UK: Universities are key contributors to economic growth, Research England report shows

News Tank Academic - Paris - News #456459 - Published on 08/10/26 at 17:00

A new report is showing how universities across England are continuing to create impacts on the economy, including in their local region.

Research England, a council within UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) responsible for funding and overseeing university research and knowledge exchange, published its sixth iteration of the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF6) on 07/10/2026.

This year's edition shows that cluster averages for all knowledge exchange perspectives either improved or were maintained from last year. According to UKRI, this "reflects universities’ continued contributions to the key economic growth dimensions of commercialising ideas, partnering with a range of organisations, driving workforce upskilling and enabling local economic development".

Increased engagement with small and…


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