With the rise of the global knowledge economy the role of universities in ensuring that the UK has the right skills to compete at the right level is increasingly important and Keele is working hard to maximize the benefits of the project to local business and local people through the increased employment, training, graduate retention and the support of entrepreneurs who wish to set up their own companies.
Economic Development
Recent estimates indicate that the University’s annual activities generate over £189.86 Million of output in the UK, with around £129.75 Million of this in the region and the rest in the remainder of the UK.
The North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership and Advantage West Midlands have approved funding of £9.5 million to provide the infrastructure for the new development site and this is expected to deliver a further 1250 jobs in addition to the 700 people already working at the Science Park and the 1700 employed by the University.
The new development site will attract another 40 companies that will help to diversify and modernize the sub regional economy and add to the growing medical technology cluster already on site. Other developments such as the planned residential conference centre will allow the university to build on an existing successful conference business to bring new visitors to the area, to create new jobs and to provide a wider range of facilities available to Science Park companies and the University.