Universities unite in landmark agreement to strengthen Lancashire and Cumbria

Universities in Lancashire and Cumbria have formalised their commitment to working together with civic partners by signing a landmark agreement.

The Civic Universities Agreement (CUA) has been formally signed by Edge Hill University, Lancaster University, The University of Cumbria and The University of Lancashire and reaffirms a shared commitment to work together, alongside civic and public sector partners, to unlock greater opportunities, tackle regional challenges and improve outcomes for local people.

Signatories include Lancashire Combined County Authority, Lancashire County Council, Westmorland & Furness Council, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Blackpool Council, Lancaster City Council, Lancaster District CVS, Lancaster & Morecambe College, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust and Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board.

In a joint statement, the four university Vice Chancellors said: “The Civic Universities Agreement is a demonstration of our commitment to work collaboratively for the benefit of our communities and take a longer-term, strategic approach across Lancashire and Cumbria.

“This milestone moment is the result of careful debate and deliberation over three years.

“Together, we will harness our knowledge and talent to enable our rural, coastal and urban places to prosper and flourish.

“Our universities are rooted in our local area. This agreement will strengthen our ability to work with partners to create opportunities, support inclusive economic growth and transform the lives and livelihoods of people across Lancashire and Cumbria, both now and for future generations.

“As anchor institutions, we have an important role to play in using our education, research and partnerships to make a lasting difference in our communities.”

Six priority themes have been identified as part of the CUA.

They include a focus on creating connected communities, driving economic growth, developing a skilled workforce, reducing health and social inequalities, and supporting environmental sustainability.

Another key commitment is to strengthen the area’s collective identity through a stronger shared narrative. The aim is to attract more investment into Lancashire and Cumbria, both from government and through shared research bids.

County Councillor Brian Moore, cabinet member for Economic Development and Growth at Lancashire County Council, said: “This Civic Agreement recognises the valuable role universities play in the communities they serve. The commitment to work together to secure investment, address challenges such as skills gaps and create new opportunities for our communities is very welcome.

“I look forward to building on the strong partnerships emerging from this agreement to grow our local economy and make Lancashire and Cumbria even more attractive places to live, work and invest.”

The four universities have a long history of working together on projects for the benefit of the Northwest. Their collaboration has helped attract major government investment in initiatives such as National Cyber Force and Eden Project Morecambe, build educational capacity in Barrow Learning Quarter, and secure competitive research and innovation ecosystem funding to grow the regional economy.

A Civic Universities Group was established in 2023 to coordinate the universities’ engagement with new pan-regional initiatives, including devolution, the Lancashire Growth Plan, Cumbria’s Economic Strategy and significant national investment in defence and national security infrastructure. The CUA now provides a framework to align, strengthen and enhance existing work, while identifying opportunities for new initiatives.

Cllr Jonathan Brook, Leader of Westmorland and Furness Council. Said: “Our local universities already play an important role in shaping the culture, society and economy of Lancashire and Cumbria. This agreement represents another step on our journey of collaboration that has already brought real benefits to the area.

“Lancashire and Cumbria are unique and remarkable places, with strong communities and a proud history. However, they also face some significant and complex challenges that it is very difficult for any individual organisation to address alone. The Civic Universities Agreement represents a fantastic opportunity to work together as civic partners alongside the 4 universities to innovate, develop new opportunities, solutions and partnerships to address challenges and bring real benefits to our communities and local places.”

Initial projects include developing the Lancashire Data Observatory and producing a roadmap for universities to work with further education providers and combined authorities to address skills gaps.

Councillor Phil Riley, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “We are rightly proud of the quality of universities that on our doorstep. We know that a lot of our young people chose to stay local for their further education and we want to keep that talent to help our places prosper.

“Having access to the research and expertise at all of these universities is invaluable. This is brilliant timing as we move to having a Mayoral Strategic Authority in Lancashire.”

Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council and Chair of the CCA’s Economic Advisory Board, added: “Our world established universities are part of what makes Lancashire great. They aren’t just about training people up with degrees and skills, but they are large economic drivers for our county. As well as bringing students from all over the world, their research arms bring in international investment and are deeply embedded in helping our best local businesses to grow, innovate and create jobs. This is another really positive step forward for Lancashire, as we create a shared narrative around living and investing in our red rose county.”

Progress against the agreement's objectives will be reviewed annually, with a steering board providing strategic oversight and a delivery group responsible for developing and implementing projects.

• Picture caption: Front row L-R: Professor George Talbot, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Knowledge Exchange, Edge Hill University; Professor Graham Baldwin, Vice-Chancellor, University of Lancashire; Professor Julie Mennell, Vice-Chancellor, University of Cumbria; Professor Steve Decent, Vice-Chancellor, Lancaster University.
• Back row L-R: Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Commissioning Board, Andy Curran, Co-Medical Director; Lancaster District CVS, Yak Patel, CEO; Lancaster and Morecambe College, Danny Braithwaite, Principal & Chief Executive; Westmorland and Furness Council, Cllr Jonathan Brook, Leader; Lancashire County Council, Cllr Brian Moore, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Growth; Lancaster City Council, Cllr Caroline Jackson, Leader; Blackpool Council, Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader; Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Cllr Phil Riley, Leader; University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, Steve Williamson, CEO; Lancashire Combined County Authority, Matthew Sidgreaves, Chief Operating Officer; Lancaster University, Sarah Rees, Head of Stakeholder Relations.