Downturn Section

Economic Downturn Project

NWUA has been successful in securing funding from HEFCE to deliver a linked set of key actions to support the engagement of the Higher Education (HE) sector with regional plans to respond to the economic downturn.

The project encompasses a wide range of activities including the collection and dissemination of information on relevant HE activity to regional partners, developing links between HEIs and regional partners and establishing a Higher Level Skills Redundancy Response Fund to support the development of short course provision to those at risk of redundancy, or who have been made redundant. The specific aims of the project, which have been developed in response to regional demand, are summarised below:

  • To collect data, case studies and information on activity and demand across the HE sector in the North West and share this with partners and stakeholders, including via the NWUA website
  • To support the potential role of universities as employers
  • To explore and support potential interventions to counter graduate unemployment
  • To consider emergent sector-specific strengths in the region, with a view to positioning the region in an optimal position during the economic recovery
  • To develop CPD provision to meet the needs of those at risk of redundancy or those recently made redundant through a commissioning model similar to the NW HLSP
  • To support linkages between the activities above and NW entrepreneurships schemes such as the High Growth Start Up Programme, NCGE activity and related programmes
  • To consider opportunities for supporting the public sector, in particular health and social care, in relation to workforce issues and the economic downturn

    NWUA has produced this report to highlight the ways in which North West HEIs have supported businesses and individuals affected by the economic recession and to underscore the extremely important role of the sector in driving sustained economic recovery. To download this report please click here (pdf).