South east universities contribute £117bn to the national economy
Almost half (44%) of UK higher education (HE) and research’s contribution to the national economy come from institutions based in England’s Greater Southeast, research commissioned by Universities UK has revealed.
An analysis by London Economics revealed that UK HE and research contributes £265bn to the economy in total, including from research, knowledge exchange, teaching and learning and educational exports.
Universities in the three regions where Science and Engineering South’s seven members are based – the south east, east of England and London – contribute £117bn in total to the national economy.
Consultancy London Economics was commissioned to assess the impact of the UK HE sector’s teaching, research, and innovation activities on the UK economy, focusing on the 2021-22 academic year.
The consultants found that for every £1 of public money invested in the higher education sector across the UK, £14 is put back into the economy.
London Economics has produced reports showing the impact of six SES members. You can find these reports on our website. The full report, The economic impact of higher education teaching, research, and innovation, is available via the Universities UK website.