His philosophy of "Manchesterism" – rooted in devolution, place and local empowerment – recognises that those closest to communities are best placed to shape their future.
Now just two weeks into the job as Prime Minister he has already announced several new policies that replicate this approach on a national scale.
On Friday, we welcomed the Prime Minister to the Sheffield Hallam led Meadows Nursery and Early Years Community Research Centre where he announced plans to transfer more power from Westminster to our regions.
We support devolving more decisions and budgets locally, and universities are ready to play our part. Across the country, and right here in South Yorkshire, universities are already doing the work that every government says it wants to see. We train the highly skilled workforce of tomorrow, tackle some of society’s most intractable challenges through our applied research and innovation, support businesses to grow and create opportunities for people from every background. As anchor institutions in our cities and towns, we are deeply embedded in the places we serve and committed to their long-term success.
Uniquely placed
The new government’s sharp focus on stepping up collaboration with regional strategic partners to tackle inequality, deliver growth and make a tangible difference to people’s lives is extremely welcome. It is an opportunity that all anchor institutions are keen to grasp. Universities have much to contribute, but this will rely on a more universal recognition of higher education institutions as one of the key strategic partners in their places. It will also require the right conditions to enable universities to continue to contribute to the government’s place-based agenda meaningfully.
It is right that previous governments have challenged institutions to be more efficient – something all universities have been working hard to achieve. However, this will not be enough to secure the sector’s future. Failing to address the urgent need for a sustainable funding model could see universities hamstrung and unable to maintain their civic commitments at a time when the country needs them most.
Universities and our future cohorts of students urgently need a strengthened student maintenance support system that enables talented people from all backgrounds to access higher education; a genuine conversation on a fairer student finance system and a stable, joined-up approach to international education and immigration.
With the right conditions in place, universities are uniquely placed to help address the interconnected challenges facing our economy.
Skills England has rightly highlighted the need for more place-based approaches that better connect employers with education providers and create a more coherent skills system.
This is precisely where universities like Sheffield Hallam add value. We work with more than 700 employers, delivering apprenticeships and workforce development across sectors including construction, engineering, health, digital, and creative industries. We are also one of the country's largest educators of NHS staff, train around 1,000 teachers every year and supply more graduates into the public sector than any other UK university.
Responding to changing employer demands, we are already exploring the development of more flexible technical and vocational pathways, closer collaboration with colleges, and lifelong learning opportunities that help people adapt throughout their careers.
Following the new Prime Minister's announcement on education policy this week, there is now a national impetus to embrace integrated, place-based education and skills systems. By aligning skills funding with labour market demand, we can create an even more responsive and coordinated system in our regions.
South Yorkshire's Mayor, Oliver Coppard, has already made significant progress on employment, infrastructure, transport and health all delivered through regional partnerships with anchor institutions.
Early indications are that the new Burnham Government will provide more powers, funding and flexibility to convene these partnerships – further aligning skills, employment and health policy.
Universities create public value that extends well beyond the individual student, strengthening public services, supporting business innovation, developing the workforce and anchoring regional economies. The new Government has an opportunity to empower universities to do even more to build a higher wage, higher-skilled economy that creates opportunity and drives economic growth in South Yorkshire and every other region of the country.
