THE YORKSHIRE UNIVERSITIES PERSPECTIVE

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YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER REGIONAL SEMINAR
LEEDS, 28TH OCTOBER 2004 THE YORKSHIRE
UNIVERSITIES PERSPECTIVE CHRIS TAYLOR
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• The brief presentation will cover three aspects
• An introduction to Yorkshire Universities
• A view on the Higher Education scene
• Suggestions for improvements in the Region

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• Yorkshire Universities
• Is the HERA for Yorkshire and the Humber (est.
  1993)
• Produces a collective policy view on
  regional/other matters
• Acts as a focal point for contact between the
  HEIs and
• Government/other regional bodies
• Helps its members to communicate and promote
  themselves
• Manages and administers major regional projects
• Comprises 10 universities, 3 colleges and
  currently employs
• 11 staff

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• Yorkshire Universities
• A success story supporting business, commerce
  and industry
• Across the board contribution research and
  development,
• knowledge transfer, skills development, the
  science base,
• community services
• A sizeable and remarkably diverse sector and a
  real regional
• strength
• History of successful partnership and
  collaboration
• Generates very significant financial, skills and
  jobs impact

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• SOME HE STATISTICAL DATA FOR YORKSHIRE AND
  HUMBERSIDE (2002/03)
• 201,825 students (11 English total, 4.5
  regional population highest RDA)
• 77 undergraduates and 23 postgraduates
• 22 of postgraduates doing research and 50
  taught courses
• 67 full time and 33 part time
• International students 8 of undergraduates and
  48 of postgraduates
• Large importer of students 42 students from
  region, cf 57 North West
• 31,085 graduates with first degrees 89 class
  2.2 or higher
• 8,570 graduates with higher degrees
• 5,690 with postgraduate taught qualifications
• Employ over 28,000 staff
• Turnover about 1.3 billion some 2.3 of
  regional GDP
• Total research income 292 million one of
  highest in UK

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Higher Education is now a sector as important to
our society and economy as the big extractive
industries of the past and just as important to
our nations future in providing the raw
material, in terms of skills and innovation, that
individuals and whole industries will require to
succeed Tony Blair, Prime Minister, January
2004
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It was once the role of Governments to provide
for the purposes of universities it is now the
role of universities to provide for the purposes
of Government Howard Newby, Chief Executive of
HEFCE, January 2004
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I accept the autonomy of universities but not at
the expense of national priorities Charles
Clarke (oral), Secretary of State for Education
and Skills, September 2004
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• Higher Education has over the last twenty years
  delivered in an accountable way
• Excellence in its teaching, to a vastly
  increased student body
• World class research
• Significant movement in Knowledge Transfer to
  society
• And has done this as effectively as any sector
  to achieve
• enormous efficiency gains

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• Higher Education is in a state of constant
  (exciting) flux driven by, amongst other things
• Government policy (including the Higher
  Education Act
• top-up fees)
• Local and regional influences
• A significant international dimension
• Competition, collaboration and under-funding

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PROSPECTIVE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REGION

• Three questions
• Is the regional capacity of agencies such as YF
  and the GOYH
• sufficient to support the impacts of national
  policy in relation to
• HE?
• Do we within the region have a fully shared view
  of the agendas
• around skills, widening participation,
  research, and the Science
• and Industry Council?
• How do we better engage as a region ( including
  business,
• commerce and industry) in RD, skills
  development and graduate
• employment?