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Top Northern universities' impact double that of Premier League

16 Sep 2016

N8 calls on Government to support Northern innovation

University of Manchester

The N8 universities contribute £6.6bn of GVA (gross value added) to the Northern economy per year.*

The scale and breadth of the economic impact of the universities is revealed in a report by the N8 Research Partnership – The Power of 8: Knowledge, Innovation and Growth for the North – launched today.

The report also reveals the universities of Durham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and York together generated a total of 119,000 FTE jobs - equivalent to all the jobs within a city the size of Salford.

And it found that the N8 universities attracted £1.26bn of research funding per annum.

The report also highlights the importance of EU funding with some 13%, or £127m, of competitive research funding for the N8 universities coming from the European Union.

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “This report demonstrates the very significant positive contribution of The University of Manchester and its partner institutions across the North of England, helping to create jobs and prosperity in our local communities.”

Writing in the report, Former Deputy Prime Minister the Rt Hon Lord Heseltine says the findings show that the research-intensive universities of N8 can be at the forefront of a rejuvenated Northern economy, and play a central role in strengthening and stabilising industries through new ideas, innovations and insights.

Lord Heseltine adds: “As  the devolution of important powers to cities and regions moves forward, partnerships between cities and universities can provide a clear voice of leadership and ideas, and can create a high-skill, innovation-driven future.

“I believe and expect the N8 universities, working individually and together, to be at the forefront of a rejuvenated Northern economy.”

The report also highlights the role played by the N8 universities in helping to establish new businesses, the commercialisation of innovation, and the development of the next generation of entrepreneurs.

For example, The University of Manchester worked with Perceptive Engineering to develop a ‘next generation’ industrial control package affording the opportunity for engaging its existing products in several new industrial sectors, resulting in sales turnover increasing by over £400k and employment of three new staff.

Key findings of the report include:

  • N8 universities attract annual research income of £1.26bn, 88% of all Northern Higher Education research income
  • Their economic activity is worth a total of £12.2bn to the Northern economy
  • N8 universities contribute a larger share of North of England Region GVA than the entire Northern media Industry, agriculture, or motor vehicle manufacturing, sectors
  • N8 universities provide consultancy services to more than 17,000 small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs)
  • The N8 universities have a 10-year track record of successfully collaborating across the region
  • 13% of the N8 universities’ research funding comes from European Union sources

* N8 Universities’ economic impact as measured in GVA includes direct activity, knock-on activity and student body impact on 2014/2015. Ernst & Young (EY) Economic Impact Assessment of the Premier League, published May 2015, indicated a GVA contribution of £3.4bn in the 2013/2014 season.