Prof Andrew Hamilton on recent criticism of Oxford University

Last weekend’s 5-1 scoreline between the Uniteds — Cambridge and Oxford— was pretty decisive. Away from the football field, it’s harder to say who is ahead.

The past fortnight’s debate about Oxford and Cambridge’s relative economic strengths is based on a mistaken assumption that we are comparing like with like.

The cities and their surrounding regions are completely different in population density, sector strengths (their agricultural output is larger, our service sector is greater), demographic make-up, transport links, geography and history.

So it’s a mistake to think there can be a one-size-fits-all solution to the economic futures of the two cities and regions.

Take education — absolutely critical at all levels to a region’s development, particularly in a global knowledge-led economy. Cambridge University has committed itself to the creation of its own primary school, drawing on the undoubted excellence of their teaching expertise.

This may well be the best solution for Cambridge’s schools system.

Oxford’s educational issues are rather different.

So, we and our local partners have developed a different solution, tailored to local requirements.

The Oxford Education Deanery has been in operation for exactly a year.

A partnership with 11 city schools, we are providing professional teaching development to the benefit of children across Oxford, regardless of ability or background.

Not only that, our research teams are working to understand the attainment and aspirations of all local pupils — not just those who are hoping to go on to higher education.

We already know more about how children absorb scientific information and shape their future ambitions.

Such understanding is crucial to developing the high-skilled, high-achieving, workforce of the future.

One of the stranger comments in the recent debate was that Oxford University is too focused on “the academic and the international”. Yet those are qualities that make us such a vital regional player. Take just one example. Since the 1960s, Oxford University has been a world pioneer in the development of superconductors — materials with powerful electromagnetic properties.

Today, Oxfordshire has the UK’s largest concentration of superconducting industry and research. Siemens Magnet Technology, based in Eynsham, Agilent Technologies in Yarnton and the Diamond Light Source facility at Chilton are just a few of our world leaders in this field.

As a tailor-made response to this specific local strength, the university is now developing the Oxford Centre for Applied Superconductivity.

Our international, academic experts will provide the skills and technical solutions required by major employers, SMEs and laboratories in our surrounding area.

This £6.5m project was a highlight of the recent Oxfordshire Growth Deal — a £100m investment in regional transport, skills and homes, aiming to create 5,700 new jobs.

It’s a good example of harnessing the brain power of the university for the greater benefit of the city and region.

At the university we know our chances of staying at the top are bound closely to the success of the city and the region.

And the city and region know that helping to create the conditions in which we succeed is key to the wider prosperity of all our neighbours.

We in the university are committed to building on current success, helping to create more high-tech businesses and skilled jobs and bringing smart solutions to the challenges Oxford faces.

Some of those challenges, space and infrastructure for example, are serious and pressing.

As with football, real success in regional development requires strong and dedicated teamwork as well as star players.

Everyone has to be up for it; to be committed to shared goals and to bringing out the best in the rest.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter whether you’re talking Oxford or Cambridge, to win you’ve got be united.

Professor Andrew Hamilton is Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University