The University of Hertfordshire is part of a new campaign highlighting the important role universities will play in the UK’s recovery from COVID-19.

Launched by the University Alliance Group, Powering the UK’s Future will aim to find solutions to the economic and social challenges faced by the country in the wake of coronavirus while powering a national, economic, social and cultural resurgence.

Explaining more about the campaign, Alliance Group chair, professor Debra Humphris said: “Alliance universities are deeply rooted in their surrounding regions, with a heritage stretching back hundreds of years and a mission to support local people and communities that continues today.

“Alliance universities are helping to build the economy and workforce of the future with their leading research and close links with business, and are powering the public services we all rely on.

“This campaign highlights just some of the ways in which Alliance universities can draw on their practical strengths to support the national economic, social and cultural recovery effort in the months and years ahead.

“As the country looks to build back from this crisis, Alliance universities stand ready to support our communities and national renewal, and have the local connections, the expertise, the partnerships and the public support needed to power the country’s future.”

Continued support for the NHS will be a key focus for the campaign, with Alliance group universities training almost a quarter of the nation’s nurses, while the University of Hertfordshire’s Robot House – a unique research facility for human-robot interaction – is helping to power the future of the health service.

Herts Uni has also played a key role in the community, with their Hertfordshire Growth Hub supporting over 5,500 businesses and their support to reinvigorating an under-used building provided a home for the St Albans Museum and Gallery.

The Powering the UK’s Future campaign has been backed by major employers and industry partners, including the International Chamber of Commerce, along with support from numerous local businesses and organisations who work with Alliance universities to deliver change for their communities.