Making a differencein the City RegionThe University of Liverpool’sCivic Contribution

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Key to Partners andBeneficiaries

General Public Arts &CulturePublic Agencies CommunityGroupsSchools Business

The University of Liverpool was founded nearly 130 years ago witha civic duty to engage in the life of the city and a mission for the‘advancement of learning and ennoblement of life’. As Director ofPartnerships and Innovation, I want to draw upon this heritage andbring renewed impetus to the University’s civic purpose, reflecting thedemands of today’s globalised, knowledge-driven society.

Rod HolmesChair of the Mersey Partnership

Collaboration underpins everything we do and thisguide gives a flavour of our contribution to LiverpoolCity Region across six interconnected areas:

Free thinkingHealth and WellbeingArts and CultureSustainable CommunitiesAccess and SkillsKnowledge Economy

Effective relationships with professions and organisations from abroad range of sectors enable us to extend our reach and increaseour impact; they also provide our students and staff with trulyrewarding experiences, which contribute to their learning andresearch. In recognition of their vital role, partners as well asbeneficiaries are highlighted throughout the guide.

The University’s contribution spans a number of mutually reinforcingareas, and its latest publication, Working together, making an impact,provides an overview of its knowledge and expertise. This documentcomplements it by focusing on projects which have benefited the CityRegion as a result of the University:

Applying its knowledge assets to address key economicand social challengesOffering public spaces, facilities and eventsFacilitating dialogue and informing policy and practiceSupplying fresh talent and skills to meet local needsDeveloping new skills and raising aspirationsSharing new intellectual perspectives to inspire anddrive innovation.

However, the University does not wish to make assumptions about itsposition and role: its ambition to increase the impact of what it doesmust be grounded in an understanding of how these strengths canbest help Liverpool City Region. The University has established a newPublic and Regional Engagement team to co-ordinate the deepeningand broadening of its current programme of activity and I invite you toget in touch with them to help shape where we go next.

John FlamsonDirector of Partnerships and InnovationUniversity of Liverpoolpublicandregional@liv.ac.uk

IntroductionForeword

From its inception as a civic institution in 1881, the University of Liverpool hasforged a reputation for producing internationally excellent research, encouragingand providing first-rate higher-level learning and attracting leading creativeminds and young talent. What may be less understood, though, is how theseactivities, coupled with the University’s provision of public facilities and events,help to make a difference to Liverpool City Region.

What kind of a place would the City Region be without the University of Liverpool?The University’s capacity to reach across different sectors to address critical issueswhich affect us all affords it a truly distinctive role, which combines both breadthof focus and depth of engagement. Harnessing the University’s world-class assetsand international networks to maximise local benefit will be a key factor increating a truly vibrant and prosperous City Region.

Over the past year, The Mersey Partnership and other Liverpool City Regionpartners have been working closely with the University to understand whereour capabilities align and how we may use our mutual expertise and networksto bring new and innovative perspectives to key challenges. In these times ofeconomic constraint, it is only by increasing our capacity to work together thatwe will enable Liverpool to increase its competitiveness and achieve its ambitionto be a thriving international City Region.

I am very pleased that this short guide conveys a revitalised sense of civicmission on the part of the University, meshing global and local expertise andnetworks to generate fresh and innovative thinking, and I encourage boththe University and those of you across Liverpool City Region to build upon thissuccess by engaging and investing for our collective, connected future.

Inaugural lecture seriesComplementing the public lecture series, the inaugural lectures seriesshowcases research taking place at the University; it is also free andopen to all. The 2009 series attracted nearly 1500 people. In 2010these lectures will cover topics ranging from mental health andparasites to ‘green’ aircraft and Shakespeare.www.liv.ac.uk/think/

Victoria Gallery & Museum (VG&M) DinnersAs part of its drive to make a positive contribution to policy-makingin Liverpool City Region, the VG&M dinners are a recent addition tothe University’s public engagement programme. These are quarterlyevents which bring influential policy-makers in the City Regiontogether with globally-leading academics. Co-chaired by The MerseyPartnership, Liverpool City Council, Liverpool Chamber of Commerceand Merseytravel, they allow key opinion-formers to debate matters ofimportance to society in a vibrant and multi-perspective environmentunder Chatham House rules. Forthcoming topics include socialmobility and personalising public services.

These events are complemented by focused initiatives, suchas hosting a Foresight Group, formed with Merseyside TransportPartnership, to consider radical solutions to issues such as congestionand climate change. Here, the University aims to help develop reflexivepractitioners and improve the quality and delivery of public servicesby drawing on its research and policy expertise and raising awarenessof the opportunities it offers for higher-level learning.

Case Study

Enabling Liverpool City Region practitioners toexplore new challenges in public service delivery

03FreeThinkingThe University plays a vital part in city life – providing a placewhere individuals and organisations come together to exchangeideas, learn and be inspired to make a difference, where local andinternational communities can connect and consider alternativeperspectives, where innovative approaches to global issues can bedevised... for instance, planning for a low carbon future by creatinga sustainable Liverpool City Region.

‘Free Thinking’ activities range from broad-ranginglectures and dinners to focused initiatives.

Public lecture seriesEach year this features world-renowned speakers who offer theirperspectives on global challenges which impact on Liverpool.In 2009, which coincided with Liverpool’s Year of the Environment,these included survival expert Ray Mears, writer and broadcasterJonathon Porritt, and comic, actor and novelist Alexei Sayle. Overtwo-thirds of the audiences attending these free events weremembers of the general public or University alumni. The 2010programme will connect to the city’s Year of Health and Wellbeing.www.liv.ac.uk/public-lectures/

The University has built on its strengthsand its longstanding reputation in publicmanagement by creating a practitioner-focused Masters in Public Administrationand Management. This is an in-companyprogramme which enables staff in keypublic agencies to come together to explorecross-sector perspectives and work togetherto address fundamental changes takingplace in public and voluntary services.

To ensure that the programme achieves its goal ofdeveloping staff and raising performance standards,the University has devised this innovative programmein collaboration with Merseytravel, Liverpool City CouncilCommunity Services and Liverpool PCT, to help them torealise their shared ambitions of delivering real serviceimprovements and developing more effective futureleaders in an increasingly complex Liverpool CityRegion environment.www.liv.ac.uk/mpam/

3,250 members of the publicattended the University’s 2009lecture series

1,470 attendees at inaugurallectures

The University is supporting the city’s Year of Health and Wellbeing byproviding and promoting public access to a wide range of facilitiesand programmes.

SportAs part of its drive to contribute to a healthier, happier and moreproductive Liverpool City Region, the University aims to engageincreasing numbers of students, staff and local residents in sport andphysical activity. Its sports centre is open to everyone and already has1,095 registered public users who can make full use of the facilitiesand access a range of programmes. In addition, around 1,000members of community groups use the facilities each week.

The University offers a range of related programmes – from healthscreening, fitness testing, personal training programmes, massageand other remedial therapies to swimming lessons for young peopleand adults and a Summer Sports Camp for children.

Its 50 clubs are run primarily by an army of more than 250 studentvolunteers, supported by University Sports Officers.

As well as providing facilities and programmes on campus, theUniversity has forged strong links to the wider community. This hashelped to establish positive relationships between students, voluntarygroups and members of the public, and engendered a growing senseof community. The University Sports Grounds host major communityevents – such as the annual Knowsley International Youth Football.This week-long event brings approximately 10,000 players, officialsand spectators to Liverpool City Region each year from all over theworld. University land at Greenbank is leased to the MerseysideCaribbean Cricket Club and also provides the home training venue forthe England Homeless Football Team, which can use the facilities freeof charge. In 2009 the University hosted the football and badmintonevents of the World Fire Games and this year it is hosting severaloutdoor sports events of the World Corporate Games.www.liv.ac.uk/sports/

The Reader OrganisationWith a mission to engage people of all ages and backgrounds inreading great books, The Reader Organisation, a ‘spin out’ from theUniversity’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, promotesreading as a force for social good that can enhance quality of lifeand build community.

The University has collaborated with The Reader Organisation,Mersey Care NHS Trust, Liverpool Primary Care Trust and LiverpoolCity Council on research to establish the benefits of using literatureas an intervention in mental health – something that has previouslybeen based on anecdotal evidence. Since July 2009, The ReaderOrganisation has run shared reading groups for people diagnosedas suffering from depression.

05Health&WellbeingThe University’s longstanding contribution to health and wellbeing inLiverpool City Region is multi-dimensional and spans a huge range ofactivities undertaken by its staff and students – from direct participationin local projects to strategic engagement with policy-makers. As well astraining medical staff, many of whom stay on to practice in Liverpool CityRegion, the University contributes to the work of key bodies such as theStrategic Health Authority.

Tackling health inequalitiesCompared to England as a whole, residents in Liverpool City Regionare one third more likely to die from cancer and more than twiceas likely to die from chronic liver disease. In 2007 the Universityresponded to these statistics by helping to establish the Health isWealth Commission, a body of experts charged with addressing thegrowing disparity between the City Region’s fast-growing economyand the long-term poor health of its population. One year later, theCommission proposed a series of radical measures designed tohelp improve the quality of life for more than a million people. Itsrecommendations included:

A co-ordinated health improvement plan, targeting drivers ofill-health like alcohol abuse, smoking, poor diet and lack ofphysical activityA set of standards to help employers understand and supportgood business practice in relation to the health and wellbeingof their employeesOpening up the City Region’s parks with a view to creatingsafe outdoor spaces for local communitiesThe creation of a new research institute dedicated toresearching health inequalities at local and global levels.

Many of these recommendations are already being implemented.The University will launch an Institute for Research into HealthInequalities – a joint venture with Liverpool PCT – in June 2010.University staff will work with the NHS and the public to createdirect social benefits for local communities – a UK first. In effect,Liverpool will become a ‘laboratory’, and hopefully a model, forother parts of the world.

Year of Health andWellbeingPartly in response to the Commission’s report, Liverpool City Councildesignated 2010 as the Year of Health and Wellbeing. The University’scontribution is designed to make full use of its assets and ensure thatthe impacts are felt as broadly as possible:

Working with the Guild of Students and the Merseyside FireServices Network, the University is promoting health andwellbeing-related volunteering and placement opportunitiesfor its students across Liverpool City RegionIts Public Lecture Series will include a number of health-relatedtopics and will be supplemented by a new seminar series andcontinuing professional development (CPD) programmesAs part of Liverpool City Region’s message to the rest ofthe world, the University will shortly be making a significantcontribution to Health month in the Liverpool pavilion atShanghai Expo 2010.

07Arts&CultureThe University helps to make Liverpool City Region a thriving, diverseand distinctive place to live and work through its portfolio of arts andcultural activities. Its Victoria Gallery & Museum opened in 2008, firmlyestablishing the University as a cultural destination in the city. Alongsidethis, well-established partnerships with a broad range of arts organisationsacross the City Region mean that its contribution to the city’s vibrant culturalscene is not limited to the campus. Examples include sponsorship of theLiverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, FACT, Tate Liverpool and Homotopia.

The Reader Organisation’s programme reaches across Liverpool CityRegion and includes:

Get into Reading: more than 170 weekly read aloud groupsare held across Liverpool City Region, reaching over 700people, in libraries, schools, GP surgeries, hospitals, DayCentres and workplaces. The success of the scheme hasreached a national and international audience and 2010 willsee the programme being rolled out in other UK areas andAustralia

Liverpool Reads: a city-wide book bonanza which gaveaway and encouraged the reading of 13,000 copies ofDavid Almond’s The Savage in 2009

Community Shakespeare: a culture-based social inclusionproject, which brought 1,500 people to Birkenhead Park inthe summer of 2008.

www.thereader.org.uk/

Ness Botanic GardensAlongside Oxford, Cambridge and Dundee, Liverpool is the onlyUK University with its own botanic gardens. Open to the publicthroughout the year, the gardens overlook the Dee Estuary. Theyfeature an outstanding collection of Himalayan and Chinese plantsand one of the best-known heather gardens in the UK.

Ness has a well-established record of engaging with its localcommunities: its Children’s fun days draw over 2,000 visitors,including 50 families from disadvantaged communities fromEllesmere Port and Little Sutton, and its Bulley, Free Entry Dayopens the gardens to local residents.

The importance of Ness to the visitor economy and profile ofLiverpool City Region is demonstrated by its 100,000+ annual visitorsand its recently awarded RHS gold medals at the Tatton Flower Show.The University was delighted that the gardens were selected to hostone of the final events to Liverpool’s Year of the Environment, wheresolar-powered lights and bio-fuel generators created the uniquedisplay, IllumiNESS; this attracted some 6,000 visitors.

The gardens have a growing national and international profile, andare part of the European Garden Heritage Network (EGHN) whichoperates across eight European countries, linking parks and gardensto local and in-bound tourists.

Students are working with Ness Gardens and the British Trustfor Conservation Volunteering to create a roof garden at theGuild, which will be open for use by local charities as aneducational resource.

www.liv.ac.uk/nessgardens/

The Liverpool-Mulago PartnershipThe Liverpool-Mulago Partnership (LMP) connects the largestmaternity units in Europe (Liverpool Women’s Hospital) and Africa(Uganda’s Mulago Hospital). Established by the University andLiverpool Women’s Hospital in 2008, the LMP shares expertise andpromotes improvements to maternal and infant healthcare: whilst theLiverpool team is skilled at prevention and exploiting high techtherapies, staff in Mulago have enormous experience in treatingconditions that are now rarely seen in the UK.

The programme engages employees across both hospitals – fromnurses and midwives to consultants and managers. An ongoingexchange scheme has helped to drive change in areas such aspostoperative recovery, protocol development and triage of obstetricpatients. LMP is evaluated independently by the University’sEuropean Law and Policy Research Group. In January 2010 LMPwon a Foundation award for its “outstanding contribution to theLiverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust”.

The Confucius Institute: connecting Liverpool’sChinese heritage to its economic futureThe Liverpool Confucius Institute aims to support the increasingeconomic interaction between Liverpool and China by providing arange of tuition options for Mandarin learners and promoting greaterappreciation and understanding of Chinese culture. A collaborationbetween the University of Liverpool, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China,and Hanban, it was established in October 2009.

Building on an established base of Chinese language teaching, theConfucius Institute will draw on the University’s extensive connectionswith the education, business, and voluntary sectors to establish astrong network in Liverpool City Region, allowing good practice tobe exchanged and learning and teaching experiences to be shared.

Alongside its contribution to preparations for Shanghai Expo(see Knowledge Economy on page 16), the Confucius Institute’sprogramme for 2010 will offer:

5 China Clubs for schools to broaden cultural awareness600 places across a public lecture series presenting aspectsof Chinese culture60 places on Introductory Mandarin programmes24 places on calligraphy classes.

www.liv.ac.uk/confucius-institute/

Museum collaborationsBeyond the campus, the University has played an important rolein Liverpool City Region, making its research accessible to a wideraudience by helping to create exhibitions and develop collections.A collaboration between National Museums Liverpool and theUniversity’s Institute of Popular Music helped to inform the WorldMuseum Liverpool’s The Beat Goes On exhibition in 2008-09,which highlighted the creative processes behind music makingin the city. Visitors were able to learn more about the city’sinternationally-renowned music heritage and acquaint themselveswith its ongoing successes.

A joint initiative of the University and National Museums Liverpool,the Centre for the Study of International Slavery is central toLiverpool’s pioneering International Slavery Museum, contributingto the understanding of slavery and its legacies. With partners inFrance, the US and Senegal, the Centre’s international networkof research institutes brings global perspectives to this distinctivepart of Liverpool’s history whilst ensuring that new insights fromLiverpool’s past are shared with a wider, contemporary audience.www.liv.ac.uk/csis

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Case Study

Understanding the impact of 2008

Liverpool 2008wasundoubtedly a cultural success,but how do we know whether it made thesignificant contribution to the economic, socialand environmental regeneration of LiverpoolCity Region that many stakeholders anticipated?Impacts 08 is a longitudinal research programmewhich has evaluated the social, cultural,economic and environmental impacts ofLiverpool’s reign as European Capital of Culture –in the lead-up to 2008 and subsequently.A joint initiative of the University of Liverpooland Liverpool John Moores University, thispioneering research and evaluation modelhas generated great interest elsewherein the UK, in Europe and beyond.

The University is now collaborating with key partners fromthe education and culture sectors to explore the potentialfor a new Institute for Culture Research. The idea is tocombine the knowledge networks of Impacts 08 and theNorthwest Culture Observatory, which functions as theregion’s strategic culture research and intelligence networkand is based at the University. The role of the Institute wouldbe to monitor cultural trends and stimulate cutting-edgeresearch to inform arts policy and management, establishingLiverpool as an international hub of innovative practice.www.liv.ac.uk/impacts08/

The Victoria Gallery & Museum (VG&M)Opened in 2008 following an £8.6m restoration of the University’soriginal building, the VG&M made a major contribution to Liverpool’sreign as European Capital of Culture. It houses exhibition spaceswhich feature material from the University’s fine art and museumobject collections, a lecture theatre and a cafe. Many of thecollections in the building, which was designed by the seminalLiverpool architect Alfred Waterhouse, are on display for the first time.

The ever-developing special exhibitions programme makes a uniquecontribution to Liverpool City Region, showcasing internationallyrenowned local artists alongside international exhibits of relevanceto Liverpool. In 2008, for instance, the VG&M hosted the first majorretrospective of Stuart Sutcliffe’s work in Liverpool for 25 years.This will be complemented in autumn 2010 by a similar exhibitionexploring the work of Sutcliffe’s girlfriend, the photographer AstridKirchherr. Whilst 2009’s Mersey Sound displayed the penwork andpoetry of Roger McGough, Brian Patten and Adrian Henri, this year’sexhibition of contemporary Chinese calligraphy, Strokes of the Brush,will bring material from the British Museum out of London for the firsttime and connect to the public cultural activities offered by theConfucius Institute.

The VG&M has welcomed over 88,000 visitors since opening.Its extensive education programme attracted 2,587 publicparticipants in 2009, ensuring that its contribution to life in the CityRegion was not confined to a narrow band of visitors. This included:

31 tours20 family events19 school visits15 adult events3 work placements for schoolchildren.

www.liv.ac.uk/vgm

The Liverpool European Capital of Culture attracted 9.7madditional visits to Liverpool, generating an economicimpact of £753.8macross the City Region and the NorthWest

The Liverpool Programme had a total income of£130m over six years, the highest of any EuropeanCapital of Culture to date.

Key statistics from Impacts 08 programme

11SustainableCommunitiesThe University’s strong connections with local communities and the voluntarysector stem from its civic origins. It takes seriously the responsibilities that thisheritage confers: its staff and students work with schools, community groupsand trade unions and engage directly with local residents.

The University’s contribution to local communitiesis facilitated by participation in UK governmentprogrammes, such as Knowledge TransferPartnerships, by distinctive campus-based initiatives,such as the Liverpool Law Clinic and Interchange,and throughmembership of local groups andassociations, like the Merseyside Social EnterpriseNetwork. This is a win:win arrangement whichdelivers real benefits, identifies new research topics,delivers course credits for students, and generatesa great deal of satisfaction all round.

Championing diversityBy definition, the University’s multicultural staff and student bodyhelps to make Liverpool a vibrant, distinctive and international cityregion, and promotes tolerance and mutual respect. These are corevalues for the University, which demonstrates this through its supportfor the Anthony Walker Foundation Festival and Merseyside BlackHistory Month and its sponsorship of the Male Achiever Award in 2009.

This corporate sponsorship has been supported by practicalengagement in community projects, such as those with Liverpool’sCaribbean Community Centre. Following a spate of racist incidents, theUniversity’s Educational Opportunities team has worked in collaborationwith a local school and Unionlearn to establish and maintain theTackling Racism Group. The project, which has also engaged YouthServices, the Anthony Walker Foundation and Merseyside Police,has since been rolled out to include five other schools.

Since it was established in August 2007, the Sport Liverpool team hasworked to create opportunities for community groups to access theUniversity’s facilities. The team has supported Liverpool FC’s Footballin the Community Project as well as Liverpool Community College’sfootball programme for children with learning disabilities. Student sportsclub members have assisted the Action for the Blind’s local team ofactioneers, who meet at the University’s Sports Centre every week totake part in various activities, including archery, trampolining and ju jitsu.

VolunteeringVolunteering enriches the learning experience for the University’sstudents and informs its research whilst offering external partnersaccess to fresh perspectives, enthusiasm and skills. The University’sCareers and Employability Service works in collaboration with the Guildof Students to co-ordinate volunteering opportunities in the followingpriority areas:

Law / legal supportHealth and wellbeingEnvironment and conservationWorking with young peopleArts and culture

From September 2008 to June 2009, this approach helped154 organisations in Liverpool City Region recruit 590 volunteers.These included 60 students who worked as classroom assistantsat 46 schools across the City Region as part of a tutoring scheme;a paired-reading programme at St Hilda’s High School, Liverpool,helped improve the reading age of Key Stage 3 pupils with literacyproblems by over 20 months.

VALUE and Volunteering LiverpoolThe University’s approach to volunteering has been shaped byits active participation in the Volunteering & Lifelong Learning inUniversities in Europe (VALUE)* network, which enables universitiesand volunteering organisations from 13 European countries toshare experience of working together and explore the potential fordeveloping new opportunities. These international perspectives helpthe University to deliver additional benefits locally and build closer tieswith the volunteering community in Liverpool City Region.

One example of this growing connection is the establishment ofVolunteering Liverpool via a partnership between the University’sGuild of Students, the Volunteer Centre Liverpool, Liverpool HopeUniversity and Liverpool Community College. Over 110 communityorganisations now use this service to access a pool of more than250 University of Liverpool student volunteers who are drawn fromall three of the University’s Faculties (Humanities & Social Sciences,Science & Engineering and Health &Life Sciences).

*Supported by the European Commission Directorate-Generalfor Education and Culture, and the Institute for Volunteering Research.www.volunteeringliverpool.org.uk/www.valuenetwork.org.uk/

‘Without a doubt, the student [volunteers]havemade a huge impact within PARTIA.Last year’s students have created a lastinglegacy for Aintree University Hospitals,designing the booklet ‘From Fever Hospitalto Foundation Trust’, and in the processsaved us thousands of pounds, particularlyimportant as all funding is throughCharitable Funds’PARTIA, Aintree University Hospitals.

‘My son Ben is five and diagnosed autistic…Because of the commitment [of Universityvolunteers], Ben has gone from non-verbalto saying over 100 words… from rigid andcontrolling to somewhat flexible andmostimportantly from grumpy and frustrated tohappy and content. I could not express thethanks I feel that they have been and stillare a part of our lives.’Parent, Rise Programme.

‘I have been volunteering at Sexpression:UK for eighteen months... and have workedwith several hundred secondary schoolpupils as well as members of communitygroups to raise awareness of sexual healthand issues such as domestic violence,rape and HIV/AIDS. My confidence andcommunication skills have improvedimmensely and the experience hasencouraged me to pursue a newcareer path in Humanitarian Studies’Dave Lawrence (fourth year medical student).

InterchangeThe University understands that, like any service provider, communityorganisations need to evaluate how effectively they are pursuing theirmission, how service users and other stakeholders value what theyprovide and how they may improve further.

Recognising that many community organisations often lack thecapacity to undertake their own research, Interchange was set up asan independent charity in 1994 by a former member of the University’sSchool of Sociology & Social Policy. Its mission – now, as then – is towork alongside community and voluntary organisations in LiverpoolCity Region, translate their research needs into an outline project briefand find local students with the right skills to refine this in consultationwith the organisation and then carry it out.

Users of Interchange have benefited from feasibility studies,market research, publicity and marketing, information technology,environmental surveys, community studies, documentary and oralhistories. In return, the University awards students credit towards theirdegree in recognition of the value that applying and reflecting upontheir knowledge in a real life context delivers.www.liv.ac.uk/sspsw/interchange

Liverpool Law ClinicLaunched in October 2007 and housed in its own premises on OxfordStreet, the Liverpool Law Clinic is a community-focused, law-in-actionprogramme, run by staff and undergraduate students from theUniversity’s Law School. Filling a clear gap in service provision inLiverpool and complementing the activities of other valuableadvocacy services such as Citizens Advice, the Law Clinic hasprovided local residents with access to justice and embedded arange of practical skills in the next generation of legal practitioners.

The Law Clinic offers the public free, first-rate legal advice on a widerange of issues, including:

Landlord and tenants disputesEmployment rightsConsumer rightsDivorceChild contact and maintenanceImmigration law

Applicants are interviewed by students under the voluntarysupervision of practising solicitors drawn from local law firms,including Berrymans Lace Mawer, Hill Dickinson and EAD. Guidedby the supervising professional, students assess the clients’ legalneeds, conduct extensive research and draft detailed letters of advice.Endorsed by local practitioners and professionals as well as a formerAttorney General, the Law Clinic has continued to expand and developin response to the high demand from both clients and students.www.liv.ac.uk/law/clinic/

Carbon ambassadorsThe Guild of Students’ trained team of Carbon Ambassadors isworking with local organisations to help reduce Liverpool CityRegion’s carbon footprint. Team members carry out free energyaudits of premises, producing a full report with practical advice onenergy use and cost savings for users of the service.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP)KTPs are a proven way through which organisations of all sizes canengage with the University to improve their competitiveness,productivity and performance. They facilitate access to graduates,who work on dedicated projects, backed by academic mentors –thereby bringing fresh expertise and ideas to companies. In 2008 theUniversity had the fifth highest number of KTPs in the UK. It currentlyhas over 20 high-calibre graduates from seven different disciplinesworking in companies, most of which are based in the City Region.

The University’s KTP project with Arena Housing Associationfocuses on a housing-led community project in North Liverpool, thesite of one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects: more than 1,800properties are to be demolished in Anfield and Breckfield and 1,000new homes built in their place. The three-year project aims to helpsecure the sustainability and stability of these areas during this majorperiod of transition. The team from Arena and the University has beenworking with local residents to develop a new community-basedmodel of asset ownership with a view to enabling and empoweringresidents, stimulating new enterprises, improving health and securityand opening up new opportunities for training and employment.

13Access& SkillsEmployment and skills development are the key to breaking the cycleof worklessness, reliance on benefits and poor health which affects manypeople across Liverpool City Region. The University clearly has a central roleto play in enabling the City Region to meet its target of 34% of working ageresidents being qualified to a Level 4 or above by 2010-11.In 2009, the Liverpool Law Clinic

handled over 60 cases and 175requests for advice. To help meet this challenge, the University is working

in collaboration with other educational providers,civic organisations and employers and developingamore flexible range of learning options with a viewto raising the aspirations of younger learners andengaging people at all stages of their career path.

Raising aspirationsThe University is one of only three among the 20 Russell Groupuniversities to exceed its benchmark for first degree entrants fromstate schools / colleges and low participation neighbourhoods.The proportion of young full-time entrants from state schoolsat the university currently stands at 84.8%.

The Champions of Learning project is focused upon individuallearners who are capable of high achievement but are currentlyunlikely to progress to higher education. The project delivers aprogramme that builds confidence, self-esteem and key skills,as well as raising aspirations and increasing awareness of highereducation. This includes University campus visits, in-schoolssessions and GCSE revision booster classes. An evaluation ofthe programme demonstrated an increase from 32% to 67% inthe number of young people who said that they “now knewenough about higher education to enable them to make aninformed decision about whether to go in the future”.

The personalised educational support provided by the SuperstarsProgramme has been designed to tackle some of the educationalinequalities faced by young people in care. Recruiting 20-30 youngpeople from Liverpool City Region every year, its activities includeafter school mentoring sessions with undergraduate students,campus taster days as well as residential experiences and summerschools. As a result of this programme 77% of the young peoplethought that they were more likely to go on to University, while 100%said that participating in the programme had made them moremotivated with regard to their school studies.

In addition to these activities, University employees are members ofthe governing bodies of numerous schools across the City Region,including the Calday Grange Trust, Matthew Arnold Primary Schooland Dingle Lane Children Centre, and the National Challenge Trustfor Parklands High School and the Blue Coat School.

Lifelong learningEach year, over 3,000 adults aged from 18 to their late 90s fromacross Liverpool City Region attend Continuing Education (CE)courses run by the University. The courses, which include activitiesat Ness Gardens (see Health and Wellbeing on page 4), rangefrom one-off sessions to lectures every week for 10 or 20 weeks.Many of the courses offer the opportunity to gain University creditsand learners can use them as a route into higher education,contributing towards a University award.

Continuing Education staff at Liverpool University also work with anumber of local museums and galleries, including Tate Liverpool, theWalker Art Gallery and Sudley House to deliver schools’ days andshort lecture series. The subjects include; Beyond Art and Art History,Business and Management, Local History and Information Technology.www.liv.ac.uk/conted/

In parallel with its CE activities, the University’s participation in theEuropean TULIP network* has acted as a catalyst for its engagementwith local trade unions. Sharing new approaches and good practicewith partners from 9 EU states has enabled the University and itspartners to establish more effective learning pathways and producea web-based resource kit, allowing good practice, including that inLiverpool, to be shared with a European audience.

*Supported by the European Commission Directorate-Generalfor Education and Culture, and UNISON.www.tulipnetwork.org.uk/

Continuing Professional DevelopmentThe University offers a wide range of courses as well as executivetraining programmes – all designed to maximise personal andprofessional development, whether the goal is to gain a fullpostgraduate award, or to plug a knowledge or skills gap in theworkforce. The University’s research-led approach to CPD ensures thatwhatever the format of the programme, it will be informed by the latestknowledge on the subject and introduce the latest high-level skills.

The University’s collaborative approach has enabled it to developbespoke courses for professional bodies such as the NHS and RoyalCollege of Veterinary Surgeons. The University has responded tothe spiralling demand for higher-level skills to drive competitivenessby increasing CPD provision, establishing new options acrossArchitecture, Health Sciences, Law and Management Schoolamongst others. An ambitious programme of expansion over thenext five years will help to address the evolving needs of LiverpoolCity Region.

As part of a £9.5m project, supported by the NWDA, the University ofLiverpool Management School is delivering a leadership developmentprogramme in collaboration with Liverpool John Moores University.Open to companies in the City Region and designed specifically forthose with up to 20 employees, the LEAD project aims to offer supportto 2,000 companies over the next three years. It is designed to developthe leadership skills of owner-managers, look at ways of growing theirbusiness, and help them formulate new business processes.www.liv.ac.uk/ulms/lead/

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The University’s Aimhigher Summer Schools and Campus visitsaim to raise awareness, aspirations and attainment of young peoplefrom under-represented groups. The programme of events providesan opportunity for participants to engage with science, technology,engineering and maths activities during hands-on sessions.During the programme:

18 University departments offered taster sessions tointerested young people

1,500 students had a summer school or on-campusexperience in 2008/2009, leading 91% of attendees to saythat they now found the idea of University more appealing.

Developed at the University of Liverpool, Professor Fluffy is a primaryschool programme which supports the UK’s widening participationagenda. Via a range of activities and games, the programme helps toraise awareness of the impact of education on improving career andlife opportunities. It introduces the concept of a ‘Learning Journey’ tochildren and their families, providing the essential building blocks andcultural capacity for progression to higher education. The programmehas been licenced to 15 UK universities/colleges and two Aimhigherprojects, generating income for the University. It is now attractinginterest in North America.www.liv.ac.uk/educational-opportunities/

“Now that I have had a taste of university lifeI amgoing towork hard to get in to university”.Programme participant.

Engagement with schools and academiesIn pursuit of its commitments to increase progression to highereducation, work with local communities and enhance Liverpool CityRegion’s skills base, the University is co-sponsor of three Academies,all situated in areas of acute social and economic disadvantage.These are the North Liverpool Academy (NLA), the soon-to-be-opened Enterprise South Liverpool Academy (ESLA), and thedeveloping Birkenhead University Academy.

The University’s involvement in the NLA includes the provision ofbursaries for students progressing to the University from NLA anda range of support activities, including master classes and workexperience places. In 2009, 65 pupils from NLA went on to highereducation, including the University of Liverpool; most of thesepupils were the first in their family to go to University.

In line with its specialism in languages for business, the University’sConfucius Institute (see Arts and Culture on page 7) will providesupport for Mandarin tuition at the ELSA, which will open inSeptember 2010. This will be complemented by the developmentof joint pupil-student activity around enterprise activity with localand international businesses.

In 2007-08 over 15,000 childrenparticipated in the ProfessorFluffy programme.

During the next three yearsthe University’s EducationalOpportunities teamwill work withYear 5 and 6 children from across120 primary schools in LiverpoolCity Region as part of theAimhigher initiative.

The University delivered 18,541learning days of CPD and CEcourses during 2008/9.

91% of the courses over the past5 years were delivered tolearners in the North West.

Knowledge Economy GroupThe Multi Area Agreement for Liverpool City Region recognisesthat the knowledge economy will be central to its futurecompetitiveness and prosperity. The University played a keypart in formulating the MAA and Professor Sir Howard Newby,the Vice-Chancellor, chairs the City Region’s Knowledge EconomyGroup. The Group is now overseeing the preparation of a KnowledgeEconomy Plan that will provide a framework for partners to identifyactions to help stimulate further growth in this area. With itsinternational reach, the University can bring Liverpool’s successand expertise to a worldwide audience, whilst also helpingLiverpool City Region to learn from global good practice.

Shanghai Expo 2010As the lead partner for the Knowledge Sector month in August, theUniversity is playing a significant role in the planning for the Liverpoolpavilion at Shanghai Expo. As part of its commitment to the Expo, theUniversity is contributing to the design and content of the exhibitionand will run academic symposia and graduation ceremoniesthroughout the six-month exhibition. It has also sponsored theRoyal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s tour of China in 2010and continues to support the Liverpool Shanghai Partnership.

From April to September, the Liverpool Confucius Institute (seeArts and Culture on page 7) is offering 100 places to businesses andagencies in Liverpool City Region on a visit preparation programme.The programme, which includes basic language skills, a culturalbriefing and business etiquette as well as information on culturaldifferences and expectations, has been designed specifically toenrich the visit experience and increase the confidence andeffectiveness of those representing Liverpool at the World Expo.

KnowledgeEconomyWith 1,400 academic staff, 800 research staff and research commissionsin excess of £70m the University is Liverpool City Region’s primaryknowledge-intensive employer. Working together, Making an impact,the partner piece to this short guide, provides a more comprehensive viewof the University’s knowledge-based assets. This section focuses on ongoingand forthcoming initiatives of direct relevance to the City Region.

Liverpool Science ParkCloser to home, the University has worked to establish LiverpoolScience Park (LSP) as a joint venture with the City Council andLiverpool John Moores University. Supported by public investmentfrom the Government Office for the North West and the NorthwestRegional Development Agency, LSP has provided accommodationfor over 50 developing companies. Whilst helping to retain localtalent, it has also attracted businesses from outside the City Regionto create a hub for cutting-edge, knowledge-based firms in sectorsincluding; creative industries, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, ICT,software development and genetics. The University’s membershipof the LSP board is helping to drive forward its expansion followingthe opening of a second building (Innovation Centre 2) in April 2009.

Graduate enterprise and innovationThe University’s students are a major source of enterprise andinnovation for Liverpool City Region. Aided by funding from theEuropean Regional Development Programme, the University’sCareers and Employability Service has just initiated a three-yearinternship programme aimed at placing a minimum of 250graduates with local SMEs and organisations spread acrossthe public and private sectors.

The University is working in collaboration with an expert teamof tutors, mentors and entrepreneurs from Daresbury InnovationPark to run an Enterprise School programme, aimed at enablingearly career researchers to develop the skills required to befuture research leaders. Working in an intensive, collaborativeand interactive environment, up to 40 participants will be ableto develop career and enterprise skills, including: innovation,effective communication, interdisciplinary collaboration andadvanced presentation skills during the four-day residentialprogramme in May 2010.

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Produced by the University of Liverpoolfor the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and Universities UK (UUK)

© The University of Liverpool 2010

For further information, please contact the University’s Public and Regional Engagement Team:publicandregional@liv.ac.uk

AMEMBER OF THE RUSSELL GROUP

Key contact details

Public and Regional Engagementpublicandregional@liv.ac.uk

Business Gatewaybusiness@liv.ac.uk

Centre for Lifelong LearningFor CE, Careers and Educational Opportunitiescll@liv.ac.uk

Confucius InstituteLiverpool.Confucius.Institute@liv.ac.uk

Continuing Professional Developmentcpd@liv.ac.uk

Guild of Studentsliverpool@bamuk.com

Knowledge Transfer Partnershipsbusiness@liv.ac.uk

Ness Gardensnessgdns@liv.ac.uk

Sport Liverpoolsports@liv.ac.uk

VG&Mvgm@liv.ac.uk