In this new ‘From ambition to action’ blog series, key South London stakeholders respond to the South London BIG Ambition Growth Statement.

When I joined London South Bank University Group in September this year, it was clear that our Group’s greatest asset is our London home.

Being situated in the heart of the economic engine of the UK gives us the opportunity to ensure our students can maximise the competitive advantage of the skills and employability opportunities on their doorstep. It also means that our high-quality research and enterprise work can support businesses in a way that can have a major impact on productivity and growth.

One of my first tasks as the new Group CEO and Vice Chancellor is to drive the development of our new Strategy, a key theme of which is to bring the outside in – strengthening our work with partners, such as the South London Partnership (SLP), to ensure we can respond with ambition and agility to the rapidly changing external landscape.

With the SLP’s Ambitions Statement including a commitment ‘to become a leading “go-to and stay” place for inclusive, sustainable innovation’, we are well aligned in our aspirations and, together, can make this a reality.

LSBU Group has a long and successful track record in delivering place-based business support, innovation, and skills programmes at scale. We have helped over 1,500 London-based organisations to innovate and grow, creating hundreds of new products and services and generating over 150 new jobs. Over the past seven years, we have secured and managed more than £24 million in funded regeneration programmes and are the only university in London leading on a major UKSPF programme.

With our main campus based in Zone 1 but situated on the South Bank, we proudly look to South London as much as we do to central. Opening LSBU Croydon in 2021, the first University campus in the borough, was a way for us to physically affirm that outlook.

With the strength of our partnership with SLP alongside us, LSBU Croydon has put rocket boosters under our business innovation and partnership work. Over £3.7 million in external funding has been secured through our presence in the borough, enabling support for more than 350 businesses, 250 residents, and over 40 community organisations.

Our relationship with the SLP has been a crucial enabler as we build collaborations with Croydon, Sutton, Merton, Kingston and Richmond councils and other south London universities in developing and leading flagship innovation support initiatives. Our BIG Innovation Support Programme and UKSPF BIG Growth programme have supported over 300 businesses, enabled 140 R&D collaborations, and brought 66 new-to-market products into the sub-region.

Inclusive growth is at the heart of these programmes, reaching disadvantaged communities and supporting underrepresented founders. 38% of businesses supported via our UKSPF projects have been based in the most deprived areas of South London. More broadly, 60% of businesses engaged through our programmes are led by Black, Asian and minority ethnic, female and disabled founders, demonstrating our cut through and reach.

This builds on our work with community organisations such as the Croydon BME forum, through which we have supported initiatives such as our inspiring and impactful Barbershop Blood Pressure Project – which has seen 10 Afro-Caribbean barbershops trained to provide on-site blood pressure checks – and a research project with the Asian Resource Centre to explore ethnic disparities in stroke awareness.

Health is a particular research strength at LSBU Croydon, with the campus housing our REACT Innovation Centre, a collaboration hub with Verizon, Hitachi, Juniper Networks and Croydon University Hospital as partners and investment of over £300,000 from Croydon Council. REACT focuses on smart tech, sustainability, and health innovation, supporting projects such as Mammowave – an EU-funded breast cancer early detection trial in partnership with REACT, Croydon NHS, and the BME Forum, to be delivered in part by LSBU Nursing students.

I am committed to working with SLP to continue this progress, ensuring South London is the leading place for inclusive, sustainable innovation.  That means London South Bank University Group, and like-minded organisations, strengthening our engagement to ensure our education, research and enterprise priorities are intricately linked with the needs of local communities, residents, businesses and partner organisations. Our impact in South London is a point of pride and of service, for our students – past, present and future – and to our wider community. Inclusive, sustainable innovation will improve lives through better, highly skilled jobs, improved public services and a vibrant civic life.

Read the South London BIG Ambition growth strategy

 

Paul Kett Bio

Paul Kett is the Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chancellor of LSBU Group. A specialist in policy, skills, employability and transformation, he was Director General at the Department for Education (DfE) between 2016-2022, where he was responsible for overseeing the post-16 education and training system in England and was principal advisor to the Secretary of State on higher education, further education and adult skills. Paul joined LSBU Group from PwC where he was Senior Adviser and Global Director, Education and Skills, working with a wide range of education and training providers and employers.