The University of Liverpool has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Oxford, Oxfordshire County Council and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA), committing Liverpool and Oxford to work together to tackle global challenges through research, innovation and partnership.
The Liverpool-Oxford partnership aims to connect and activate the Oxfordshire and Liverpool City Region innovation ecosystem, providing a coherent UK pathway from research and company creation through to scale-up, industrialisation and global market growth, supporting the national industrial strategy to drive forward economic growth and productivity for the UK.
The MoU was signed at a special Liverpool-Oxford partnership event by Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Liverpool, Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram and Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council.
Held at the University of Oxford’s Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, the event celebrated Liverpool and Oxford’s established record of engagement and collaboration across key areas of research and innovation, including physical sciences and health and life sciences.
Speaking at the event, University leaders were excited by the national opportunity to deepen the Liverpool-Oxford partnership through tackling global challenges related to climate change and health by strengthening collaboration in chemistry and materials science research and exploring priority areas within life sciences, including vaccines development, infection prevention and control, neurosciences and women’s health.
The partners will explore new areas of collaboration underpinned by complementary strengths and place-based assets, including research and innovation projects to drive forward impact across the heritage, creative industry and social science sectors. The partnership aims to advance entrepreneurship and knowledge exchange through shared events, programmes, and the co-development of student- and academic-led venture creation activities.
The partnership also seeks to deepen collaboration in innovation-led growth by connecting Oxfordshire and the Liverpool City Region as complementary ecosystems. The Liverpool-Oxford partnership will support firms, talent, intellectual property, and investment to be retained and grown domestically, while attracting additional domestic and international investment aligned to complementary sector strengths. This supports delivery of the UK Industrial Strategy and national growth mission, while formalising academic and research partnerships between the two universities.
During the visit, the delegation also visited Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. Building on Liverpool’s long‑established and highly successful collaboration with STFC’s Daresbury Campus, the visit explored how these partnerships can naturally extend to Harwell’s world‑class facilities, clusters and research infrastructure. The delegation also toured Diamond Light Source to see the cutting‑edge national capabilities that could further support Liverpool’s growth ambitions.
Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Liverpool, said: “Anchored around two world leading universities, the signing of this Liverpool-Oxford MoU reflects our commitment at the University of Liverpool to tackle global challenges through research, innovation and partnerships in key areas such as materials discovery, infection resilience and therapeutics innovation. This strategic partnership also recognises a shared national opportunity and challenge: to ensure that high-growth UK businesses, intellectual property, talent and investment are retained, scaled and industrialised within the UK.”
Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, said: “This partnership signals a new era for yet deeper collaboration between our two vibrant cities. By connecting the outstanding research, innovation and talent in our regions, we can support companies tackling the greatest challenges of our time to start, stay and scale-up in the UK. This will unlock opportunities for current and future generations and contribute to sustainable economic growth that delivers shared prosperity for all. I personally look forward to the journey ahead and the outcomes that this collaboration will achieve for our communities in Oxford, Liverpool and beyond.”
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “For generations, the Liverpool City Region has been an engine of change – from powering the first industrial revolution to shaping breakthroughs in modern science. That spirit of innovation hasn’t gone anyway. It’s alive and well here and it’s centra to my vision to build the stronger, fairer economy our people and businesses deserve.”
“I’ve set a clear ambition for the Liverpool City Region to invest 5% of our GVA into research and development by 2030 because I want the next big breakthrough, the next world-leading business, the next life-changing discovery to create jobs and opportunity right here at home.
“This partnership with Oxford is the next step on that journey. By linking two places with world-class brands, we can back British innovation, attract investment, and make sure that great ideas don’t drift overseas but are developed, scaled and rooted here in the UK.”
“This is a nationally significant collaboration that will deliver benefits far beyond Liverpool or Oxford – showing what’s possible when regions come together to drive growth and innovation, strengthen our economy, and position the UK at the forefront of the industries of the future.”
Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Oxfordshire and the Liverpool City Region both have remarkable strengths, but also shared challenges. This exciting and ambitious agreement reflects our shared commitment to strengthening the UK’s innovation economy by working in genuine partnership, learning from one another, combining our assets, and ensuring that innovation delivers real benefits for our communities. By working together at scale and at pace, we can create clearer pathways for businesses to grow, scale and succeed here in the UK – enabling good growth, creating high quality employment, and securing a more prosperous future for residents across both regions.”
Sebastian Johnson, Director of Ecosystems at the Harwell Joint Venture and ARC Group, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Steve and the wider Liverpool delegation to Harwell on the day the new Oxford–Liverpool MoU was signed. With such strong collaboration already in place between Liverpool and STFC’s Daresbury Campus, extending that partnership across Harwell’s clusters and facilities creates a powerful opportunity to accelerate innovation, deepen industry engagement and drive impact for both regions.”
Paul Vernon, Executive Director of Business and Innovation at STFC, said: “This partnership demonstrates how the UK’s research and innovation strengths can unite to tackle the world’s most urgent challenges. At STFC, across our national facilities, including at Harwell and Daresbury Laboratory in the Liverpool City Region, we are proud to support collaborations that translate world-class science into real-world impact for our society and economy. By bringing together the talent and capabilities of Liverpool and Oxfordshire, this partnership will accelerate discovery, support industry and bring new technologies to market, strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in science and innovation.”
Photos credit: Cyrus Mower