Civic University

We're committed to enhancing the local community and region through our research, services, estate, and staff and student collaboration. We're more than the University of Portsmouth — we're the University 'for' Portsmouth.

What is a Civic University?

Our goal as a civic university is for our education and research knowledge and skills to benefit the city of Portsmouth and our wider region. To achieve this, we collaborate with local partners to improve health, sustainability, and inclusion in our area, all while boosting the local economy and enhancing our social and cultural scene.

In 2019, we were one of the first universities to develop a Civic Partnership Agreement with local community and regional partners. This agreement focuses on six key priorities, which we embedded into our University Strategy as a primary goal — aiming to be one of the top civic universities in the UK.

Our partnerships and projects

Our research, projects and partnerships have positive impacts across Portsmouth. Use this map to see exactly where, and what, we're doing to develop the city around us.

Using the map:

Toggle the map filter to show the project you're most interested in. We've grouped our work into 'Social Impact', 'Health & Wellbeing', 'Environment', or 'Cultural Contribution'.
Click on any map pin to learn more about a specific project, and access contact information if you'd like to discuss the project.
Zoom in or out to get a sense for the scale of our work.

How we impact Portsmouth and the local region

We want to make a tangible difference in Portsmouth and the surrounding areas, working hand-in-hand with the region we call home. We pride ourselves on being inclusive, and are actively contributing to the economic, social, and cultural vitality of our community.

Enhancing lives through volunteering

At the University of Portsmouth, our robust volunteering culture is integral to community development. Annually, students and staff contribute over 140,000 hours to 124 local organisations, significantly enhancing our region's social and cultural fabric.

Furthering our commitment, we provide vital services free of charge, including the Accounting Clinic, Legal Clinic, and Dental Academy Patient Services. These initiatives exemplify our holistic approach to community engagement and underscore our impactful contributions.

Discover more about our volunteering impact and opportunities here.

Growing local business through collaboration

We collaborate with local businesses, organisations and the public sector by offering free support, advice, and services to the local business community.

We offer business services to support and grow local businesses, including our Accountancy Clinic, Accelerating Women's Enterprise (AWE) programme, conference and event space, co-working and office space, free energy efficiency audits and funding through Low Carbon Solent for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to become more sustainable.

Promoting the city of Portsmouth

Portsmouth has unique strengths and a rich heritage. We want to show the world how great this city is. Through partnership work, we aim to champion shared interests, support economic growth and make the city a destination of choice for people to live, work and visit.

We've partners with Portsmouth Football Club to improve and promote our city, increase local participation in higher education, and provide work experience for our students.

We're also working to improve our sustainability and become a climate positive university by 2030.

Driving inclusiveness

We're a Stonewall Diversity Champion and work with groups including Working Families, Time to Change, Mindful Employer, AccessAble and Disability Confident. We're also members of two Higher Education lead charters, Athena SWAN and the Race Equality Charter, which drive gender and race equality. Find out more about our equality and diversity work.

We're improving access to education by supporting children in care and care leavers, Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, military service children in Portsmouth and refugees and asylum seekers by becoming a University of Sanctuary.

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Event: Restart a Heart Session with Guest Presenter Rob Isherwood

Date: Thursday, 13 June 2024
Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Venue: TBC

Join us for the "Restart a Heart" session at the University of Portsmouth, featuring Rob Isherwood, course lead for paramedic science, as our guest presenter. This session is not only a chance to learn lifesaving CPR and defibrillator skills but also a great opportunity to network with civic-minded individuals from across the region.

Event Highlights:

Hands-on CPR and AED Training: Gain essential emergency skills from an experienced medical professional.
Community Networking: Meet and engage with like-minded people who are actively contributing to our communities.
Enjoyable Atmosphere: Discuss and share ideas over coffee and cake in a relaxed setting.

Why Attend?

Lifesaving Knowledge: Equip yourself with the critical skills needed to save lives in emergencies.
Valuable Connections: Expand your network by connecting with others dedicated to civic engagement and public health.

This event is open to everyone. We look forward to welcoming you to this vital training and networking session. Together, let’s strengthen our community’s capacity to respond to emergencies and build meaningful civic connections.

To register for the event, please visit our Eventbrite page, which is currently being finalised. Details will be available soon.

Join us at the Restorative Relationships in Practice Conference!

We're delighted to invite you to this year's conference, a continuation of our successful quarterly series from 2023, designed to bring together practitioners from public and voluntary sectors, academics, and the public in Portsmouth. Funded by NHS Workforce Training and Employment and supported by Portsmouth's Health and Wellbeing Board and the University of Portsmouth's Civic Strategy, this conference aims to deepen understanding and develop partcipants' skills in restorative and relational approaches.

Date: Monday 15th July

Time: 9:30am - 3:30pm

Location: University of Portsmouth Eldon Building, Winston Churchill Avenue, PO1 2DJ

Conference Highlights:

Keynote Speaker: Peter Leonard, Chief Executive, The Centre for Emotional Health
Engage with experts: Learn from a diverse lineup of speakers who will share their insights on the theory, applications, and practical tools of restorative and relational practices.
Interactive sessions: Engage in discussions and workshops that explore tools and techniques, learning how to apply these practices in your work.
Networking opportunities: Meet and connect with others who share a passion for building collaborative, meaningful community relationships.

Organised by Portsmouth's Relational and Restorative Practice Community of Inquiry

About us - a group of colleagues from Portsmouth Mediation Service, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth Hospitals University Trust and Portsmouth City Council. We share an interest in the theories that help us better understand and draw value from relationships, and how we research and evidence their value and the conditions that support them to thrive.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your professional and personal life with meaningful connections and practical and theoretical insights.

Make sure to mark your calendar and prepare to join us for an energising and informative day.

We look forward to welcoming you and sharing an inspiring day focused on making a positive impact through restorative and relational approaches.

Exhibit and Promote Your Work: There's also an opportunity for organisations that champion restorative practices to showcase their work. For more information on setting up a display stand with your promotional material, please email steve@portsmouthmediationservice.org.uk.

Accessibility and special requirements: We will endeavour to provide particular access requirements on request. If you have any access requirements, e.g wheelchair access and hearing loops, please get in touch in advance of the event.

How to get here: Find out how to get here by checking our maps and directions.

Parking: Parking in Portsmouth is extremely limited, we encourage you to use the train, bus, cycle routes, or the city’s Park ‘n’ Ride facility.

Dietary Requirements: If you are registering after 1st July, we are unable to guarantee specific requirements.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact civicuniversity@port.ac.uk.

Collaborate with us

If you're brimming with ideas for civic projects or eager to share the impactful activities you're already championing, we encourage you to send us an email. Every contribution you make is a an essential part of the change we're creating as a community.

Let us know about your ongoing civic work as a current member of staff, student, or another part of the University community, or reach out to us with a new project idea.

And if you're not officially part of our community yet but are drawn to civic collaboration, we warmly welcome your interest. Whether you're a part of our existing University community or you're looking to working with us for the first time, your unique perspective and active involvement will help us develop our future.

Email civicuniversity@port.ac.uk