A historic pledge to generate prosperity and tackle social challenges in Southampton was made yesterday by university leaders and councillors from the region.
The joint commitment establishes a Civic University Agreement which intends to improve the quality of life for people in the city and surrounding areas by connecting communities through culture, education and enterprise.
It was signed by our Vice-Chancellor, Mark E Smith. The University of Southampton will lead the initiative, alongside Southampton and Winchester City Councils, Eastleigh and Test Valley Borough Councils and Hampshire County Council.
Pledges will be made for collective action on six priority areas which include creating more opportunities for education and new skills, reducing inequality, generating jobs and economic growth, sustainability, and investing in arts and culture.
The University joins over 60 other UK universities who are committed to producing similar agreements as part of a national initiative in response to a key recommendation by the Civic University Commission – an independent inquiry set up by the University Partnerships Programme Foundation to explore how universities can successfully serve their local areas. The review underlined how UK universities have the capability, opportunity and responsibility to support their communities to solve the most pressing and major issues.
The University’s civic and community-engagement work has focused on the following key areas:
- The Arts at the University of Southampton, supporting the creative and cultural life of communities through the Southampton 2025 UK City of Culture Bid, Southampton Cultural Education Partnership and Connecting Culture research programme for children and young people.
- Responding to the challenges of Covid-19, in both public health and economic recovery: from creating innovative support technology, to local trialling of Covid-19 saliva testing with communities/ schools and supporting the development of potential vaccines, as part of the global effort.
- Developing new ways of responding to environment and sustainability issues aligned to the Southampton Green City Charter, in order to meet zero net carbon initiatives.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Mark E Smith said: “We support a huge range of activities in Southampton and Winchester as well as the wider region, from our substantial contribution to the arts and culture in the region, to outreach by our academics and support for local groups. Our research, education, alumni and outlook are global, but we are rooted in our community.”
