Civic engagement
Civic engagement is a core part of our vision and strategic plan. It reflects how our work is enhanced and inspired by our location in Greater Manchester and the way we improve lives across our city and region.
Civic University Agreement
We’ve a Civic University Agreement plan to advance wellbeing and prosperity in Greater Manchester.
Our commitment to civic engagement can be seen in our research that involves our population and informs local policies, our engagement through staff and student experience activities, the social impact of our cultural institutions, our role as an economic anchor and our alignment to the Greater Manchester strategy and ambitions.
As Britain's first civic university, we were founded by, and for, the people of Manchester. For us, contributing to the wellbeing and prosperity of Greater Manchester is a fundamental part of our purpose.
Our core goals of research and discovery, teaching and learning and social responsibility are enhanced, and inspired, by our city region and its pioneering spirit. We actively engage under-represented communities and places, involve a wide range of people in our work and listen to public concerns and aspirations across our region.
Universities are judged by the quality of their work with the public and their local communities. We hold a Platinum Watermark for this work with the NCCPE, are ranked at the top end of our cluster for public and community engagement in England’s Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) and are the world’s top institution for social and environmental impact (Times Higher Education), measured against the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
We're playing a key role in levelling up opportunities across Greater Manchester through our work on productivity, widening participation, education, work and employment and inequalities, as well as being a major employer and provider of free legal, dental and voluntary services.
We play a key role in cultural engagement and the creative industries through our University museum, gallery, library, science centre, race centre and Creative Manchester activities.
We're shaping Manchester’s zero carbon future through our research, teaching, engagement and operations.
We're at the forefront of discovering, developing and deploying new solutions to improve the health and wellbeing of Greater Manchester’s 2.8 million citizens through Health Innovation Manchester, our training of health professionals, our engagement and involvement of the public and patients and wider research.
We're connecting, inspiring and involving the public with our work.
Our contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Find out about our pioneering work which is directly supporting the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
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Our vision and strategic plan
Our vision builds on a rich heritage of discovery, social change and pioneering spirit that is at the heart of our University and city region.
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