University of Portsmouth says it wants to ‘drive socioeconomic change’ across city

The university has joined 30 other institutions from across the UK in committing to the Civic University Agreement.

Within the agreement, the university will look to work with local government, employers, cultural institutions, schools and colleges to help drive forward economic and social improvement.

Speaking about the agreement, vice-chancellor, Professor Graham Galbraith, said: ‘Our university is extremely proud of the role we play in the economic and cultural life of this great city and we are determined to do our part to ensure that the city and region have a successful future.’

The new agreement was initiated after a report published by the Civic University Commission, chaired by the former head of the Civil Service, Lord Kerslake.

The report identified how universities such as Portsmouth have the capacity to support the communities in which they are based to address some of the socioeconomic issues which are prevalent.

Lord Kerslake said: ‘The deep economic and social changes that are happening in Britain today have made the civic role of universities even more vital to the places they are located in. Universities need to be part of a community which is engaged, supportive and shares objectives.’

The report outlined key economic areas in which the university has a pivotal role in helping local businesses adapt to technological change and providing training and skills for the local workforce. An additional social target is to help improve the health of local people.

The report highlighted the crucial role of education as mechanism for driving improvement and commended the University’s relationship with Portsmouth Football Club as a means of student engagement and raising aspirations.

Professor Galbraith said: ‘We already do a great deal, not least our partnership with Portsmouth Football Club, but the report’s recommendations give us the basis for discussion with partners for what else might be possible. I believe that it is vital to the University and city that we play a role in raising aspirations and attainment in schools.’

The agreement will look to strengthen the ongoing relationship between the University and the city’s schools. The University already runs a series of of workshops which look to raise both attainment and enrolment in higher education – particularly of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. The initiative includes campus based activities for school pupils which provides an insight into university life.

‘We are in a region where participation in higher education is low. In the city, about two in ten 18-year-olds apply to higher education – and in some wards it is as low as one in ten. Nationally the figure is more than one in three and in places like Richmond Park as many as two in three 18-year-olds apply,’ said Professor Galbraith.

The agreement has been welcomed by Portsmouth South MP, Stephen Morgan.

Mr Morgan said: ‘The university is at the heart of my ambition for our city’s community life, demonstrating its social value and contributing to the neighbourhoods it resides in and serves. This agreement is a significant step and I look forward to seeing the university play an even greater part in creating a city which works for everyone.’

Professor Galbraith added: ‘I simply do not believe that young people from more privileged parts of the country have more potential than young people in Portsmouth and if we do not reduce this disparity we will be letting our young people down.’