Held at The Catalyst and hosted by Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Engagement and Place, Professor Jane Robinson, the event enabled Mr Pocklington to gain a range of useful perspectives on levelling up the region to inform the future direction of government levelling up policy.
The discussion focussed on what regional organisations are currently doing – both individually and as a collective - to support levelling up in the North East. The Permanent Secretary was keen to hear about the main challenges in relation to levelling up, and what central government can do to support businesses and organisations in the region.
Boosting regional economic growth
Business leaders joined representatives from the NHS, CBI, the North East Chamber of Commerce and the cultural sector to explore what more can be done to boost regional economic growth in the North East.
The University was represented by Professor Jeremy Phillipson, Director of the University’s National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise, who spoke about the unique challenges and opportunities that exist within the region’s rural communities, and Professor Paul Watson, Director of the National Innovation Centre for Data who emphasised the importance of data skills within the region’s workforce and the value of data to inform the government’s decision-making.
Hosting government events like the DLUHC roundtable positions Newcastle University as a thought-leader and key contributor to both regional and national policy-making.
Professor Jane Robinson Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Engagement and Place