Manchesterism isn't a slogan. It's a way of working
4 min read
When I first arrived in Manchester, Andy Burnham said to me: “Duncan, it's great that you're here, and we love the University, but two-thirds of our young people don't go to university, so how are you going to help them?"
Many people are asking what ‘Manchesterism’ means and if it has any relevance for the rest of the country. Part of the answer lies in the question Andy asked me. He wasn't saying, "you're not doing a good job", but rather, "help me help those who aren’t coming through your doors".
The premise of his question offers a deep insight into what I think Manchesterism ultimately means: it’s a way of working that is deeply collaborative, combined with a long-term political vision, policy stability, and shrewd investments in the city-region’s unique strengths and assets.
It’s an approach developed in Manchester over many years, across generations of leaders, in both the public and private sectors. The core insight is this: starting with the politics of place offers one of the most powerful ways of getting things done collectively, which in turn helps address the growing cynicism and sense of despair about politics.
At a time when people’s living standards are stagnant or going backwards, we need to focus on delivering the basics well: better housing, transport, public safety, education and training. People want to feel heard, respected and engaged. Successful city-regions operate at a scale where delivering the basics effectively is more likely to happen – but only if given the tools, freedom and opportunity to do so.
The default in Manchester has been to collaborate with anyone who shares our desire to improve the quality of life in our city. Whether in relation to health, education, skills, economic growth, or culture, Manchesterism is a mindset of shared responsibility – where universities, colleges, hospitals, businesses, schools, councils and the combined authority see each other's challenges as part of their own, and work together to address them.
The results speak for themselves. Greater Manchester, over the last decade, has been the fastest growing economy in the UK, and has attracted more foreign direct investment than any region outside London.
That is no accident. Private investment craves stable and visionary political leadership and a public sector willing to turn ambition into delivery. That confidence creates jobs, prosperity and a city where, now, almost two thirds of our university graduates choose to stay after graduation and build their lives here.
Of course, things are far from perfect. Manchester still lags behind comparable cities in Europe when it comes to improved productivity and investment. And there is still too much entrenched social and economic disadvantage in our community that we need to tackle. However, it does show what can be achieved through new forms of collaboration.
But Manchesterism only works if institutions are prepared to change how they behave. In his first major speech after winning the Makerfield by-election, Burnham argued that universities should sit at the heart of local economies, alongside innovators, employers and local government. He is right. But that requires universities to reimagine their role in the politics of place.
This doesn’t mean being less ambitious. The UK’s best universities are amongst the very best in the world, and we should continue to aspire to that standard. But a great university should also be judged by the local ecosystems it helps build and sustain, and the contribution it makes to improving the wellbeing of the communities it serves.
This way of working is a necessary condition of what Manchesterism means, but not a sufficient one. Getting growth going in every postcode will require not only devolving power and building up the institutional and collaborative capabilities of our regions, but structural reforms to finance, policy-making, and public-private investment, well beyond what any single region can accomplish on their own. This is what will transform the politics of place into a truly national vision.
Duncan Ivison is President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester
