Universities risk being left behind if they do not form regional alliances, experts have said, as more institutions look to club together locally to tap into the opportunities offered by devolution and address financial and political pressures.
While there are several longstanding regional university groups, such as London Higher and Yorkshire Universities, the past few years have seen a surge in new partnerships, often involving colleges as well as universities.
These include Universities West, formed by several universities in the West of England, and the Luminate Education Group, a collaboration between Leeds Beckett University and a local further education group. The West London Alliance was formed in 2025, while the Universities for North East England group was established the year prior. Similar ventures have also emerged in Scotland and Wales.
These new alliances are commonly a reaction to the development of mayoral combined authorities and devolution, according to Richard Brabner, founder of Godwinson Consulting and visiting professor of civic engagement at Newcastle University.
Although many of these groups were in the works prior to the recent change in Labour leadership, place-based policymaking is set to be a key priority for new prime minister Andy Burnham.
