Economy boost for region as students return
STUDENTS BOOST the economy by billions of pounds and make a significant contribution to the region, according to the chief finance officer of a Yorkshire university.
As hundreds of thousands of students return to the region’s universities this week and freshers’ events gets underway, the region is gearing up for an economic boom.
According to Yorkshire Universities, the regional voice for education, the region’s institutions boost the economy by making a 3.68bn contribution and play a critical role in generating jobs, creating innovation and driving enterprise.
Stephen Willis, the chief finance officer of the University of Hull, said in the city alone the direct economic impact of student spending in the Humber region is predicted to be £250m.
He said: “As new and returning students arrive on campus in the next couple of weeks, they will be boosting local businesses by buying essential supplies, dining out and exploring the attractions the area has to offer.
“We are proud that by attracting students from across the UK and around the world, we can make a significant contribution to the economy of the region.
“In return, our students receive a warm Hull welcome – it’s such a friendly city and our students really respond to that.”
In an effort to continue to attract students to the city, the University of Hull will host ‘WelcomeFest”, which it claims steer away from the “boozy nights out” culture.
A university spokeswoman said: “The WelcomeFest Give it a Go programme focuses on alcohol-free activity that is designed to help students have fun, make friends and try something new. Including a roller disco, clubbercise, trips to the theatre, ‘SpeedFriending’, a Craftivism workshop, with a range of drop in activities hosted by local artists, including crossstitch and screen-printing, and guided walking tours of Hull.”