Why Sunderland has once again been recognised for boosting the local economy

Published on 20, September, 2024

The University of Sunderland has maintained its position as one of the country’s leading universities for boosting the local economy and driving meaningful change within society.

The latest findings from Research England’s Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) show that the University remains in the top 5 tier (representing very high engagement) for Local Growth and Regeneration. This includes recognition for its achievements in supporting local businesses with advice, grants and support and through its pioneering work on supporting employees to train their staff.

The University is also in the top tier for Research Partnerships and has been recognised for the practical impact of the work it undertakes in fields such as public health, digital technologies, education and social sciences.

Sunderland also sustained its high performance in supporting graduates to start their own businesses through initiatives such as the Centre for Graduate Prospect’s Start-Up at Sunderland initiative.

KEF is a government assessment of the different ways English universities benefit the economy and society on both local and national levels, by working with external partners - ranging from big businesses to small local firms - through community engagement and in commercialising their research.

Tim Pain, Director of Research and Innovation at the University of Sunderland, said: “These ratings demonstrate just how good we are at engaging locally and at developing such strong partnerships. We are really proud of our sustained high performance.”

See the full KEF results here.

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