In response to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ release of the Levelling up white paper on Wednesday 2nd February 2022, Vanessa Wilson, CEO of the University Alliance, said:
“University Alliance welcomes the government’s long-awaited levelling up paper and its recognition of the essential role education and research plays in driving economic and social prosperity across the country.
The high-quality professional and technical education offered by universities in the Alliance will be key to meeting the current and future skills and innovation needs of industry. It is why our universities came into being in the first place and why they will continue to deliver for employers, students and their cities and regions. Our institutions are constantly innovating in the ways they teach and in their exciting partnerships with industry, employers and other education providers at all levels. Never has it been a better time to study at an Alliance university with technical and professional skills at a premium.
University Alliance has long called for a more evidence-based approach to identifying skills gaps and shaping education policy to meet them, so we are excited by the possibilities of the new Future Skills Unit and our universities, as leading skills providers in their regions, should be core partners in the development of Local Skills Improvement Plans.”
