50 of Britain’s leading universities have now signed up to create a Civic University Agreement (CUA) – the principle recommendation of the Civic University Commission – set up by the UPP Foundation, the registered charity founded by University Partnerships Programme (UPP).
The institutions, which include many of the best-known names in higher education, have committed to produce a CUA in partnership with local government and other institutions in their area.
The move follows the publication of a report by the Commission entitled ‘Truly Civic: Strengthening the connection between universities and their places’ – described by Angela Rayner MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Education, as ‘a blueprint to increase the value of universities to their local communities’.
At the launch of the report in February, Chris Skidmore MP, Minister of State for Universities and Industrial Strategy (pictured), said: “I’m truly grateful to the UPP Foundation for commissioning this important project and I hope that the UPP Foundation will continue to lead the debate on the civic university going forwards.”
The latest universities to join the #TrulyCivic movement are the University of Bradford, Brunel University London, Southampton Solent University, the University of Central Lancashire and the University of Winchester.
Richard Brabner, Director of the UPP Foundation, said: “We know that many universities want to make a real difference to the cities and communities they are located in. The Civic University Agreement is an opportunity for universities to reinvigorate their civic role and we are delighted that we have secured the commitment of 50 institutions to date.”
If your university would like to be part of the initiative, please contact the UPP Foundation –
The UPP Foundation supports the higher education sector by helping to increase access and retention, improve student employability, enhance civic universities and develop global citizens. It issues grants to universities, charities and wider sector organisations and provides a public policy platform for sector leaders, experts and the public to debate the future of higher education.
