Tag: UWE Bristol

Meaningful partnerships between universities and industry are essential if we are to bridge the gap between education, training and employment.

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

They help equip young people with the skills and experience needed to succeed, while supporting the local workforce to thrive.

Guest blog by Lucy Wicksteed, Assistant Director of Research and External Engagement for Business

It’s hard to remember a recent week when the value and purpose of universities wasn’t being debated somewhere in the national media.

As my own son finishes his first year at university, my conversations around this are no longer confined to colleagues. They come up with friends, family and, most importantly, young people themselves. And who can blame them for questioning their choices?

The Milburn Review into Young People and Work found that a university degree is no longer a guaranteed shield against unemployment. Around 15% of young people who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETs) now hold degrees, while entry-level jobs have become both less plentiful and more demanding.

For those of us of a certain age, it can be tempting to dismiss this as history repeating itself. In 1993, as an A-Level Politics student during a recession, I nervously stood up at a student conference in Shrewsbury and asked: “What’s the point in going to university if there are no jobs at the end of it?” And I joined fellow students in booing Edwina Currie MP when she suggested too many young people were entering higher education.

Lucy’s question from the student conference

My views on opportunity and access haven’t changed much, but the world certainly has. Back then, there were no tuition fees, no internet, no smartphones, no Covid and no AI.

What hasn’t changed is the risk of failing to invest in young people. If we do, we face future talent shortages, reduced innovation and weaker economic competitiveness (not to mention the impact on the health and wellbeing of a generation). Skills England forecasts that demand in priority jobs will grow significantly by 2030, with most additional demand requiring higher-level qualifications, demonstrating the continued need for graduates and advanced skills within the workforce.

Indeed – despite what some of the headlines might suggest – Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data shows graduate unemployment has increased only slightly and remains at around 5%. However, averages can hide important differences. Outcomes do vary considerably between subjects, and for some graduates, the transition from university to work feels much harder than it did a few years ago.

The Milburn Review calls for a participation system that better supports young people from education into employment, recognising how much the world of work has changed. And that responsibility belongs to all of us: schools, colleges, universities, policymakers and employers.

Which is why strong partnerships between universities and industry matter more than ever.

At UWE Bristol, we are committed to ensuring our students graduate with more than qualifications. They need the confidence, capability and networks that come from real-world experience. That means meaningful placements and internships, opportunities to work on live business projects, and access to mentors and entrepreneurs who can help them test ideas, launch ventures and develop commercial awareness.

But our role extends beyond students.

Universities also have a responsibility to support the wider workforce and the communities they serve. By using our expertise in skills development, training and careers support, we can engage people who may not previously have seen higher education as relevant or accessible. This is about widening participation, building confidence and creating practical pathways into meaningful employment.

We can also help businesses stay competitive by translating our world class research into high-quality Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities, exchanging knowledge (it works both ways!) and enabling organisations to adopt new technologies more quickly.

From digital skills to emerging technologies, universities have a crucial role to play in helping people reskill and upskill through Skills Bootcamps, CPD, Degree Apprenticeships and other flexible learning opportunities. At UWE Bristol, we are working closely with employers and policymakers to help build a local workforce that is adaptable, inclusive and ready for the jobs of the future.

As a future-focused, practice-led and partnership-first university, our relationships with business and industry have never been more important. Building on our long-standing experience as a proud post-1992 institution rooted in our region, we will continue to strengthen our work in outreach, skills development and training.

We’ve been contributing to skills, training and economic growth for a long time — and, dare I say, we’re quite good at it. But the urgency of the challenge, and the opportunity to make a difference, has never been greater.

Find out more about our Student and Graduate talent, our Enterprise Zone, or how you or your business can access our funded skills programmes.

Reflections on the June 2026 One City Gathering: Inclusive, Equitable and Sustainable Economy

Author ripleywk | Posted on

This blog has been co-authored by Alicia Hallatt and Allan Macleod from the Civic and Inclusivity team.

At a time when universities are coming under scrutiny to be more than just places of academic teaching and research, UWE Bristol is continuing to actively embed its civic ambition across the institution. Our role in Bristol One City reflects this commitment. Given our role within the region, the latest One City Gathering, which focused on building an inclusive, equitable and sustainable economy, was especially relevant. Some of the team that attended have reflected on the discussions they had and what it means for UWE Bristol and our work within the city.

Across the day, a consistent theme emerged: ask communities what they want and need to thrive, then take action that both includes and enables them. The desire for collective, collaborative action was powerful, running through every session and conversation. The One City Gathering’s keynote speaker, Andy Haldane CBE, summarised it as a need to move beyond co-creation to something more equitable, ensuring all affected parties have a place at the table and everyone leaves equipped with the skills and knowledge to continue growing.

discussions around tables
Credit: Bristol City Office

The four workshops covered Bristol’s response to helping those Not in Employment Education or Training (NEETs), how we can tackle the gender, race and disability pay gaps, delivering a circular economy that provides economic opportunity and discussion about meaningful community development in light of the upcoming Pride in Place and Pride of Place programmes in Hartcliffe.

One contributor  to the NEET workshop noted how quickly young people calibrate their aspirations to what they perceive as attainable, what opportunities are visible, and what fits-in with their peers; this was identified as a leading factor in why some Bristol wards sadly continue to experience persistently low social mobility.   Addressing this is a key aim for Bristol One City’s partners, highlighted by the goal that no-one’s future prospects should be defined by where they have come from. Colleagues reflected on the recent Milburn report and discussed the challenge locally. What is clear is that Bristol has a substantial number of impactful initiatives, but these need better coordination to make them attainable to employers, trainers, and those at risk of becoming NEET. The result will be not only improved individual outcomes but also stronger societal outcomes, increased capacity for local organisations, and a stronger regional economy as more people are able to contribute, regardless of their background.

people sharing thier thoughts with post its on bpard
Credit: Bristol City Office

The Civic and Inclusivity team are actively trying to tackle many of the issues raised in the pay gap discussion. UWE Bristol is working towards becoming an anti-racist university , acknowledging this will require continued effort and listening. Further, our team has been building understanding around how our disabled and global majority students can be better supported in placements, mentorship programmes and bespoke extra-curricular opportunities to ensure that those who have been left behind in the past have more equitable opportunities to succeed in the future and reward gaps are reduced.

The key takeaway from the One City Gathering was clear: trust is built through listening, and impact is sustained through collaboration. Our connections and our communities are our biggest strengths. Our huge thanks goes to Bristol One City for arranging such a packed morning that enabled connections between such a diverse audience.  At UWE Bristol, we are keen to build on this momentum, collaborating with partners to connect talent, share knowledge and create opportunities. If you are interested in collaborating with us, please contact us at uwebusiness@uwe.ac.uk or volunteering@uwe.ac.uk.

Innovation with impact: Supporting the World Federation on Incontinence and Pelvic Problems World Continence Week.

Author ripleywk | Posted on

This week is World Continence Week (15th to 21st June 2026) and researchers from UWE Bristol’s School of Health and Social Wellbeing are working to promote better bladder and bowel health at UWE Bristol and across the region. Bladder and Bowel leakage affects about 1 in 5 adults, which is about as common as hay fever, but is an issue that people are often reluctant to discuss.

Led by Prof. Nikki Cotterill, we are working with the Bristol Active City Network to raise awareness of how bladder and bowel leakage can affect people’s ability to get out and about and engage in exercise and other activities. For World Continence Week Nikki will be leading a webinar for the network, building upon previous engagement work with them on a pathway redesign project, aiming to help people to talk about bladder and bowel leakage and to access available self-help. In particular, bladder and bowel leakage can be the difference between taking part in exercise or being too embarrassed or worried about an accident. Addressing this, provides an opportunity to keep people in the activities they enjoy and socialising with friends and family.

A key resource to raise awareness and promote self-help is the CONfidence app, a self-help app developed by UWE Bristol researchers in conjunction with the Bladder and Bowel Confidence Health Integration Team (BABCON HIT) and Expert Self Care. The app has been downloaded by almost 20,000 people and has reached 20 countries. This App has been Co-created with people who have experienced leakage symptoms and national experts specialising in bladder and bowel care. Anyone experiencing bladder and bowel leakage can download the app for free. This gives access to practical advice and information on how to improve their bladder and bowel health.

Further tackling taboos, UWE Bristol has spearheaded the Boys Need Bins campaign, aiming to raise awareness about incontinence in men and the need for bins in men’s toilets. UWE Bristol is taking part in a pilot placing sanitary waste bins in men’s toilets across the Frenchay campus. This allows for the disposal of incontinence products including incontinence pads, stoma care items or other medical and sanitary products. Researchers are working with system partners to roll this out in other organisations across Bristol aiming for a ‘Boys need Bins Bristol’.

We need to talk more about bladder and bowel health to break down the stigma preventing symptom improvement. We are always keen to hear from anybody with an interest in this area, so please do contact Prof Nikki Cotterill with any thoughts or suggestions this World Continence Week: nikki.cotterill@uwe.ac.uk.

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