Unlocking the UK’s collaborative potential

I am delighted to share that Research England has today confirmed four years of funding for the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB).

This vital commitment, together with the steadfast contributions of our members, provides the foundation we need to deliver on our new strategy — to be published later this year. 

This is more than an institutional milestone. It is an important moment for the UK’s skills, research and innovation systems. At a time of rapid technological change and intensifying global competition, our country’s prosperity depends on our collective ability to connect knowledge with action. The nations that thrive will be those that can translate world-class research and education into economic growth, commercial breakthroughs and solutions to society’s greatest challenges. 

For the UK, stronger collaboration between universities, businesses and government is not optional — it is essential. NCUB exists to convene those partnerships, generate the evidence and policy environment to guide them, and provide the platforms that help ideas become innovation and innovation become impact. 

What we are aiming to achieve 

Over the past year, we have listened carefully to universities, businesses and policymakers about the practical support they most need from NCUB. As a trusted convener of leaders from across research, industry and policy, we have distilled these insights a Strategy with three clear aims. 

• A more competitive UK — by advising government on how to align public funding, policy and incentives to unlock business R&D, showcasing the UK’s combined R&D strengths at home and abroad, and tracking the UK’s global standing. 

• A more collaborative UK — by advocating for policies that support the financial resilience of universities, creating new forums for joint discussion, showcasing effective partnerships, and enhancing konfer, NCUB’s digital collaboration platform, which has already connected over 6,000 businesses and universities through nearly 2,000 live opportunities. 

• A UK better prepared for the future — by championing universities as engines of talent, ensuring business voices are heard in national workforce and higher education strategies, convening partners to anticipate future skills needs, and designing new pathways into emerging industries. 

Together, these aims set out a vision for a UK that is more competitive, more collaborative, and better prepared for the future — laying the foundation for a more resilient and dynamic research and innovation ecosystem. 

The key actions we will take 

To deliver on these aims, NCUB will: 

• Provide trusted intelligence and analysis on global R&D trends, including a new competitiveness index to benchmark the UK. 

• Advocate for long-term investment in higher education and innovation, ensuring the UK remains an attractive destination for both domestic and international partners. 

• Strengthen our collaboration platform, konfer, to make it simpler for businesses and universities to connect and work together. 

• Champion new models of collaboration on workforce and skills, creating forums where employers and higher education can jointly shape the future of talent. 

What this means for our partners 

For universities
We will champion universities as engines of innovation, talent, and place-based growth — providing robust evidence of their economic and societal contributions and supporting their long-term financial resilience. By working with universities to highlight their role in driving research breakthroughs, delivering skilled graduates, and supporting local and regional economies, we will ensure their impact is fully recognised. We will also create new opportunities for collaboration with business and government, showcase the value of partnerships through tools like konfer, and amplify the sector’s voice in national debates on research, innovation, and skills. 

For businesses
We will make it easier for companies of all sizes to connect with the UK’s research base and skills pipeline. By showcasing successful partnerships and using tools like konfer, we will help firms unlock collaboration opportunities. Just as importantly, we will bring business voices into national debates on R&D, innovation, education and training — ensuring that the UK’s research strengths are translated into commercial impact, that graduates leave university with the skills employers need, and that pathways into high-value jobs and priority sectors are strengthened for the long term. 

For policymakers and funders
We will provide trusted evidence and analysis on the drivers of collaboration, investment and impact. We will advise on how public investment can be used most effectively — aligning incentives, institutions and funding to crowd in private R&D, deliver economic growth, and strengthen the UK’s position as a leader in higher education, R&D and innovation. By convening business and university leaders, we will ensure national strategies are shaped by both perspectives. 

For all partners
We will inspire collaboration by sharing case studies, convening leaders to tackle shared challenges, and horizon scanning for future skills and technology needs. Our strategic, cross-sector network — linking universities, business and government — provides the platform for our members to engage on areas of opportunity. We will continue to develop our digital portfolio and analytics expertise so that the partnerships we initiate are more meaningful, effective and impactful. 

Strengthening NCUB to deliver 

To achieve these ambitions, we are also investing in our own capacity. Over the next five years, we will: 

• Support and develop our people. 

• Harness new technologies and data, including AI, to generate deeper insights and connections. 

• Drive organisational effectiveness, ensuring we remain agile, efficient and focused on impact. 

What success looks like 

We know that success must be measured by impact, not activity. NCUB’s progress will be judged by the changes we help bring about: 

• More effective collaboration between universities and businesses. 

• Increased private R&D investment in the UK. 

• Stronger, more resilient universities. 

• A workforce better prepared for the industries of the future. 

We will track progress transparently through our annual Impact Report and our flagship State of the Relationship report. 

Looking ahead 

The confirmation of Research England’s support gives NCUB the confidence and stability to pursue these ambitions with focus and energy. But the real power lies in partnership: with our members across higher education and business, and with government and funders who share our vision. 

Together, we can strengthen the UK’s collaborative edge — ensuring that our universities and businesses are not only world class in what they produce individually, but extraordinary in what they can achieve together.