Royal Holloway, University of London, is supporting Universities UK’s economic and social recovery campaign #GettingResults to help people and businesses recover from the wide-ranging damage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

New research published today by Universities UK (UUK), ‘Universities and the UK’s economic recovery: an analysis of future impact’, which was compiled by the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education (NCEE), predicts that over the next five years universities in the South East will:

• Provide support to businesses and charities worth almost £2.4 billion.
• Give 8,000 years’ worth of up skilling and training to businesses and charities.
• Help 1,750 new businesses and charities to be formed.
• Train 18,000 nurses, 6,000 medics, 26,000 teachers.

It comes as UUK launches #GettingResults - a campaign to put universities at the heart of the economic and social recovery - with a renewed commitment from universities to do even more to reach out to new partners locally and nationally and deliver even greater impact than currently estimated.

Royal Holloway is already supporting local employers in the South East/London area, the university is known for its world class and makes a significant contribution and impact on the South East and regional and national economy. The university works with various industries, from medical technology to cyber security and computing, varying in size from international corporates to SMEs.

The skills of Royal Holloway graduates will also have an important role to play in the future success of businesses and sectors during the Covid-19 recovery process.

The Careers Service at Royal Holloway continues to support its students and recent graduates through a blended programme of careers education and experiences. Building on our offering of existing work placements, the university has launched a new Optional Placement Year for undergraduates, giving further flexibility for skills development to compliment academic study, as well as supporting both the local and national economy.

Mark Pearson, Head of Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise at Royal Holloway, said: “At Royal Holloway we believe our students, staff, researchers, and graduates have so much to offer. We are proud of their knowledge, skills and expertise and we look forward to seeing them help businesses and industries bounce back in the years to come. We must now make sure that we work closely with our local employers and partners so they are getting the most out of what our university can provide in this challenging process of recovery.”

Professor Julia Buckingham CBE, Universities UK’s President, said: "By working closely with their partners, including local government and employers, universities will play a vital role in the UK's post-Covid recovery. Together, they can contribute significantly to future economic success and improve lives. Moving forward it is important that employers fully take advantage of universities’ support and develop productive relationships so the nation can bounce back stronger from the pandemic.”