By Ann Pittard, Director of Engagement & Partnerships and Keele University Science and Innovation Park. This article first appeared as a Personally Speaking column in the Stoke Sentinel in November 2024.

There has been a great deal of debate in recent weeks about the future of universities and their value to society.  When you hear the words "Keele University", what's the first thing you think of? It might be students attending lectures or carrying out experiments in the lab. But the role of a university like Keele in society goes much further and deeper than that.

From ground-breaking research that is changing the world for the better, to advancing and supporting our local NHS and playing a part in driving innovation, these are just some of the many ways that Keele is supporting communities in Staffordshire and beyond – as well as educating the next generation of health professionals, scientists, lawyers and more.

Keele is not unique in this respect. In a recent letter to all university leaders, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson praised the Higher Education sector in the warmest terms. "The institutions which you lead make a vital contribution, as education and research institutions, to our economy, to society, and to industry and innovation".

One of the features at Keele that does set it apart from many other universities is its Science and Innovation Park, which is fully integrated into the University campus.  From its humble beginnings in the 1980s, the Park is now recognised as one of the leading developments of its kind in the UK and a key employment site in the Midlands.

It is home to more than 60 businesses employing around 1,000 people across ten purpose-built facilities. These range from recent start-ups and Community Interest Companies, through to established multi-national and foreign-owned companies. They work across a range of different knowledge-intensive sectors including life sciences and medtech, advanced digital, financial technologies, and energy and environment. Not only does this create much needed high-value jobs locally, but also a diverse range opportunities for people with different kinds of experience and skills.

What sets Keele apart from many other Science and Technology Parks is the role that the University plays in its growth and development. This brings enormous benefits for businesses and the wider economy. Here, businesses have access to world-leading academic research and talented students and graduates. Companies also work together to innovate, creating a thriving regional innovation hub.

There have been some remarkable success stories, too numerous to mention individually, but to highlight just one example, Biocomposites was born out of Stoke-on-Trent's ceramics industry which provided the expertise needed to develop their calcium products. When the company moved to Keele it consisted of 11 employees in the UK, two in China and two in the USA.  Innovation by clinicians enabled them to adapt their products for use in infection management in bone and soft tissue. These are now playing a major role in addressing difficult to treat infections. Twenty years on they are still headquartered in Keele, with global operations across Europe, South America, USA, Canada, China and India, and 535 employees globally. The company has won two Queen's Awards for innovation and international trade.

More broadly, the Science and Innovation Park is estimated to contribute around £75m to the regional economy, mostly in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire. The jobs created on the Park help us to retain highly qualified graduates in the local area but, as importantly, our companies provide a wide range of good quality jobs for people who don’t have a University degree, often supporting their progression within the workplace.

The Science Park has recently been recognised for its significant role in reducing environmental impact and addressing climate change, having been named winner of the Building Environmental Sustainability and Innovation award at the UK Science Park Association Awards.

Such is the success of the Science Park, it is now approaching full capacity, and interest from companies looking to locate here exceeds available space on the existing site. Recognising the economic importance of the Science and Innovation Park, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council is supporting its expansion into a neighbouring 32-acre University-owned site. If this comes to fruition it has the potential to create a further 2,500 high value jobs, generating over £150 million a year for the local economy.

So, when you next hear someone ask "what do universities do", remember that it’s not just about teaching students – it's much more than that.