Press release: Northern Powerhouse Minister calls for ‘Ivy League of the North’ to rival the best universities in the world

An ‘Ivy League’ of Northern Powerhouse universities leading the country in science, research and innovation was called for today (7 June 2018) by the Northern Powerhouse Minister, Jake Berry.

The minister issued the call to action while speaking at the first ever Northern Powerhouse Higher Education summit held in the prestigious Foresight Centre at the University of Liverpool.

Attended by vice chancellors, academics and researchers from across the league table-topping universities of the Northern Powerhouse, the summit discussed the challenges and opportunities of automation in the workplace and how Northern universities can work more closely on solving the grand challenges of our time.

Northern Powerhouse Minister, Jake Berry, said:

Our Northern universities are developing cutting-edge technologies in areas such as advanced manufacturing at the AMRC and in experimental new 2D materials at the National Graphene Institute and Innovation Centre.

Now is the time to build on this success and bring about a new era of cooperation between universities in the Northern Powerhouse. We need an ‘Ivy League of the North’ in which the N8 Research Partnership and our other great Northern universities combine their technical knowledge, expertise and know-how to deliver the economy of tomorrow. At the heart of this we can create a highly-skilled, highly-educated new generation of graduates.

Universities Minister Sam Gyimah said:

Universities play a fundamental civic role in our society by creating opportunity through education and research.

The Northern Powerhouse partnership offers a vital opportunity to maximise relationships with local industry, and work collaboratively to deliver the skills that are needed for the future.

The rallying call for an ‘Ivy League of the North’ comes as Dr. Annette Bramley of the N8 Research Partnership and the Northern Powerhouse Minister made a joint statement stressing the importance of University collaborations in positioning the Northern Powerhouse at the heart of the fourth industrial revolution.

Dr. Annette Bramley, Director of the N8 Research Partnership, said:

I believe the future success of the Northern Powerhouse in rebalancing the UK economy and boosting the North’s economic performance is through deep collaboration – both pan-Northern and international.

Bringing our region’s great universities together at the Northern Powerhouse Education Summit emphasises our shared commitment to creating the right conditions for innovation and entrepreneurialism to thrive.

The ‘N8’ research-intensive universities of Durham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and York deliver 119,000 jobs and £12 billion to the regional economy, provide help to more than 31,000 businesses and create more than £6.6 billion GVA (Gross Value Added) to the region.

The University of Liverpool, which plays a pivotal role in the research-intensive work of the N8 Partnership, was also announced as the latest Northern Powerhouse Partner during the Higher Education Summit. The University joins more than 120 strong businesses and organisations supporting government’s vision for a super-connected, globally-competitive northern economy with a flourishing private sector, a highly-skilled population, and world-renowned civic and business leadership.

Further information

The Northern Powerhouse Higher Education Summit was a one day conference taking place at the University of Liverpool Foresight Centre. Speakers included:

• Northern Powerhouse Minister, Jake Berry
• Executive Director at the Liverpool Knowledge Quarter Colin Sinclair
• Professor Wiebe van der Hoek, Professor of Computer Science and Dr Louise Dennis, Autonomy & Verification Laboratory, University of Liverpool
• Professor Dame Janet Beer, Vice-Chancellor, University of Liverpool and President of UUK

The Northern Powerhouse is government’s vision for a super-connected, globally-competitive northern economy with a flourishing private sector, a highly-skilled population, and world-renowned civic and business leadership.

The Northern Powerhouse Partner Programme is an essential part of creating the Northern Powerhouse.

Government is looking to build a network of partners who all believe strongly in the economic potential of the North, and support the need for a combined effort by government and business to realise that potential. There are currently over 130 businesses and organisations signed up to the partner programme.

Prospective partners can email NorthernPowerhouse@communities.gsi.gov.uk for more information about the Partners Programme and how to apply.

The N8 Research Partnership is a partnership created in 2007 of the eight research-intensive universities in Northern England - Durham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and York. The N8 Research Partnership aims to maximise the impact of this research base by identifying and co-ordinating powerful research teams and collaborations across the North of England.