(4 Jun 2026) Universities UK (UUK) and Elsevier have announced a partnership aimed at strengthening the evidence base around how UK university research supports the UK Government’s eight priority sectors under its Modern Industrial Strategy.
The collaboration will combine UUK’s policy expertise and knowledge of the higher education sector with Elsevier’s research analytics capabilities to produce analysis of research activity across the eight growth-focused sectors identified by government: advanced manufacturing, clean energy industries, creative industries, defence, digital and technologies, financial services, life sciences, and professional and business services.
According to the organisations, the project will examine patterns of research activity, collaboration, regional distribution and sector alignment across the UK university landscape. The resulting analysis is intended to support policy discussions, engagement with universities, government and funders, and provide greater visibility into how research strengths align with future industrial and economic priorities.
The partners describe the initiative as the first stage of a longer-term relationship, with potential for future sector-focused projects as policy priorities and evidence needs evolve.
The announcement in full is here.
