This blog has been written by Dr Diana Beech, Chief Executive Officer at London Higher.
London’s universities and higher education institutions are powerhouses of research and innovation. From cutting-edge medical breakthroughs to sustainable environmental solutions, the research undertaken by the capital’s higher education institutions does not just benefit London, but drives progress and prosperity right across the country.
To demonstrate the transformative impact of London’s university research base, London Higher is proud to launch the Capital Gains map — a dynamic resource that illustrates how research and development (R&D) activities funded and conducted in London’s universities bring direct gains to towns and cities from Cornwall to Cumbria.
Why the map matters
In recent years, the conversation around R&D investment has centred around ‘levelling up’, ensuring that every region of the UK can share in the prosperity that science and innovation bring to the nation. While this remains a vital goal for the new government in everything but name, it is important to understand that London’s R&D activities do not operate in isolation and consistently bring benefits that stretch far outside the Greater London region. With strong ties to industries, public services and local communities across the UK, London’s universities are already making a positive difference to people and places in constituencies up and down the country.
London Higher’s Capital Gains map brings this reality to life, showcasing research projects such as:
- medical breakthroughs, showing how clinical trials at London universities lead to breakthroughs in acute stroke care at hospitals in areas including Harrogate, North Cumbria and Greater Manchester;
- cultural collaborations, showing how partnerships between London researchers and regional museums breathe new life into local heritage in Aberdare in South Wales by transforming understanding of the significance and legacies of working class women’s histories in the area; and
- environmental work, showing how London’s green research works hand in hand with farms and communities to engage the public with conservation work in Norfolk and Suffolk.
Painting a powerful picture for policymakers
With over half of the UK’s Members of Parliament (MPs) new to their roles following the July 2024 General Election, London Higher’s Capital Gains map is designed to support the nation’s policymakers in understanding the interconnectedness of the UK’s R&D landscape and demonstrate that continued investment in London’s universities yields a ripple effect of economic, social and technological benefits that stretch far beyond the capital.
While talk in the last parliament came perilously close to endorsing moving investment away from London to fund alternative projects elsewhere, this map makes clear why every pound spent on London’s R&D sector is a pound spent delivering gains across the nation. It also builds on the success of the living London Higher Civic Map, released in December 2021, which shows how London’s higher education institutions are delivering vital community engagement initiatives for their own local areas that are just as in need of support as communities elsewhere.
As Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government sets its sights on achieving its growth and opportunity missions, London Higher’s Capital Gains map underscores why London must remain central to those plans. Sustaining the UK’s research success is not a question of deciding between funding research in the capital or within the regions. It is about recognising the need for balance and funding what works alongside investing in new clusters and capacity-building initiatives elsewhere. Only by funding research excellence in the capital can we strengthen the country’s scientific backbone and fuel a national network of innovation and progress.
Get exploring!
As our 25th anniversary year comes to a close, the London Higher team invites policymakers everywhere to explore our Capital Gains map and discover the incredible stories of collaboration between London’s universities and the regions and the positive difference that is made to people and communities ‘on the ground’. Our map is not just about celebrating what has been achieved to date, but it is about looking to the future and understanding what is possible when we continue to invest in the nation’s proven R&D powerhouse.
London is not an island. It is a global city proudly connected to every corner of the country and the world – not least through its universities and higher education institutions which are continuing to create jobs, improve lives and tackle the most pressing challenges facing the nation. Now is therefore the time to leave in the past the divisive popular politics that pit London against the regions. London and its universities have long worked for the UK and with the rest of the UK. So, let’s continue to invest in the R&D ecosystem that can power to prosperity not just the London region, but the entire country with it.
You can explore London Higher’s Capital Gains map on the London Higher website.
