Universities UK (UUK), the collective voice of UK universities, and Elsevier, a global provider of research information and analytics, have announced a strategic partnership to enhance evidence on how university research supports the eight priority sectors in the UK Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy (IS‑8).
The initiative combines UUK’s policy expertise with Elsevier’s experience in research data and analytics to produce new analysis of university research activity across the eight growth‑driving sectors: Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Creative Industries, Defence, Digital and Technologies, Financial Services, Life Sciences, and Professional and Business Services.
The project aims to provide a clearer picture of the UK university research landscape, including activity patterns, collaboration, distribution, and regional alignment. The evidence base is intended to support policy engagement, inform discussions with universities, government, and funders, and highlight where research strengths align with future economic and industrial opportunities.
The partnership marks the beginning of a longer‑term relationship between Universities UK (UUK) and Elsevier, with potential for further sector‑focused work as new policy and evidence needs arise. Findings from the IS‑8 project will be announced at a later stage.
Vivienne Stern MBE, Chief Executive of Universities UK, stated that university research plays a vital role in enabling the UK to thrive economically, socially, and technologically. She noted that the collaboration with Elsevier would provide a robust evidence base demonstrating how university research contributes to the Industrial Strategy sectors and supports national priorities. Stern emphasized that combining Elsevier’s analytical insights with UUK’s policy expertise would deliver fresh evidence on the scale, focus, and impact of university research, including collaboration with business and other partners.
Professor Sarah Main, Vice President for Academic and Government Relations, UK, at Elsevier, explained that the Government’s Industrial Strategy is designed to drive growth and can be supported by UK research and innovation across priority sectors. She highlighted that universities are central to the research ecosystem and that strong evidence is essential to understanding how their strengths connect with government priorities. Main added that Elsevier’s partnership with UUK would bring research data and sector‑level insight to build a clearer picture of university research activity across the IS‑8 sectors, providing a practical foundation for policy discussions and future collaboration.
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