Following the passing of Lord Bob Kerslake, the UPP Foundation brought together more than forty leaders from across education, healthcare, local government, business and the arts to explore the future civic role of universities. The result was The Kerslake Collection — a landmark publication celebrating Lord Kerslake’s enduring influence while setting out new ideas for how universities can strengthen the places and communities they serve.
Our brief was to create the visual identity and publication design for a collection that balanced authority with accessibility. It needed to respect the significance of Lord Kerslake’s legacy while making a substantial body of policy thinking engaging, navigable and relevant to a broad audience.
The heartbeat
Good ideas deserve to be read, not simply published. The challenge wasn’t the content, it was helping readers navigate more than forty individual voices without losing sight of the bigger picture.
Rather than treating the publication as a traditional policy report, we approached it as a carefully curated collection. Editorial hierarchy, generous typography and a restrained visual language allowed each contributor’s perspective to stand confidently on its own while reinforcing the collective ambition behind the publication. Structured chapter openings, subtle navigation devices and considered pacing created a reading experience that encouraged exploration rather than obligation.
The result is a publication that feels every bit as thoughtful as the ideas it contains, giving complex policy discussion a format that is approachable, engaging and built to endure.
The impact
Launched at the National Theatre, The Kerslake Collection has become a significant contribution to the national conversation around the civic role of universities, bringing together perspectives from more than forty contributors across politics, education, healthcare, business and the voluntary sector.
The publication continues to support the UPP Foundation’s work by providing policymakers, universities and civic leaders with a lasting resource that celebrates Lord Kerslake’s legacy while encouraging new thinking around place, partnership and public good. By giving the collection a clear editorial identity, the design helps ensure the conversation remains as impactful as the ideas themselves.
