UN SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Overview

As an anchor institution for the county of Lincolnshire, we are very proud of our significant positive impact on the economy of Lincoln and Lincolnshire. We are also proud of the impact our graduates are having locally in providing a skilled workforce for local businesses.

To support the progression of Lincoln students into local business, many of our courses run a number of placement schemes. These schemes not only improve opportunities to students, but often also improve the productivity of the supporting business. One of our students took a year long placement with HGL Dynamics Ltd. The company reported that students' knowledge and natural engineering intuition allowed them to identify significant opportunities for cost savings and business improvement. 

Supporting Student Workers

The University has over 1200 student employees in its Campus Jobs programme, mostly earning less than the auto-enrolment threshold for pensions, and with historically less than 1% of those students being auto-enrolled or choosing to join a pension scheme.

In a bid to improve their financial well-being and support, sound financial decision making, and after working with student focus groups, the University of Lincoln Reward Team set up a Student Workplace ISA in which students contribute up to 4% of earnings with that being doubled by the University. Now over 90% of student workers are taking advantage of the scheme, with many choosing a custom investment portfolio – an incredibly positive result both for their financial security and their life skills.

This scheme has won awards and has led to a meeting with the Pensions and Savings Minister, and may lead to changes in legislation

Responsible Management

Our Lincoln International Business School takes particular pride in our commitment to the Principles for Responsible Management, which underpin our teaching, scholarship, and research, and in our innovative approaches to education that treat learners as partners in the learning journey.

The Responsible Management Research Group is also conducting research that is improving our understanding of responsible management as a concept and as practice. It aims to influence the contribution that leaders, managers, and organisations make to global challenges, such as those described in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Visitor Economy and Sustainable Tourism

Through its research activities, the Visitor Economy Research Group is providing insights into the visitor economy in diverse contexts, both locally and internationally, and from a range of perspectives and multi-disciplinary approaches.

Students who study Tourism at Lincoln also participate in an annual conference focusing on the sustainability of tourism. Previous conference themes have included equality in tourism from the perspectives of both workers and travellers.

Greater Lincolnshire Agri-Food Innovation Platform

Our National Centre for Food Manufacturing exists to provide innovation, education, and support for the food industry, locally and globally. Our GLAFIP project (Greater Lincolnshire Agri-Food Innovation Platform) led by NCFM worked with local businesses to develop innovation to improve the productivity and effectiveness of their business.

Building Bridges

Our investment in our local industrial environment is exemplified by the development of The Bridge – an research and development hub in the centre of Lincoln, designed with industry in order to link businesses to innovation opportunities.  It is equipped with state-of-the art facilities to promote innovation and collaboration in addition to providing access to high-spec equipment for innovation.

Digital Hubs

A team of leading economic development specialists at the University of Lincoln has produced a comprehensive guide on how to set up and run high-tech digital hubs in remote and rural locations which might otherwise suffer from a lack of digital infrastructure.