Economic challenges that universities face debated

Tackling the challenges that cities and universities face in the current economic climate was the hot topic of debate at a recent successful event.

Edge Hill University's Centre for Local Policies Studies (CLPS) organised a special knowledge exchange research seminar at the Foresight Centre in Liverpool to discuss ways to adapt to the financial challenges ahead.

A number of universities both regional and further afield debated the challenges ahead and positive ways forward to weather the storm.

Key note speaker on the day was Alexandra Jones, an Associate Director at The Work Foundation. She runs the Ideopolis programme of research, which investigates how cities can be economically successful and sustainable in the knowledge economy. At the event she discussed her findings and observations and linked them to the current financial situation that Edge Hill and the region as a whole faces.

Other high profile speakers at the event were Professor Allan Cochrane from the Open University, who has been involved in an ESRC Project on the role of the universities in the regeneration of their geographical region; and Stuart Speeden, Director of Edge Hill's CLPS, who is leading the University's work on knowledge transfer.

Stuart said: "We are all aware of the context which universities are facing over the next few years. The impact of the collapse of the banking and finance sector and the response of the government and global institutions has direct implications for the future of education and indeed the economy as a whole. Our seminar provided an interesting opportunity to discuss how we might respond to the real challenges facing the sector and those who attended the event felt that the day provided some possible solutions on ways to weather the financial crisis."