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Our Connected Communities Vision

Staffordshire University has civic at the heart of its strategy and has a long history of collaborative working between communities, civic and civil society partners, staff and students to make a difference to our place.  

As part of our commitment to Next Generation Engagement, Connected Communities encompasses a range of activities, approaches and underpinning principles, developed in partnership with our community partners, that help our university to maximise our economic and social impacts across our regions.   

Our approach has three priorities for action:  

  • Co-creation, meaning Connected Communities is a collaborative effort between staff, students and community partners.
  • Community Giving, meaning we want to give back to our place, to ensure our community members and partners can benefit from our facilities, research and resources.  
  • Place Shaping, meaning we work with partners to understand our place, raise aspirations for its future and work together to create a vibrant place for all residents to live, work and study. 
Infographic showing how Staffordshire University aims to make Stoke-on-Trent a great place to live work and study through Co-Creation, Community Giving and Place Shaping.
Infographic showing how Staffordshire University collaborates internally and externally to facilitate Co-Creation, Community Giving and Place Shaping. These lead a range of impact types. The infographic shows that each stage works together.
We aim to make Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire a great place to live work and study. We will achieve this through working with Staffs CAN, Staffordshire University’s Community Advisory Network, prioritising Co-creation, Community Giving and Place Shaping and striving towards five areas of social impact: economic, social, environmental, health and wellbeing, and cultural. These areas are supported through all of the partnership working that goes in Connected Communities, involving Staff, Students, Staffs CAN, Alumni, Community Members and others. 

Staffs CAN

Staffs CAN is Staffordshire University’s Community Advisory Network. The group launched in Autumn 2022 to provide community members and civil society partners a means to connect with Staffordshire University and influence civic and community activities both with Staffordshire University and across the region. 

Staffs CAN is at the heart of the Connected Communities vision. Staffs CAN connects the community with the university, helping to establish relationships and networks that can benefit our area. 

A wheel displaying the different parties that feed into Connected Communities, including internal and external people and organisations to the university. Staffs CAN is at the middle of the wheel.
Find out more about Staffs CAN

Connected Communities Staff Operations Group

The Connected Communities Staff Operations Group connects and supports Connected Communities work from across the university. The group allows members of staff to build capacity and support for their work through connectivity.   

Connected Communities Staff Operations Group connects services and schools from across the university, to co-ordinate activity, strengthen community partnerships and deliver Connected Communities work at Staffordshire University.  The NCIA Action Learning Programme supported the foundations of this group.

Student Network

The Student Network ensures that student voices inform our Connected Communities agenda and that civic activities positively impact the student experience, as well as supporting students to have a positive impact on our place and community. 

The group will be developed in partnership with the Students Union. 


in the UK for Quality Education

Sustainable Development Goal 4, Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2023

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021