Queen Mary University of London is set to take a leading role in a major new national initiative designed to strengthen the impact of universities on their towns, cities

and regions.

The university will serve as a central partner in Civic 2.0, a programme aimed at reinvigorating the civic university movement by combining national policy advocacy with sector-wide capacity building. The initiative builds on the work of the UPP Foundation’s Civic University Commission and the Civic University Network.

At the heart of Civic 2.0 is a two-pillar model: one focused on influencing public policy, the other on helping universities develop the skills and structures needed to maximise their social and economic contribution.

The policy advocacy strand will be led by Richard Brabner, former Executive Chair of the UPP Foundation. It will campaign at both regional and national level to ensure policymakers from across the political spectrum recognise the role universities play in local growth, investment, skills development and social mobility.

Brabner will work closely with Queen Mary and fellow founding partners — the University of Birmingham, Newcastle University, the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) and Midlands Innovation — to shape practical, evidence-led proposals. These will aim to strengthen links between universities and local partners including businesses, the NHS, councils, schools and colleges.

Under the consortium’s structure, Queen Mary will chair the steering group overseeing both pillars of the programme. The University of Birmingham will host the policy hub, while the NCCPE will continue to host the Civic University Network.

The announcement builds on Queen Mary’s growing civic profile. Most recently, the university launched a new toolkit to support the development of fair and equitable partnerships in civic engagement, reinforcing its long-term commitment to place-based impact.

Dr Philippa Lloyd, Vice-Principal Policy and Strategic Partnerships at Queen Mary said: “As a founding partner of the Civic University Network and the National Civic Impact Accelerator, Queen Mary University of London is proud to play a leading role in shaping the next phase of civic engagement across the UK. The civic responsibility of universities has never been more critical in addressing national and regional challenges. We remain committed to sustaining the momentum built in recent years and to deepening our impact through place-based partnerships that deliver meaningful change and progress on the ground for the people of this country.”

Richard Brabner, LPIP Fellow University of Birmingham & Visiting Professor for Civic Engagement, Newcastle University said: “Universities have made significant progress on the civic university agenda in recent years, but policy incentives continue to point in the wrong direction. I’m delighted to work with outstanding partners to build a campaign that unlocks policy solutions and amplifies the positive impact higher education has on our towns, cities, and regions.” Photo by Ewan Munro from London, UK, Wikimedia commons.