UUK and Elsevier partner to map university research strengths
Universities UK (UUK) and Elsevier have announced a partnership aimed at strengthening the evidence base around how UK university research supports the UK Government’s eight priority sectors under its Modern Industrial Strategy.
The collaboration will combine UUK’s policy expertise and knowledge of the higher education sector with Elsevier’s research analytics capabilities to produce analysis of research activity across the eight growth-focused sectors identified by government: advanced manufacturing, clean energy industries, creative industries, defence, digital and technologies, financial services, life sciences, and professional and business services.
According to the organisations, the project will examine patterns of research activity, collaboration, regional distribution and sector alignment across the UK university landscape. The resulting analysis is intended to support policy discussions, engagement with universities, government and funders, and provide greater visibility into how research strengths align with future industrial and economic priorities.
The partners describe the initiative as the first stage of a longer-term relationship, with potential for future sector-focused projects as policy priorities and evidence needs evolve.
Vivienne Stern MBE, Chief Executive of Universities UK said: “University research is vital to the UK’s ability to thrive in a rapidly changing world – economically, socially and technologically. Through this joint project with Elsevier, UUK will develop a robust evidence base showing how university research contributes to the UK’s Industrial Strategy sectors and supports national priorities.
“We are excited to partner with Elsevier on this project, bringing together Elsevier’s analytical insights with UUK’s policy expertise and deep understanding of the university sector. The work will provide fresh evidence on the scale, focus and impact of university research across key sectors, including collaboration with business and other partners. It will enable government, industry and wider stakeholders to get a clearer picture of how universities support innovation, growth and the UK’s future prosperity.”
Professor Sarah Main, Vice President for Academic and Government Relations, UK, at Elsevier said: “The Government’s Industrial Strategy is designed to drive growth, and it can be supported by UK research and innovation capability across the priority growth sectors. Universities are central to the UK’s research and innovation ecosystem, and robust evidence is vital to understanding how their strengths connect with the Government’s priority growth sectors.
“Elsevier is pleased to be partnering with Universities UK on this important work, bringing our research data, analytics and sector-level insight to help build a clearer picture of university research activity across the IS-8 sectors. We hope this will provide a practical foundation for informed policy discussion and future collaboration.”