Making Devolution Deliver: Three tests for skills, opportunity and economic growth
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Publication
21 Oct 2026
Making Devolution Deliver
As powers over skills and economic development are increasingly devolved across England and Scotland, universities should have a formal, systematic role in regional growth, skills and innovation planning to ensure devolved investment delivers inclusive economic growth and helps tackle longstanding regional inequalities.
Success should then be judged not by the number of new plans or governance structures created, but by whether devolution delivers better opportunities for people and stronger local economies.
In this new briefing, MillionPlus sets out three simple tests for policymakers:
- Access – can local people access higher-level skills flexibly and close to home?
- Connect – do locally acquired skills lead to local employment opportunities?
- Retain – do places benefit from the talent they help to develop?
The briefing highlights the crucial role that modern universities play as anchor institutions within local skills ecosystems, widening participation, supporting key public services and driving regional growth.
By focusing on whether people can gain skills, access good local jobs and build careers in the communities they call home, the paper provides a practical framework for assessing whether devolution is delivering on its promise of opportunity and growth for every region and community across the UK.
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