NW powerhouses to harness political and academic strengths to drive economy

Both the University of Liverpool and Manchester have pledged to collaborate to create innovation-led economic growth across the North West.

At an event hosted by the University of Liverpool’s Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place at the city’s St George’s Hall, both cities Metro Mayors, and the universities, outlined plans for the regions to transform the North’s political and economic role in the UK.

It comes as both universities work alongside the metro mayors and other partners through the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Board to develop a new high speed rail link between the two cities.

Both universities are global leaders in a number of research disciplines and said they will work increasingly closely to create groundbreaking innovations and develop the future workforce in areas that align to the two city regions’ shared priorities for growth – drawing on academic expertise in areas as diverse as healthcare innovation, net zero and the creative industries.

Prof Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Liverpool, said: “Liverpool and Manchester have an incredible history of shared innovation, from being linked by the world’s first inter-city railway nearly 200 years ago to having, today, some of the world’s best research and innovation capability in disciplines including health and chemistry.

“The metro mayors have highlighted the advantages of these two great city regions working closely together for the benefit of their communities and the wider North West, and the closer collaboration between the University of Liverpool and the University of Manchester will work in the same spirit.”

Prof Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester, said: “There is a tremendous synergy between our two universities – and our cities – where thousands of our staff and students are dedicated to developing the knowledge and innovation that holds the key to generating genuinely inclusive growth and culturally dynamic cities.

“Our commitment to greater collaboration announced today will start by focusing on the high-value industrial clusters that span both city regions, driving the innovation and providing the skills and workforce that those industries need to deliver economic growth.”

The collaboration will also see the two universities seek opportunities to jointly engage other universities and colleges across the North West where strengths in research and skills align to the city regions’ priorities for growth.

Plans will initially include strengthening joint work between the universities on:

• Speciality chemicals and biomanufacturing, helping to build more sustainable supply chains for consumer products, and providing new routes to make medicines and vaccines
• Training the next generation of scientists and engineers for the civil nuclear industry in support of the transition to net zero
• Supporting and developing industries of the future including quantum technology
• Supporting the two city regions’ renowned creative industries, including a focus on music and literature, emphasising the role of creativity in enriching lives