Background to the project
The Urban Regeneration: Making a Difference project is a collaborative venture between Manchester
Metropolitan University, Northumbria University, the University of Salford and the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN), supported by HEFCE’s Strategic Development Fund.
The project has two aims:
• To address key urban regeneration challenges in the North of England through inter-disciplinary
collaboration between the partner universities and practitioner organisations, particularly in the
public and voluntary sectors, and to enhance their collective impact on society
• To build a long term strategic alliance between core university partners while developing a
distinctive form of knowledge transfer (KT), which is both teaching and research-driven, in order to
meet the needs of organisations and professionals in business and the community
This will entail the practical application of know-how in partner universities through a range of
knowledge transfer, teaching and applied research activities to enable stakeholder organisations to
work more effectively and have greater impact on regeneration. The project will also enhance policy
formulation by national and regional bodies. The partnership between HE and stakeholders will be for
mutual benefit so there will be a two-way exchange of knowledge and experience, thus creating a
virtuous cycle of knowledge-sharing.
Four thematic areas have been identified, which reflect important issues in the regeneration of the
North of England and map on to the breadth and depth of expertise amongst the university partners
and an existing firm base of collaboration with external organisations. One university will lead on each
theme, but every university will contribute to each theme.
• Community cohesion: lead – Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)
• Health and well-being: lead – Northumbria University
• Enterprise: lead – University of Salford
• Crime: lead – University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)
Bradford University has been chosen as an associate partner to enhance the resources of the core
partners, because of its pioneering work in community engagement, especially in relation to ethnicity.
The project consortium will also draw on the expertise of external academics or practitioners to
support the thematic projects as required.
A grant of £3.2m over 2 ¾ years was secured from HEFCE, mainly to pay for the time of existing HE
staff so that they can be released to work alongside regeneration practitioners on the thematic
projects. The combined teams of HE staff and practitioners in each of the four themes will identify
action areas where collaboration across a wide partnership can bring greatest benefits to the
regeneration process. The following generic outputs are measures of project activity, which will be
delivered across the four thematic projects, although the balance will vary between themes.
• 180 organisations assisted
• 1,050 days of organisational support (development work)
• 600 learner days (eg. short courses and credit-bearing modules)
• 60 learners progressing to HE study (award-bearing programmes)
• 8 reports eg. evaluation of impact of regeneration programmes
• 22 workshops and dissemination events
In addition, there are further outputs which are specific to each theme and these are noted later. The
outcomes (ie. legacy) of the project include: enhancement of regeneration programmes and
partnerships; capacity building in voluntary and community sector; helping to maintain community
relations and helping to build positive images of cities and conurbations (which helps economic
development); increasing the level of strategic engagement of HE with external organisations along
with internal cultural change; embedding of a strategic partnership between the HEIs; enrichment of
the curriculum in HE and new teaching programmes; new research proposals; greater diversity on the
campus (incl. widening participation); development of a distinctive third mission by the core HEI
partners.
The project is not designed to generate significant funds itself, but the exit strategy is to generate an
outcome of £6.2m additional income by the end of Year 5 (21/4 yrs after end of project) from further
collaborative activities. These include accredited and non-accredited learning (CPD, short courses)
consultancy (eg. evaluation of regeneration projects) and regeneration programmes funded by EU,
Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and other sources.
The sustainability of the partnership will be maintained through the ongoing commitment of the four
core partner universities to work closely at the Senior Management Team level and between
Knowledge Transfer Offices. The universities will use some of their formulaic HEIF 3 funding to ensure
that regeneration remains a priority area of knowledge transfer for them and that they are able to
maintain a collaborative approach.
There has been considerable collaboration already between the core partner HEIs and some of their
external stakeholders, including liaison with RDAs, the Northern Way Implementation Team (see
below) and Regional University Associations in developing this project proposal. This has built up a
significant momentum amongst key management, academic and support staff in the HEIs. There has
been open sharing of views and intelligence on research and knowledge transfer issues in particular.
The project will contribute to the implementation of the Northern Way Business Plan for 2005–08, by
tackling a number of important social and economic challenges across the three regions. In addition to
liaison with the RDAs, initial contact has been made with the Academy for Sustainable Communities in
Leeds and there is commitment from both parties to liaise closely and work to mutual benefit in
addressing common goals of improving regeneration practice in the North.
The main legacy of the project is to make a difference to urban regeneration in the North by improving
the know-how and working practices of agencies engaged in regeneration and to stimulate
engagement of academic staff in working collaboratively on such activities. This is a demonstrator
project designed to bring about transformational change, by building the evidence base for a broader
involvement of HE in government agendas (especially ODPM, Home Office, DTI and DfES) relating to
the economy and society. Since the expansion of 3rd mission support from HEFCE in recent years,
HE has been maximising its impact on business innovation, but not with wider societal issues.
This project will complement the contribution of science and technology-driven knowledge transfer in
HEIs and contribute to joined-up thinking in public policy formulation and implementation. It will also
create direct feedback into higher education to enhance the effectiveness of teaching, applied
research and third mission activities by improving the relevance of academic programmes and
services to learners and clients.
Metropolitan University, Northumbria University, the University of Salford and the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN), supported by HEFCE’s Strategic Development Fund.
The project has two aims:
• To address key urban regeneration challenges in the North of England through inter-disciplinary
collaboration between the partner universities and practitioner organisations, particularly in the
public and voluntary sectors, and to enhance their collective impact on society
• To build a long term strategic alliance between core university partners while developing a
distinctive form of knowledge transfer (KT), which is both teaching and research-driven, in order to
meet the needs of organisations and professionals in business and the community
This will entail the practical application of know-how in partner universities through a range of
knowledge transfer, teaching and applied research activities to enable stakeholder organisations to
work more effectively and have greater impact on regeneration. The project will also enhance policy
formulation by national and regional bodies. The partnership between HE and stakeholders will be for
mutual benefit so there will be a two-way exchange of knowledge and experience, thus creating a
virtuous cycle of knowledge-sharing.
Four thematic areas have been identified, which reflect important issues in the regeneration of the
North of England and map on to the breadth and depth of expertise amongst the university partners
and an existing firm base of collaboration with external organisations. One university will lead on each
theme, but every university will contribute to each theme.
• Community cohesion: lead – Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)
• Health and well-being: lead – Northumbria University
• Enterprise: lead – University of Salford
• Crime: lead – University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)
Bradford University has been chosen as an associate partner to enhance the resources of the core
partners, because of its pioneering work in community engagement, especially in relation to ethnicity.
The project consortium will also draw on the expertise of external academics or practitioners to
support the thematic projects as required.
A grant of £3.2m over 2 ¾ years was secured from HEFCE, mainly to pay for the time of existing HE
staff so that they can be released to work alongside regeneration practitioners on the thematic
projects. The combined teams of HE staff and practitioners in each of the four themes will identify
action areas where collaboration across a wide partnership can bring greatest benefits to the
regeneration process. The following generic outputs are measures of project activity, which will be
delivered across the four thematic projects, although the balance will vary between themes.
• 180 organisations assisted
• 1,050 days of organisational support (development work)
• 600 learner days (eg. short courses and credit-bearing modules)
• 60 learners progressing to HE study (award-bearing programmes)
• 8 reports eg. evaluation of impact of regeneration programmes
• 22 workshops and dissemination events
In addition, there are further outputs which are specific to each theme and these are noted later. The
outcomes (ie. legacy) of the project include: enhancement of regeneration programmes and
partnerships; capacity building in voluntary and community sector; helping to maintain community
relations and helping to build positive images of cities and conurbations (which helps economic
development); increasing the level of strategic engagement of HE with external organisations along
with internal cultural change; embedding of a strategic partnership between the HEIs; enrichment of
the curriculum in HE and new teaching programmes; new research proposals; greater diversity on the
campus (incl. widening participation); development of a distinctive third mission by the core HEI
partners.
The project is not designed to generate significant funds itself, but the exit strategy is to generate an
outcome of £6.2m additional income by the end of Year 5 (21/4 yrs after end of project) from further
collaborative activities. These include accredited and non-accredited learning (CPD, short courses)
consultancy (eg. evaluation of regeneration projects) and regeneration programmes funded by EU,
Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and other sources.
The sustainability of the partnership will be maintained through the ongoing commitment of the four
core partner universities to work closely at the Senior Management Team level and between
Knowledge Transfer Offices. The universities will use some of their formulaic HEIF 3 funding to ensure
that regeneration remains a priority area of knowledge transfer for them and that they are able to
maintain a collaborative approach.
There has been considerable collaboration already between the core partner HEIs and some of their
external stakeholders, including liaison with RDAs, the Northern Way Implementation Team (see
below) and Regional University Associations in developing this project proposal. This has built up a
significant momentum amongst key management, academic and support staff in the HEIs. There has
been open sharing of views and intelligence on research and knowledge transfer issues in particular.
The project will contribute to the implementation of the Northern Way Business Plan for 2005–08, by
tackling a number of important social and economic challenges across the three regions. In addition to
liaison with the RDAs, initial contact has been made with the Academy for Sustainable Communities in
Leeds and there is commitment from both parties to liaise closely and work to mutual benefit in
addressing common goals of improving regeneration practice in the North.
The main legacy of the project is to make a difference to urban regeneration in the North by improving
the know-how and working practices of agencies engaged in regeneration and to stimulate
engagement of academic staff in working collaboratively on such activities. This is a demonstrator
project designed to bring about transformational change, by building the evidence base for a broader
involvement of HE in government agendas (especially ODPM, Home Office, DTI and DfES) relating to
the economy and society. Since the expansion of 3rd mission support from HEFCE in recent years,
HE has been maximising its impact on business innovation, but not with wider societal issues.
This project will complement the contribution of science and technology-driven knowledge transfer in
HEIs and contribute to joined-up thinking in public policy formulation and implementation. It will also
create direct feedback into higher education to enhance the effectiveness of teaching, applied
research and third mission activities by improving the relevance of academic programmes and
services to learners and clients.