Coventry's universities unite with council to benefit city

Coventry's two universities and the city council are joining forces to significantly enhance how they work and plan together to achieve the best possible future for our city and its communities.

Professor John Latham and Professor Stuart Croft – the vice-chancellors of Coventry University and the University of Warwick – met with council leader Ann Lucas last week to discuss ways the organisations can collaborate further for the benefit of the city.

Both universities already bring considerable revenue to the city, support a vast array of local businesses, provide significant sporting and cultural facilities, and draw a great many medical, teaching and other professionals to Coventry.

The universities' community engagement activities have also seen a raft of initiatives in the city, spearheaded by successful volunteering programmes which regularly see thousands of students from each institution support local charities and community groups.

Ongoing developments in the city by both universities are set to see a combined investment of over £1 billion during the next five years on a range of academic, commercial and accommodation buildings.

Warwick's and Coventry's recent successes have put the city firmly on the global map for higher education, with the Times and Sunday Times 'University of the Year' and 'Modern University of the Year' accolades won by two institutions in the same city for the first time in their history.

Professor John Latham said:

It's a source of great pride for both universities that Coventry is our home and that we're both so involved with driving positive developments in the city. Alongside these developments – which include our recently-completed Gosford Street public realm improvement scheme – initiatives like volunteering programmes and community-focused research projects are just some of the other ways Coventry and Warwick are contributing to the local area. At Coventry we're very excited to continue these efforts in close collaboration with our neighbours at the University of Warwick and the city council.

Professor Stuart Croft said:

Coventry City Council, Coventry University and the University of Warwick are three of the biggest employers in Coventry and they also have an enormous impact on the city's economy. The two universities alone bring in significant revenue, and many skilled professionals such as doctors, nurses and teachers to Coventry. We also carry out research and training that significantly benefits companies and organisations both large and small connected with our city.

I am proud of what we at Warwick have contributed to the city, but we can achieve even more for our city if the council and both universities come together to see how we can enhance our collaboration. By working together closer than ever, and sustaining that common purpose over the years to come, we can make better use of new opportunities and initiatives, such as the Midlands Engine and the City of Culture, while also take the time to plan and consider how we can co-ordinate our actions to best meet the needs of our city and its region over the long term.

Councillor Ann Lucas said:

Coventry is lucky to have two world-class universities committed to working with us to deliver further growth and prosperity that everyone in the city will benefit from.

Both the University of Warwick and Coventry University contribute so much already in terms of the economic impact they have here, the positive message they tell about Coventry across the world and the work they do in our communities.

We are all focused on delivering the best for the city and the region and I'm looking forward to them playing an increasingly important role in Coventry's future.