FST JOURNAL

Summary:

• The UK is not alone in exploring how investments in science and technology can drive regional economic growth. In the USA, the NSF TIP Directorate has invested in technology and regional mapping to assess the impact of its investments down to the congressional district level
• In the Netherlands, TU Eindhoven and Elsevier have developed a set of indicators to showcase the value and impact of a fourth-generation university, which is now expanding its influence globally
• Liverpool is not an island. Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores Universities actively engage in strong collaborations regionally, nationally, and internationally with other universities and corporate partners. These partnerships yield benefits for both the universities and their collaborators
• People are arguably the most significant output of universities. Cornell PhD alumni contribute to the prosperity of the entire USA. In Staffordshire, the robust partnerships that Keele University is forging with local further education providers are vital for the overall prosperity of the county
• Looking ahead, the UK must focus on building strong regional, national, and international collaborations and networks. Striking the right balance among these three areas, while maintaining excellence in research and technology will be critical for future success.

Diverse Perspectives on Collaborative Innovation

 I will share insights from my multifaceted career, drawing on the various roles I have held. I currently work for Elsevier, part of RELX, a FTSE 10 global company, and I also serve on the Keele University Council. Previously, I chaired the Oxfordshire LEP Innovation Board and worked at the EPSRC, providing me with a diverse range of perspectives. Additionally, I have personal ties to Liverpool, as my mother was born there.

While Elsevier is often recognized as a publisher, its parent company integrates leading content with data sets and advanced analytics to serve various sectors, particularly research and healthcare. In 2015, Elsevier conducted a global search to determine the best location for its Data Science Hub. After an extensive evaluation, London was selected, primarily due to its access to top talent, the attractiveness of the location, and its critical mass.

During my tenure at EPSRC, we frequently emphasized the importance of global companies establishing and investing in the UK. To encourage this (particularly in fields such as data science, AI, and pharmaceuticals), sustained research investment is essential to maintain the UK's strengths and to develop a highly skilled workforce. Notable examples we cited included Microsoft Research in Cambridge and the Elsevier Data Science Hub in London, highlighting the interconnected nature of our global landscape.

Global Examples of Collaborative Innovation

In the USA, the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 led to the creation of the National Science Foundation's Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) Directorate. They approached us with a challenge: how to demonstrate the equitable distribution of their investments across various jurisdictions, including states, territories, and congressional districts. By focusing on promising key technologies, they aimed to achieve local economic benefits. This aligns with the comments made by other panellist’s regarding Liverpool and its region. Elsevier has developed a publicly accessible, interactive portal that allows users to search all NSF TIP investments at the congressional level and track their outputs, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based approaches.

Another noteworthy example is Cornell University, which collaborated with us to assess the geographic impact of its PhD alumni. We examined five cohorts over 20 years from the Engineering, Agriculture, and Life Sciences faculties. Our research revealed that 18% of Cornell PhD graduates relocated to California, 25% remained in the New York region, while the rest dispersed across the USA. This demonstrates that Cornell PhDs have a significant impact nationwide, and I would love to map the influence of the alumni from UKRI’s Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) in a similar manner.

Closer to home, about a year ago, the Technical University of Eindhoven approached Elsevier to explore the concept of a "fourth-generation university." This mission-driven model emphasizes both education and research, focusing on social value creation, transdisciplinary, and innovation spaces. TU Eindhoven is situated in the Brainport region of the Netherlands, a vital area for the Dutch economy. Our partnership has led to the exploration of ways to measure the characteristics and impacts of a “fourth-generation” university, and this work has expanded to include nine technical universities worldwide.

Liverpool's Collaborative Ecosystem

Liverpool is not an island; it thrives on collaboration. Liverpool University is well-networked and collaborates extensively, particularly with Manchester University, its strongest academic partner. While it plays a significant role in the region, the university's research output contributes to corporate-academic collaborations across the UK, exemplified by the spin-out company Oxford Nanopore from the University of Oxford.

Liverpool John Moores University also engages with corporations throughout England, including Unilever, Syngenta, and Liverpool and Manchester United football clubs. The local perspective on collaboration with Manchester United might spark debate, but the importance of research excellence remains clear. When examining the University of Liverpool's independent publications, the Field Weighted Citation Index (FWCI) stands at 1.2. This figure improves with national collaboration and increases nearly fourfold with corporate partnerships. This data indicates that corporate-academic and international collaborations enhance research quality, highlighting the need for a balanced approach when making regional research investments.

Personal reflections

The true output of universities lies in their people and ideas, with people being the most vital component. In my roles in Oxfordshire and at Keele, I have observed a strong emphasis on social inclusion and community engagement, working to dispel the traditional "town and gown" divide. At Keele, we are actively building robust connections across the education supply chain, recognizing their importance for the development of Staffordshire.

As we look to the future, it is essential to balance multiple objectives, including place, collaboration, skills development, and research excellence. Investing in excellence is crucial if we wish to remain globally competitive.

The post-COVID landscape has transformed the relationship between geography and employment, driven by advancements in technology. At Elsevier, we have adapted our geographical footprint, reducing the number of offices and enabling many of our teams to work from home. This shift raises important questions about the implications of changing work patterns for our place-based investments.

In my view, establishing strong networks and fostering co-creation at regional, national, and international levels is critical. Universities have become increasingly adept at this over time.

However, regional devolution is not uniform across the UK, which presents a significant challenge. While some areas may be well served, others are not. The lessons learned from the Regional Development Agencies and the Science and Innovation Audits conducted in 2016 reveal that while regional strengths were documented, there was a lack of comparative analysis to assess performance nationally or internationally.

Finally, in these challenging fiscal times, we must carefully consider how to invest in ways that achieve multiple objectives while minimizing bureaucracy.

My recommendation for the future is to prioritise networks and people in our investments. This idea is not new; as Oppenheimer famously said, "The best way to send information is to wrap it in a person." To foster innovation and prosperity, we need strong regional, national, and international collaborations and networks. Moreover, the UK is not alone in this increased focus on place and economic growth; we are witnessing similar trends globally.