Driving positive impact in regional economies through collaboration

Although located in the South West of England, which has proportionally higher levels of prosperity in relation to other regions, Dorset contains some of the worst deprivation in the UK. With low levels of youth social mobility, an ageing population and a struggling seasonal economy, some parts of the region have been significantly impacted by long-term low investment. According to recent ONS figures, the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole local authority area operates 10% below the UK average productivity level, with additional challenges contributed by large internal disparities between neighbourhoods with high and low incomes. 

The government aims to kickstart economic growth by increasing investment in order to raise living standards, improve public services and build pride in communities. An essential activity to achieve this growth is to stimulate collaboration between the higher education sector and businesses. Small, medium and micro businesses (SMEs) make up more than 99% of the business profile of the UK, and in many cases, they collaborate with institutions that are both geographically relevant, complementary in size, and have both the specialist expertise and facilities to support their innovation aspirations. 

The business profile of the Dorset region is no exception. It is one largely built on micro businesses, with sector clusters in advanced manufacturing, creative, digital and healthcare enterprises. This context puts GuildHE institutions like Arts University Bournemouth and Health Sciences University at the heart of geographical collaboration through applied innovation and community activities to boost regional growth. 

Sustainable regeneration through enterprise 

Arts University Bournemouth is part of a small number of higher education institutions that achieved the highest results for local growth and regeneration, as well as for continuing professional development and graduate start-ups in the 2024 Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF4). Due to the local industry profile, demand for partnerships that are complementary to AUB specialisms is high. As a specialist creative institution with a particular focus on digital design, production and art, the innovative practice at AUB aligns with the government’s recent proposals for the future Industrial Strategy and the priority sectors identified for skills development by Skills England. 

An example of this regional impact is AUB’s Innovation Studio. The initiative supports both pre-start-ups to develop robust business plans and prototype products or services, and established businesses to experiment and upskill in new technologies and design thinking. The studio project also supports staff and students to train in an entrepreneurial environment

to prepare people living, working and studying in the area to start their own businesses. This intervention is directly initiating, supporting and propelling innovative business in an area of the UK with low investment and levels of opportunity. 

To contribute to regeneration, AUB purchased a 1930s playhouse, the Palace Court Theatre, in Bournemouth town centre. The initiative has generated a multi-purpose community venue that will create opportunities for local partnerships to stimulate local economic growth and increase the cultural capital of Dorset, especially through tourism. There are three key partnerships that will leverage the potential of the venue: 

• Dorset NHS Integrated Care System and the YMCA will collaborate to develop evidence in arts, health and wellbeing and give access to culture for alienated communities.
• AUB will work with Health Sciences University to provide intergenerational arts activities to promote healthy ageing and address loneliness and social isolation.
• Bournemouth Area Hospitality Association and the Business Improvement District will collaborate to develop a programme to utilise the theatre for the destination economy. 

A healthy society through specialist expertise 

Health Sciences University delivers world-class health education and research in allied health professions. The majority of their research outputs, environment and impact are recognised internationally in the REF and they have a 100% employability rate in professional careers and study in clinical settings across the world. The university is located in Boscombe, a suburban area of Bournemouth that struggles with high levels of deprivation. 

Partnering with the NHS, the local authority and private healthcare providers, HSU delivers clinical services to support the health and wellbeing of the local community. This activity uses their strength as an anchor institution to expose the community to its strengths in health, education and business to improve the lives of the people of Bournemouth, and Dorset more broadly. This is addressed through targets to reduce health inequality and place-based disparity. As part of this activity, HSU is involved with the Dorset Innovation Hub, which is one of only four health hubs in the UK dedicated to bringing together actors in primary, community, secondary and social care with academia, innovation research and industry to create sustained health innovations across the Dorset Integrated Care System. This is an excellent example of the impact specialist institutions have on regional development and growth through combining research, innovation and skills strengths. 

Clinics across allied healthcare led by HSU target reducing NHS waiting times as well as improving patient satisfaction and outcomes. This already established ability to shift sections of the health system to more localised community settings, such as diagnostic scans, treatments for the ageing community such as musculoskeletal issues, postnatal care and new-born feeding clinics puts HSU in the prime position to support the recently launched NHS 10-year Health Plan that aims to shift treatment from hospitals to community care and boost preventative measures where appropriate.

Civic responsibility is at the heart of vocational education 

Both of these institutions are organised around the principle of producing positive outcomes for the economic development and wellbeing of their local community. With embedded links to the industries they serve, and dedicated practitioners who are distinctly aware of the changing state of business, community needs, specialist knowledge and national priorities, these institutions are especially positioned to influence suitable civic change. 

It is well known that regional investment, policymaking and skills capital across the UK are not equal. Through its pedagogy, knowledge base and spirit, vocational education prioritises developing people with high-level specialist and transferable skills for their industries by engaging the local community in its decisions and practice. Between both AUB and HSU, Dorset’s regional economy and public services can be stimulated with a civic support system that has the potential to transform lives, save cultural hubs, improve health outcomes and address inequalities for its own community.