We are proud to be investing in our local community
Keele University contributes around half a billion pounds to the regional economy each year, with nearly three-quarters of this in the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire area.
A 2023 report by independent economists has revealed that Keele University contributes around half a billion pounds in gross value added (GVA) to the West Midlands economy each year, with nearly three-quarters of this (£345m) in the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire area.
The report also identifies that the University supports the equivalent of almost 5,500 jobs in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire, rising to over 7,000 in the wider region.
Our economic impact is created not only through direct employment of the workforce, but also through spending with local suppliers and contractors, with neighbouring businesses and people in Newcastle-under-Lyme being the primary beneficiaries.
We are one of the largest employers in Newcastle-under-Lyme, with over 39% of our workforce living in the Borough and a further 31% living in Stoke-on-Trent, spending their salaries locally creating further economic impact.
As well as the direct impact of the University and its activities on the local economy, we have also acted as a catalyst for further economic growth in the region thanks to our integrated Science and Innovation Park on the Keele campus, that medical technology, healthcare, digital and environmental businesses have chosen as their home.
"Keele has been making a positive impact on Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent – and across Staffordshire – for almost 75 years now, and this latest report shows how we’re powering the region more than ever before. I couldn’t be more proud of the central role that Keele plays in the area and of the positive impact that our University has on local people, and in making our region a great place to live and work.”
Professor Trevor McMillan OBE, Vice-Chancellor of Keele University.
A key strategic partner
These major economic contributions are highlighted in the report as an indicator of Keele’s importance to delivering on major Government priorities around Levelling Up, decarbonisation, and business innovation, with the report authors noting that Keele plays a major role in both Staffordshire County Council and Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council’s respective economic development strategies.
Keele Deals
We have reimagined our founding principles from 1949 that set about to foster societal recovery and reinvention, and since 2017 have created and delivered our four new “Deals” – Economy, Health, Culture, and most recently, Recovery – as part of our far-reaching regeneration programme for what is one of the most economically-deprived parts of England.
