Our Work
Our work is founded on many years of successful collaboration between the five universities. Aligned to our vision and strategic priorities our work is takes a place-based lens and is focussed in three key areas that build on our collective strengths and enhance our existing commitments.
UNEE is well-placed to inform and support the government’s priorities for Skills England – ensuring the UK workforce is equipped to meet future needs in high-growth sectors. Working with further education providers, local authorities and industry, we are responding to specific skills demands in the North East’s, especially the rapidly growing clean energy, digital and life sciences sectors. Through our work we ensure that the North East region harnesses the knowledge, skills and potential of the region’s graduates.
We are also committed to transform access to higher education across the North East, ensuring opportunity is not limited by background or circumstance. Our vision builds on a number of longstanding collaborative initiatives to provide opportunity for all to access and participate in higher education and acquire the skills they need to succeed. Working with schools, colleges and industry we will develop new collaborative approaches to improve lifelong education, skills and career support and ensuring there are clear and joined up pathways to establish a talent pipeline that provides opportunity and supports the region’s industries.
Examples of our work North East Raising Aspirations Partnership (NERAP) supports young people with the potential to progress to university, regardless of their background. In January 2023, NERAP became the first regional Higher Education partnership to collaboratively sign up to the Care Leaver Covenant, ensuring that all care-experienced students in the region get the same access to support throughout their HE journey.
Choices Together is an intensive programme for care-experienced students in years 7–13, providing high-quality, wrap-around support throughout all stages of their secondary education.
Pro:NE is a sector-leading initiative to strengthen pathways into academic employment for racially minoritised ethnic students, focusing on access, development, mental health and mentoring. This project has received more than £2.5 million in funding, including nearly £800,000 from the Office for Students.
In collaboration with Northumberland County Council, the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (OREC) and energy businesses, Durham and Newcastle Universities are supporting the development of energy sector expertise up to PhD level through a new Energy Central Institute in Blyth, south Northumberland. This major initiative, backed by £5.5 million from the North East Combined Authority, will provide training in higher-level skills and facilities for innovation aimed at securing the region’s position at the forefront of energy sector growth. Completion is expected in 2027.
UNEE helps ensure the North East remains a vibrant, competitive, and attractive place for investment by providing businesses with access to talent, research expertise and innovation support. Working with partners, we aim to encourage development and delivery of broader initiatives which will lead to the step change in the regional innovation ecosystem we aspire to. Providing a platform for collaboration in research, innovation and knowledge exchange. As part of this approach we will present the North East as a testbed for good ideas, piloting new methodologies of increasing collaboration between businesses and universities, improving innovation in products, and services.
As vital contributors to the region’s R&D ecosystem, driving productivity and competitiveness UNEE is actively supporting further development of UKRI’s place agenda, including the roll out of new place-specific funding schemes.
Examples of our current work Northern Accelerator is an award-winning collaboration between the five UNEE institutions and the University of York. The programme supports academics and business leaders to develop high-potential spin-outs from their world-leading academic research, fueling high-quality job creation and attracting significant investment to the region. To date, Northern Accelerator
has supported the creation of more than 50 businesses, many of which are based in regional innovation hubs like Newcastle Helix and Durham’s NETPark. It has also provided£4.7 million in early-stage funding for 122 pre-incorporation projects, and placed 50 executives into spin-outs. The initiative was awarded Place-Based Knowledge Exchange (KE) Initiative of the Year at the PraxisAuril Knowledge Exchange Awards 2024.
The Arrow project helps regional businesses – primarily SMEs – overcome hurdles to innovation by connecting them with university expertise and facilities. Over the past five years, it has supported more than 200 North East-based businesses, providing tailored solutions to a diverse range of challenges. These businesses have been predicted to grow their collective turnover to £17 million, unlock £2.6 million in investment and develop 53 new products or services, creating 143 new jobs along the way.
Strategic Commercialisation Ecosystem North East is an £8.9m programme launched in 2025. Building on the foundations of the Northern Accelerator spin-out programme, the project will grow the North East’s capacity and capability to commercialise impactful university research. The initiative aims to further support the region’s spinout businesses and also link-up collaborative research and development (R&D), licensing and other forms of commercial activity with business partners. Through the funding, the project will engage more businesses, sector bodies, and investors in commercialising university research.
The Northern Net Zero Accelerator (NNZA) is driving innovation in low-carbon energy to decarbonise the North East, Teesside, and Humber region. Backed by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the programme brings together the universities’ expertise in engineering, energy, and environmental science to support a just transition to net zero through research and skills development, driving sustainable growth and resilience across the region.
NortHFutures combines the complementary strengths and resources of more than 50 partners, including the UNEE collaboration and the University of Cumbria. This pioneering healthcare technology (health-tech) research and innovation ecosystem also involves seven NHS Trusts, regional, national and global industry partners, health and care providers, local authorities and innovation accelerators, as well as voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector organisations, advocacy groups and citizens. NortHFutures strives for the design of useable and useful technologies and services, with a focus on mental health, child and adolescent nutrition, digital surgery, and ageing well with multiple long-term conditions.
As anchor institutions and key drivers of innovation and economic growth, we work closely with the inward investment teams and partners across the region. Strengthening relationships with the inward investment agencies, via a more embedded and strategic approach, we will ensure that the critical role of universities is recognised and embedded in inward investment strategies and is a central element of regional messaging to investors. We will also leverage our global networks and soft power to inform the regional internationalisation agenda and build a global alliance and ensure that we harness the knowledge, capabilities and physical assets in our universities to showcase the region on a national and international stage.
Examples of our work include participation in a Mayoral Visit to Eat Coast USA and are currently developing a programme of engagement and activity at UKREIIF.