Oxfordshire’s Economy

Oxford is a global brand, known the world over for its academic excellence and historical significance with a diverse economic base.

The area is amongst the top five Technology Innovation Ecosystems in the world and home to an impressive knowledge intensive cluster with over 1,500 high tech companies employing around 43,000 people.

Key economic sectors for Oxfordshire

• Advanced Engineering
• Creative Industries
• Energy and Environmental Technologies
• Information Technology
• Life Sciences
• Space Related Technologies

Oxford and Oxfordshire has a rich set of assets including:

• University of Oxford – In 2016 the University of Oxford was ranked Number 1 in the latest Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. Oxford becomes the first British university ever to occupy top position in the global table reflecting its all-round strength in contemporary research and teaching.

• Oxford Brookes University – known as a top-performing new university

• UK Atomic Energy Authority Culham Centre for Fusion Energy - provides a significant research facility

• Harwell Oxford Science and Innovation Campus - home to the national synchrotron facility and ISIS pulsed neutron source

The Knowledge Spine

Oxfordshire Innovation Engine Report

The Oxfordshire Innovation Engine Report, published in May 2014 indicated that if Oxford had grown at the same rate as Cambridge between 1997 and 2011, £500m more GVA would have been created in the local economy.

The report found that growth in Oxfordshire has been constrained by insufficient public transport and an at-capacity road network, under-developed business networks and lack of critical mass to support growth and investment.  In addition, demand for housing and commercial premises has outstripped supply in recent years, leading to a shortage of available property and pricing many employees and businesses out of the market.

The Oxfordshire Innovation Engine Report can be downloaded here.