In an article for Research Professional News this week, Professor Stuart Croft has argued that the government's new Industrial Strategy should boost support for commercialisation and local and global partnerships, harnessing the strengths of research-intensive universities to help overcome barriers to growth and productivity.

Following the publication of the Russell Group's new report giving detailed recommendations for a successful Industrial Strategy, he wrote:

"In October, the government’s Industrial Strategy green paper gave welcome recognition to the role of the UK’s universities as drivers of innovation. It showed that the UK is well positioned to secure a global competitive advantage in sectors including life sciences, advanced manufacturing and digital technologies, using its world-leading research-intensive universities as a powerful asset.

"We are still waiting to hear which levers the government will pull and how it will involve universities in these plans. Last week, the Russell Group Industrial Strategy Expert Panel of university and business leaders, which I chair, offered its own recommendations to ministers. Our report, Future Ready: the Path to Growth, sets out where action by government, combined with commitments from universities, could support and enhance UK industrial strength.

The government faces stubborn and wide-ranging challenges: from barriers preventing fledgling companies from scaling up, to underinvestment in infrastructure holding back housing, transport and digital capacity.

Effective partnership between government, business, the public sector and universities can help to clear these barriers. An ambitious industrial strategy should maximise this opportunity to drive change with speed and at scale".

Visit Research Professional News to read the full article.