Engagement and impact

Our Birmingham 2030 engagement and impact goals are to:

Deliver societal benefit in partnership with communities, industry, and government.
Shape future industries and support inclusive economic growth.
Drive policy change to improve practice, quality of life and wellbeing.

To deliver these goals, our key priorities are:

Using our expertise, sites, and assets to strengthen industry networks

Using our expertise, sites, and assets to strengthen industry networks to realise reputation, commercial innovation, and economic growth. Using our disciplinary breadth, we will take full advantage of these strengths to grow our global reputation through our enhanced work with strategic partners in high-impact sectors, translating our research into commercial innovations, spin-outs, practical solutions, and community engagement.

Working with government and industrial partners to realise policy change

Working with government and industrial partners to realise policy change and real-world economic, societal, and environmental improvements. Our academic expertise, intellectual property, and convening power will be recognised as an essential ‘one stop shop’ for evidence-based policy recommendations to address regional, national, and global challenges such as climate change, defence and security, and education, health, and social inequalities.

Working with our local and global communities through accessible, participatory activities

Our campuses, cultural sites, assets, and venues will be open places for collaboration, with a focus on active engagement with our partners and the public. We will support staff and students to volunteer in support of causes that matter to them. We will provide our academics with resources, opportunities, and inspiration to help them develop new and exciting ways to engage and empower citizens with their impactful work.

Strengthening and expanding our innovation partnerships

We will deepen our long-standing engagement in sectors such as manufacturing, net-zero technologies, and transportation. Through the Birmingham Health and Life Sciences District, we will accelerate life sciences innovation—bringing new commercial power to the region and translating academic and clinical excellence into real-world healthcare solutions.

Advancing Innovation Districts and creative economies

Building on our role in the Green Innovation Quarter, we will support the development of an AI Innovation District, aligning our strengths in data and AI with the city’s growing tech sector and national priorities, while taking the opportunity to link that to similar developments and priorities in Dubai and the UAE. We will also harness the potential of the creative industries to drive regional growth, attract strategic inward investment, and better utilise our museums and cultural assets.

Rooted in our city region and with a global footprint, outlook, and reach, we champion inclusivity and social mobility, working collaboratively with our communities to realise tangible improvements in quality of life, sustainability, and wellbeing.

With an aim to be amongst the world’s leading institutions, our ambition is clear: to be a trusted partner for change, and a catalyst for innovation and policy transformation. Connected and collaborative, we will seek excellence in the solutions we offer. We will continue to strengthen our global identity through purposeful partnerships with businesses, policymakers, and global institutions that deliver societal benefit — supporting economic growth, fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems, and ensuring our students and researchers are equipped to lead in an evolving world. By maximising innovation and commercialisation through our enterprise hubs and interdisciplinary strengths, and by shaping policy to improve quality of life, wellbeing, and sustainability, we will ensure our engagement delivers lasting, measurable impact.

We will harness our skills, expertise, and unique assets, including our cutting-edge research facilities, international campuses, cultural institutions, and museums to tackle the most pressing global challenges. Our knowledge and associated intellectual property are at the heart of our industrial engagement locally and globally. Equally, our world-class creative assets serve as cultural hubs for preserving heritage and engaging diverse audiences. By integrating these strengths into our research and engagement initiatives, we aim to stimulate innovative solutions and promote a deeper understanding of our shared human experience.