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Camden and UCL agree to closer engagement to drive innovation and social change in London
4 December 2019
UCL and the London Borough of Camden have signed a statement of intent to extend their collaboration in areas such as climate change, sustainability and social change.
The new agreement will lead to a step-change in collaborative engagement between the university and the local authority. It will see UCL work with Camden to tackle modern urban challenges in innovative ways, potentially benefiting hundreds of thousands of people living in the borough and beyond.
Welcoming the partnership, Professor Alan Thompson, UCL’s Pro-Vice-Provost (London), said “The combination of a radical local authority and a radical university is perhaps unique in the UK. It represents an unparalleled opportunity to create a powerful and productive partnership that not only satisfies the pioneering nature of both UCL and the London Borough of Camden, but also provides a model for engagement for London and more broadly.”
Jon Rowney, Executive Director Corporate Services at the London Borough of Camden, said “Camden is proud of its inclusive and innovative spirit that has seen our communities come together to deal with the big challenges we face. A natural next step is for us to explore ways of working more closely together to harness the talent, passion and commitment of our two organisations.”
Strong foundations for further collaboration
With a diverse population of 250,000, Camden is one of the most vibrant boroughs in the UK. As a world-leading, multidisciplinary university, UCL is home to over 41,000 students and over 12,500 staff. UCL is focused on addressing the great challenges of our time and bringing benefits in health, culture, policy, business and beyond.
UCL and the London Borough of Camden already work closely in a variety of ways, both academically and operationally. Outstanding academic engagement is demonstrated by projects such as the Camden Clean Air Partnership, a citizen science initiative by Camden Council to co-create the borough’s new air quality policy. The partnership was chaired by Professor Muki Haklay, Co-Director of UCL Extreme Citizen Science, using UCL research and evidence.
The benefits of close operational collaboration are being realised by award-winning new Transforming UCL projects such as the new Student Centre, the Wilkins Terrace and the Bartlett School of the Built Environment, all of which were enabled by extensive engagement between Camden’s planning team and UCL Estates.
Camden and UCL are also working closely to bring a new world-class neurology centre to Gray’s Inn Road. Gaining planning permission earlier this year, this new build will serve as a hub for the UK Dementia Research Institute and a new home for the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology.
The new agreement will support UCL 2034’s commitment to using UCL’s transformative research and innovation and international connectivity to make London a better place to live and work in for all, and promoting and contributing to social equity and environmental sustainability. This commitment is overseen by Professor Alan Thompson, UCL’s Pro-Vice-Provost (London).
Towards a strategic partnership
As part of the agreement, Professor Alan Thompson and UCL Innovation & Enterprise, particularly Dr Michael Reynier and his team, will work closely with the London Borough of Camden to identify potential new areas for engagement, while supporting existing collaborations.
The first two pilots, as a result of the agreement, will explore research and innovation related to the themes of climate change and fairer funding, including more equitable systems for funding local government services and societal outcomes. UCL’s community has already begun to play an important part in answering Camden’s climate emergency, with Mark Maslin, Professor of Climatology, speaking as the lead presenter for Camden’s Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change.
Dr Celia Caulcott, UCL’s Vice-Provost (Enterprise), said, “We’re proud of our existing collaborations with Camden and this statement of intent represents a unique opportunity to expand these interactions across a wider range of areas, as we work towards a long-term strategic partnership. The UCL community is looking for more and more ways to take their research and teaching out into the wider world for the benefit of society, and I know many of our staff and students will be eager to engage with Camden through this agreement.”
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