It’s fair to say it’s been a tricky last few weeks for England’s favourite Higher Education Regulator. Criticism has been coming thick and fast on everything from Free Speech to data returns, policy and process. And much of that criticism stems from the unanswerable question of what is the OfS actually for?

Against a backdrop of constrained public funding, fierce competition for students and a crowded sector, UK universities must reimagine how they support research - not only to advance academic excellence, but to increase institutional income. REF, KEF, and innovation funding streams offer significant opportunities, but only if support structures are aligned with income potential. Optimising research support is no longer a back-office function; it is a strategic imperative.

Measuring civic engagement in higher education is inherently complex due to the diverse and varied nature of civic partnerships.

Viewing people strategies through the lens of civic engagement offers opportunities for universities to deepen their civic mission.

Relatively recently in the sector, there has been an increased focus on social responsibility and civic engagement, generating more debate around the focus and the definition of these terms. There are now fifty-nine universities committed to creating a Civic University Agreement. This article introduces some factors driving civic engagement in the sector, and discusses some of the challenges related to scoping where civic engagement should apply.