Modern universities as place makers

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Published

26 May 2022

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The University of East London (UEL) is featured as a case study in a seminal campaign and report from MillionPlus, the Association for Modern Universities, which examines and highlights the critical economic and social impact role modern universities like UEL have within their regions.  

The campaign and report, launched on 24 May 2022, highlights the key role of modern universities in benefitting their local region across three key areas: 

  • Their regional economic impact – modern universities are regenerators and drivers of innovation. 
  • The social impact of modern universities – tackling inequality and providing wider benefits to the local area and region. 
  • The student lifecycle – recruiting locally, offering a transformational educational experience and strong graduate outcomes within the region. 

How does this apply to UEL? 

We are a careers-first institution that prepares our graduates for life after study. We take great pride in ensuring our students have the knowledge and skills to make a positive difference in the world. We do this while ensuring that as a university we are making a lasting positive impact on our community.  

For almost 125 years the University has served the needs of the east London community. We have taught professional-level skills to the local people, undertaken cutting-edge, impactful, industry-relevant research, supported community health and driven innovation and business growth. In our Vision 2028 strategy, the University restated its commitment to serve the people of East London. We have committed to taking bold steps forward in the provision of academic, research and innovation activities. The University plays a significant role as a placemaker within the region and helps to resolve some of the challenges faced. 

    A case study: Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability

    Million Plus's campaign, has chosen the University of East London's newly launched Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability as a case study conveying how universities like ours are place makers within the community, contributing both socially and economically. The Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability will be a clean, green, Industry 5.0 powerhouse utilising the centripetal force of the Enterprise Zone to deliver to Newham residents 'good growth': improved economic sustainability, measurable improvements in community wellbeing and 'tech-for-good' solutions to real life problems.

    In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic which had a devastating impact on Newham residents and local businesses, the University needed to make a step-change in the direct support it provides the community in its skills provision, health and business support. At the heart of the University's bold global vision is the need to serve the community of Newham and connect local citizens with the opportunities provided by the Royal Docks. We hope the Centre will have a wide range of positive immediate and longer-term impacts on the lives of residents and the economy of east London. The new Centre will become a thriving, inclusive hub. It will be shaped and delivered by an interconnected network bringing together the power of community groups, local businesses, the UEL, the Royal Docks and Newham Council with global industrial partners and national sector leaders. It will:

    • drive green growth,  
    • set new measures of success including wider social measures of inclusive growth and community wealth-building, 
    • improve community health and wellbeing,  
    • establish new educational pathways to high-impact careers with direct societal benefit, 
    • create good jobs for the local population,  
    • provide a world-class, employer-relevant, testbed for green research and innovation, and  
    • a hatchery of investable sustainable, future-relevant businesses.  
    Mock images of how The Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability will look once developed.

    Other ways in which UEL is benefitting the local community:

    Aside from the featured case study above, UEL has a variety of programmes that contribute economically and socially to Newham and London. Below are some fantastic examples of how we drive innovation, support local businesses and the economy, and help with social issues, particularly in reducing educational and social inequality. 

    1.    Listening Campaign: Amplifying the voices of children and young people in Newham

    The Institute of Connected Communities (ICC) has a long history of helping communities improve their health and safety. A core philosophy of the Institute is to help the community have a voice. It seeks to provide opportunities for communities to steer their public health interventions. The ICC and the Newham Youth Safety Action Team worked together on a survey. They asked young people in Newham about their safety on public transport and examined their readiness for work.  

    Over 1,000 young people from three Newham schools and sixth-form colleges responded to the survey. Using the results of the survey, schools looked at the most common transport routes used by students and found ways to reduce risks along those routes. One of the schools that took part in the survey, St Bonaventure's Catholic School, is setting up Safe Havens in dangerous areas where students can go for help if they feel unsafe. The survey asked students about their thoughts on working in Newham in the future. The survey found that young people in Newham need more apprenticeships, better mental health support, and more ways to talk to potential employers. The listening exercise helped community partners and the Borough understand the needs of young people in Newham. This information is being used to improve services and empower young people to advocate for themselves.  

    Young people presenting their ideas on the Listening Campaign

    2.    ARENA: supporting sustainable business

    The ARENA project  helps London start ups, spin-outs, and small businesses develop and sell new ideas, products, and services that make cities more efficient, green, and resilient.  The Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) at UEL provides custom academic expertise and access to specialised equipment through the ARENA project. The ARENA project helps businesses reach their full potential and become more ethical and sustainable. This three-and-a-half-year initiative (2019-2022) was funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).  

    The ARENA project has helped 50 businesses as of February 2022. Of these, 26 businesses (52 per cent) have pursued better resource efficiency and/or circular economy practices, while 20 (40 per cent) are being supported to develop nature-based solutions and urban green infrastructure and four (8 per cent) improved in both areas. 23 businesses (46 per cent of the total) are based in east London.  

    London's green economy is bigger than its construction and manufacturing industries combined. It is essential to London's goal of becoming a world-leading low-carbon city that respects the environment. ARENA is a business incubator that helps green businesses grow. It is part of a larger project to regenerate the Royal Docks Enterprise Zone. It is partnering with the Mayoral Green Skills Academy to provide training for green jobs. It gives students the chance to work with entrepreneurs in the growing and profitable green economy, either as part of their studies or as interns.

    3.    Nursing partnerships at UEL: working with the NHS

    The University of East London nursing programme has strong partnerships with hospitals and healthcare organisations in North East London, including the Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Barts Health, the Homerton NHS Foundation Trust, North East London Foundation Trust, and Imperial College NHS Foundation Trust. The department also has good links with private and independent healthcare providers. The programme aims to train nurses to help address the shortage of nursing staff in the local area.

    In October 2021, a new two-year nursing associate programme was launched at Imperial College Healthcare. The programme is sponsored by the trust and aims to give local people the chance to start a nursing career while also developing the nursing workforce.

    The nursing associate role is a support role. It bridges the gap between healthcare support workers and registered nurses. They help registered nurses deliver care to patients. The students undertake their nursing associate placements at one of Imperial College Healthcare Trust's hospitals, alongside associated community partners, with dedicated support from their nursing education team.

    The Department of Nursing has over 1,000 students and offers a variety of ways to enter the nursing profession, including a short course to pique interest in the field and help address the national shortage of nurses.

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    Launch of the new Hospital and Primary Care Training Hub in the School of Health, Sport and Bioscience.

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