Bridget Phillipson has been clear in her communications to the sector that civic engagement and supporting local economic growth should be key priorities for universities. So what is our sector’s role here, and how can we make this a reality? Well the answers may lie in a recent essay collection published by the UPP Foundation in memory of former Sheffield Hallam University chair and public servant Bob Kerslake, who in 2018-19 chaired the UPP Foundation’s Civic University Commission. The collection includes around 30 essays from over 40 public intellectuals and sector leaders. During this session UPP Foundation executive chair Richard Brabner will be joined by contributors to the collection and others to assess Bob’s legacy, new ideas from the essays, and the role universities play in their local communities.