people through our comprehensive collective higher education and research capabilities. By working together, we will further enhance the national research, innovation, and higher education system. We believe that collaboration and proactive engagement across our universities can drive the change and strategic coordination that is so urgently needed in the higher education system, as well as in the wider world, and we intend both to support each other and our distinctive contributions, and to be a positive voice for the whole sector and for the public good.

We are establishing ResearchPlus as a national university collaborative committed to strengthening the UK higher education sector and working together, as a partner for government, to drive UK growth, prosperity, and societal wellbeing through excellence in research, innovation, and engagement, and in research-informed education and advanced skills development.

The ResearchPlus collaborative will enable research-focused universities that are currently under-represented in the national conversation to marshal enhanced visibility and a coherent augmented voice with government and the wider public, including the media, schools, colleges, prospective students, industry, and third sector partners. The establishment of ResearchPlus will provide a collective source of information, advocacy and expertise which will aim to strengthen the whole UK higher education and research and innovation system, and public and governmental interaction with it.

ResearchPlus will be formally launched at a parliamentary event in October.

Brunel University of London

City St George's, University of London

Keele University

Royal Holloway, University of London

SOAS, University of London

The University of Essex

The University of Hull

The Open University

The University of Sussex

Ulster University

Welcoming the formation of ResearchPlus, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP said:

“The UK is home to some of the best universities in the world, making ResearchPlus an exciting opportunity to bring that top talent together to solve challenges and unlock new innovations that improve lives across our country.

“By strengthening collaboration between universities, industry and government we can break down barriers to opportunity and work together to drive the economic growth that is central to the Government's Plan for Change.”