Creating Prosperity: the role of higher education in ... - Universities UK

Creating Prosperity: the role of higher educationin driving the UK’s creative economy58Recommendations5.22 The creative industries are a clear success story for the UK economy, and have continued to groweven in the difficult financial climate. They are vital to the future economic success of the UK, andwere recognised by the chancellor as, ‘a key part of the new economy we are seeking to build’ 11 .5.23 The progress of higher education in supporting the UK’s creative economy is both clear andmarked. Yet there is still more that universities could do. New approaches to knowledge exchange,lifelong learning and industry partnerships will be required within a more fluid and dynamicrelationship between higher education and the wider economy.5.24 We cannot build on the strengths of the UK’s creative sector without investment in highereducation, and this means government, universities and the creative industries working togetherto address current barriers and invest in the areas of greatest opportunity.5.25 This is particularly challenging in light of the exclusive emphasis of the Browne Review and theCSR on STEM subjects, an emphasis that constitutes a narrow view of the UK’s economic futureand significantly diminishes the role of creativity in economic growth. It is essential that a broaderview is developed and supported.Addressing the barriers to successful engagementRecommendation 1: Governments in the UK and the devolved nations should recognise the criticalimportance of the creative industries to future competitiveness and the key role of higher educationin supporting their growth. This means according the creative industries policy emphasis in linewith their economic importance, and investing to ensure that the UK maintains its strong globalposition in these industries. This investment should be prioritised through a clearly articulatedand aligned strategy.Recommendation 2: In the forthcoming higher education white paper (due to be published in spring2011), the Government should resist the narrow view that STEM subjects represent the exclusiveroute to economic success, and should instead recognise the fact that STEM and creativity areinextricably linked – successful knowledge economies need strength in both. In practice, thismeans that the disciplines which support the creative economy should be identified as prioritysubjects and attract public investment for teaching in a post-Browne environment. This isparticularly urgent in England and Wales, but is equally relevant in the other devolved nations.Recommendation 3: Key industry bodies should ensure that the creative industries are includedin their engagement with government in the UK and the devolved nations.Recommendation 4: Government and the research councils should ensure adequate fundingfor research in disciplines relevant to the creative industries. This should include social scienceresearch into the nature of the creative economy. Research assessment mechanisms should alsoensure that the outputs and impacts of creative industries-related research are fully recognisedand rewarded. Indeed, the REF expert panels, reporting to HEFCE on the outcomes of the impactpilot exercise, have recommended that a broader definition of impact be adopted and that theinitial list of impacts need to be developed further, especially for the arts and humanities.Recommendation 5: Universities should work to address the structural barriers tomultidisciplinary working. There is no single solution to these issues and different institutionswill need to find the approach that works best for their circumstances.5.0 Conclusions and recommendations