The University’s teaching and learning, research and knowledge transfer make major contributions to sustainable development in industry, innovation and infrastructure locally, nationally and globally.

The University’s outstanding record of graduate employability underpins the Gold award it holds under the UK Government’s Teaching Excellent Framework and was a key aspect to the submission which led to its success in the inaugural HEA/AdvanceHE Global Teaching Excellence Award (2017). The University has been consistently the major provider of higher level skilled graduate employees to the Leeds City Region economy, the largest city region economy outside London. And graduate skills are contributing globally as Huddersfield students impact on economies in more than 130 countries world-wide.

Research groups, centres and Institutes across the University are delivering research and knowledge transfer activity which enables sustainable growth. For example, all the individual and group research activity in the Huddersfield Business School is being mapped against the Sustainable Development Goals.

Research contract income stood at £13.7m in 2018/19 and grew to £16.7m in 2019/20, ahead of target. The University’s goal is for income to reach £30m in 2024/25.