World-class universities are strong in research, education and innovation/enterprise. We are sector-leading in terms of our education and student experience, but our research and innovation activities need more institutional priority. This increased focus cannot come at the expense of our educational offering and so achieving this rebalancing will be hard. But it is essential if we want to progress.

To inform our choices, several working groups are exploring the associated issues and tradeoffs. They will report back later in the year. Here, however, I want to focus on research and innovation.

I believe the distinction we have previously made between research and enterprise is largely artificial and that our capacity for both is enhanced through greater alignment. I use the term “innovation” here because I believe it covers a broader range of activities than its closely related counterpart “enterprise”. At Loughborough, enterprise has previously been defined as: ‘Engagement with business, public and voluntary organisations to create social, cultural and economic impact through knowledge exchange.’

Innovation covers all of this and more. Innovation additionally includes the process of creating and applying new ideas, discoveries and inventions that, through engaging with governments, business and charities, have the potential to deliver societal and/or economic benefit, locally, nationally and globally, as well as the breadth of engagements that are crucial to achieving these positive impacts.

In an article in the University’s VOLUME magazine, Nick discusses the importance of amplifying the University’s research and innovation achievements, and how supporting these areas will help create an impactful eco-system.