New report reveals UWE Bristol contributes over half a billion pounds to the West of England economy

The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) contributed an estimated £547 million to the local economy and supported nearly 9,000 jobs in the West of England in the academic year 2023/24.

According to the newly released economic impact report by Oxford Economics, UWE Bristol - the largest university in the South West - also had a significant impact on the national economy, creating an ecosystem that contributed over £1 billion in the academic year 2023/24, while sustaining over 15,000 jobs across the UK and generating £242 million in tax revenues.

As well as quantifying the university’s economic footprint, the report also analysed its contribution to innovation, research & development – and, critically, its societal impact.

The university attracts students from areas with socio-economic challenges, helping to tackle a key driver of economic inequality. In 2023/24, 29% of students came from the top 30% most-deprived areas of England and 3% come from among the top 10% most-deprived*.

Many of UWE Bristol’s graduates go on to work in socially impactful roles helping to address staff shortages in the sector. Over a quarter of the graduates who found employment in the UK in 2023 took on roles such as paramedics, care workers, social workers and nurses.

The second-largest cohort of UWE Bristol graduates in that year went on to work in the professional, scientific and technical services sector – an increasingly important part of the West of England economy and one of the fastest-growing sectors nationally.

These graduate’s skills are supported by the university’s internationally recognised research, with 76% of research output classified as ‘World Leading’ or ‘Internationally Excellent’ according to the Research Excellence Framework. It is estimated that UWE Bristol’s research & development in the academic year 2023/24 will generate a productivity benefit equivalent to £5.2 million across the UK by 2040. 

The skills graduates acquire at university enable them to create new business ventures, often in sectors with high productivity and higher levels of innovation. This is supported by UWE Bristol’s University Enterprise Zone (UEZ), which provides innovative tech start-ups and businesses with high quality space and facilities.

Facilities at the UEZ include the innovation centre, Future Space, which offers high-spec labs, private offices, and technical workshops. According to its Annual Impact Report 2024–25, since 2016, Future Space has supported 148 companies, generating over £35 million in GVA (Gross Value Added) and facilitating over 600 new jobs.

Since 2018, UWE Bristol has also contributed to over 400 new jobs through its Scale up 4 Growth (S4G) partnership with NatWest. S4G is a grant funding programme offering £400,000 of grant funding, as well as practical support, to help small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) in the region to grow.

Professor Sir Steve West, Vice-Chancellor, President and CEO, UWE Bristol said: “The research by Oxford Economics has shown not only the sizable contribution UWE Bristol’s staff and students make to the local and national economy, but also the breadth of our societal impact too. We’re really proud to be based within the West of England and the report cements UWE Bristol’s position as an important anchor institution, contributing broad economic, social, and civic impact – a role we take seriously.

“At the heart of this is our students, who bring vital skills to the region for local employers, particularly those in health and social care. Our enterprise ethos, embedded across programmes and our campuses, is supporting regional productivity by nurturing start-ups and spin-outs at Future Space, alongside world class research collaborations.”

* Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), English Indices of Deprivation, 2019.