“It’s encouraging to see 91ֱ�� climb to 7th in the world for international research collaboration,” said Professor Colette Fagan, Vice-President for Research. “The University’s research excellence is rooted in a culture of curiosity, collaboration and purpose, and the international collaborations of our academics across the globe is crucial for advancing research and tackling some of the major issues facing the world today.”

The University’s social and environmental impact is ranked in the top ten globally with the university being the only institution in the world in the top 10 in for both the  and ). In 2025, the University was ranked in first place in the UK and Europe and second in the world for benefitting society and the environment by Times Higher Education for the third year running. 

For further information, visit the website.

The University’s unique commitment to addressing the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is world leading. 91ֱ�� is the only university in the world to rank in the top ten for social and environmental impact in all seven years of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. 

The 17 SDGs are the world’s call to action on the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing humanity and the natural world, and The University of Manchester’s consistent top ranking is recognition of its leading role in tackling them. 

In this year’s assessment, more universities than ever were ranked with 2,318 institutions from 130 countries being ranked against how they are addressing the most pressing challenges facing our planet.  

The ranking, is the world’s only one that measures universities’ contributions to the UN SDGs and assesses their commitment to sustainability across four broad areas: research, stewardship, outreach and teaching. 

Dr Julian Skyrme, Executive Director of Social Responsibility and Civic Engagement at The University of Manchester, who leads the institution’s entry to the ranking, said: “Each year, we submit a wealth of evidence demonstrating how we embed social responsibility across all areas of our work—from sustainability and cultural engagement to research impact, widening participation and the student experience. This continued recognition highlights the dedication of our entire University community to making a positive difference locally and globally.” 

The University of Manchester came top in the world for SDG11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities. Significantly contributing to this is the investment made in four public-facing cultural institutions. 91ֱ�� Museum has recently been recognised as one of Europe’s leading museums after winning .  

The annual prize is one of the most prestigious museum awards in the world and 91ֱ�� Museum is the first university museum to receive it, earning recognition for the way it balances globally-significant academic research with community engagement and social responsibility.  

The University has also directly addressed the energy impact of its campus in a landmark deal to see up to 65% of its electricity demand supplied via a new renewable project. In support of SDG7 – Affordable and Clean Energy and SDG12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, the University is building a 104,000 solar panel farm to generate green energy and also create a significant biodiversity enhancement to previously low-grade farmland. 

The University was ranked second in the world for SDG15 – Life on Land. Particularly key contributions towards this goal have come from for his climate research on restoring grasslands in the UN’s Decade on Ecosystem Restoration initiative. Alongside this is leading research on socially driven reforestation policies to better protect our environment. 

President and Vice Chancellor, The University of Manchester, Professor Duncan Ivison said: “It’s a tremendous achievement for our University community to once again be recognised as the UK and Europe’s top-ranked university - and second in the world - in this year’s THE Impact Rankings. This reflects not only the depth of our commitment to social responsibility but also the passion and dedication of our staff, students, and partners who bring that commitment to life every day. 

"As we prepare to launch our new strategy, 91ֱ�� 2035, this recognition is a powerful reminder of the role we can play, both here in 91ֱ�� and around the world, in leading on addressing the major challenges of our time: advancing sustainability, tackling inequality, and supporting inclusive growth.” 

The University of Manchester has also, this week, been ranked 35th in the annual QS World University Rankings which evaluate over 8,000 institutions around the world. The results reflect the University’s international profile and continued excellence in research, with other standout performances in indicators such as the International Research Network and International Students.

Read more about The University of Manchester's rankings.

The project conducted research across five diverse schools - two secondary, two primary and one alternative provision – with each the subject of a comprehensive case study.

“Challenges such as inadequate facilities, socio-economic barriers and gender disparities were found to hinder participation,” MacQuarrie and Hennessey explain. “Yet the study recognised schools’ creativity in addressing these issues through tailored programs, community partnerships and student-centred approaches.”

Students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) face “unique challenges” including limited access to appropriate and properly funded facilities.  But the authors add: “Inclusive practices - such as adapting sports to accommodate diverse abilities - demonstrate the potential for PESSPA to serve as a vital bridge in reducing inequities and promoting inclusive practice.”

The study revealed “concerning trends in prolonged sedentary behaviour” with 43% of pupils surveyed found to be spending over four hours daily on screens and 23% engaging in “extended sedentary activities.”  Further, 7.2% of pupils reported feeling lonely often or all of the time compared to , with pupil happiness at 6.4 compared to .

“Physical activity offers a powerful counterbalance to these challenges, enhancing mood, reducing feelings of loneliness,” MacQuarrie and Hennessey argue. “Schools should actively address concerns by integrating engaging, movement-based activities into daily routines. Programmes that emphasise the fun and social aspects and create comfortable and accessible opportunities for physical activity can shift behaviours and cultivate healthier lifestyle patterns among students.”

In their article, the academics set out a series of recommendations for policymakers and educators to harness “the transformative potential of PESSPA to uplift communities and catalyse generational change.”

These include advice to the Department for Education to “prioritise safe, versatile and inclusive facilities for all schools.”  This could be achieved, they suggest, by launching a consultation to gauge the views of “educators, practitioners and school leaders to build a national picture of how this infrastructure in schools needs to be developed and maintained at scale.”

To embed physical activity in school culture, the Department is encouraged to “integrate PESSPA across curricula and extracurricular activities, recognising its role in fostering holistic development.”  MacQuarrie and Hennessey continue: “Community assets can also be leveraged here, and local authorities should support schools to strengthen partnerships with local sports organisations to enhance reach and impact.”

To promote equity, they urge policymakers to offer tailored programmes for underserved groups, including girls and children with special educational needs. They add: “As the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill progresses, there is opportunity to embed this into legislation.”

And to tackle sedentary behaviours, the authors advocate “the development of policies and programmes to drive awareness regarding screen time and promote active lifestyles that are valued by children and young people.”

 by Dr Sarah MacQuarrie and Dr Alexandra Hennessey is available to read on the Policy@91ֱ�� website. It was included in the Youth Sport Trust's recent , along with which identified locations across England where access to play and sport need more support and encouragement.

The research, which included more than 270,000 people, found no such link between asthma and working nightshifts in men.

The study was by Dr Robert Maidstone from the University of Manchester, UK, and colleagues. He said: “Asthma disproportionately affects women. Women generally have more severe asthma, and higher rate of hospitalisation and death from asthma compared to men.

“In our previous research we found a higher risk of moderate or severe asthma in nightshift workers, so we wanted to see whether there were further differences between the sexes.”

The researchers used data from the UK Biobank. They included a total of 274,541 working people and found that 5.3% of these had asthma, with 1.9% suffering with moderate or severe asthma (meaning they were taking an asthma preventer inhaler and at least one other asthma treatment, such as an oral steroid). They categorised these people according to whether they worked only during the day, only nightshifts, or a combination of the two.

Their analysis revealed that, overall, women who work shifts are more likely to have asthma. Women who only work nightshifts are around 50% more likely to suffer with moderate or severe asthma compared to women who only work in the daytime.

The risk of asthma in men did not alter according to whether they worked days or nights.

Dr Maidstone said: “This is the first study to evaluate sex differences in the relationship between shift work and asthma. We found that permanent night shift-workers had higher odds of moderate-severe asthma when compared to corresponding day workers.

“This type of research cannot explain why shift work and asthma are linked; however, it could be because shift work disrupts the body clock, including the levels of male and female sex hormones. High testosterone has previously been shown to be protective against asthma, and so lower testosterone in women could play a role. Alternatively, men and women work different types of shift jobs, and this could be a factor.”

In postmenopausal women, the risk of moderate or severe asthma was almost doubled in night workers, compared to day workers, in those not taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Dr Maidstone added: “Our results suggest that HRT might be protective against asthma for nightshift workers, however further research is needed to test this hypothesis in prospective studies and randomised controlled trials.”

The researchers plan to study whether sex hormones play a role in the relationship between shift work and asthma by using data from the UK Biobank and from Our Future Health, a new health research programme in the UK population. 

Professor Florence Schleich from the European Respiratory Society’s expert group on airway diseases, asthma, COPD and chronic cough, based at the University of Liège, Belgium, and was not involved in the research. She said: “Asthma is a common, long- term condition that affects millions of people worldwide. We know that women are more likely to have asthma, to have worse asthma and more likely to die from asthma, but we do not fully understand why.

“This research suggests that working nightshifts could be a risk factor for asthma in women, but not in men. The majority of workers will not have an easy option of switching their shift pattern, so we need further research to verify and understand this link and find out what could be done to reduce the risk for women who work shifts.”

Maidstone RJ, Ray DW, Liu J, et al. Increased risk of asthma in female night shift workers. ERJ Open Res 2025; in press .

In recognition of its longstanding commitment to sustainability, the University will represent the UK as one of the founding members of the International Green Learning and Skills Accelerator, a Times Higher Education initiative set up as part of the

The Pact is run by three UN agencies – the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Labour Organization and the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF - and was established to help tackle the green skills deficit and “advance the just transition to a low carbon and circular economy”.

The Accelerator, and a related research project, will advance this mission by bringing together universities, industries, and policymakers from around the world to share best practice and to develop a globally recognised framework for green skills and learning.

This initiative aims to define, standardise, and promote the green skills necessary for the net-zero economy, aligning education and employment to meet the challenges of the climate crisis.

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “Being invited to help shape the Green Learning and Skills Accelerator as a founding member is a powerful recognition of the University’s long standing leadership in sustainability – and of the expertise, creativity and collaborative spirit of our staff and students.  This initiative brings together universities, city partners, industry and global institutions to tackle one of the most urgent challenges of our time.  It’s a unique opportunity to co-create a scalable, inclusive approach to green learning that supports the transition to a net-zero future – here in 91ֱ�� and around the world.”

Phil Baty, Chief Global Affairs Officer at Times Higher Education, added: “It is fantastic to witness The University of Manchester joining the Green Learning and Skills Accelerator programme as a founding partner representing the UK. This once more reinforces the University’s commitment to sustainability as witnessed by their participation in the top ten each year of our .  Times Higher Education’s mission is to connect people, data and insights to help universities make the world a better place and this is a prime illustration of this in practice as we move towards a green economy.”

One of the primary objectives of the project is to offer a consistent definition and taxonomy of what constitutes 'green skills' for the net-zero economy and how to measure it. The initiative is also in support of the Green Jobs for Youth Pact, that has seen a number of governments sign up and show their support at the UN Summit of the Future.

The University of Manchester will work alongside a select group of other global institutions to co-develop a new framework that will guide universities and employers, ensuring they have the skills and knowledge needed teach young people from the offset or re-train the current workforce the skills they need to drive the green economy.

Professor Jennifer O’Brien, Academic Lead for Sustainability Teaching and Learning, who has been leading on the project, said: "Universities are uniquely positioned to drive the green skills agenda through our world-class research, teaching, and partnerships. By engaging with our talented and diverse students and academics from not only our own community but across the globe, alongside our cross-sector collaborators, we are ensuring that green education is inclusive and has impact. This project will build on existing best practices and push us forward in creating thriving, sustainable futures for all, through transformative learning experiences."

As a globally connected, civic university, The University of Manchester will use its connections to bring in alumni and partners from across the world have an input into the new framework. It also hopes to feed into city-wide plans to support its ambitious zero carbon goal for 2038.

The programme will involve extensive research and collaboration with universities, industries, and policymakers with the goal of creating an  inclusive, scalable Accreditation Framework to support, guide and give recognition to universities and colleges as Green Learning and Skills Providers.

Dr Julian Skyrme, Executive Director of Social Responsibility at The University of Manchester, said: “As one of the world’s leading universities for social responsibility and sustainable development we know that our students – as future citizens, leaders and skilled professionals – will play a key role in addressing the climate and nature crisis. We’re look forward to playing a leading role in the critical task of defining and championing the sort of education we need to create a more sustainable world.” 

The University of Manchester has been consistently ranked as a leader in sustainability. It is the only university in the world to rank in the top ten for social and environmental impact in every year of the .

The University has set ambitious goals to reduce its environmental impact, aligning with its core mission of social responsibility. In 2022, it divested from coal, oil, and gas, reducing the carbon intensity of its investments by 37%. All the University’s degree programs are aligned with the , and its research platform, which includes the , combines world-leading research across disciplines to develop sustainable solutions for urgent environmental challenges. The University also recently signed a landmark deal that will see up to 65% of its electricity demand supplied through a brand-new renewables project.

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����; The unique Saint Christopher woodcut, dated 1423 – the oldest known dated example of European printing.

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����; The Gutenberg Bible of 1454/55 - the first major book printed in Europe and a masterpiece that revolutionised the book world.

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����; The Mainz Psalters of 1457 and 1459 - two of the most beautiful books ever printed, both with handwritten musical notation.

·&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����; Fifteen very rare blockbooks - in which the images and text on each page were printed from a carved block of wood.

The release forms part of the ongoing Incunabula Cataloguing Project, which will eventually see all of the library's approximately 4000 15th century printed books fully catalogued, of which around 300 of the rarest and most important will be digitised and made available online. While of immense value to scholars of early print culture, the collection is also designed to engage curious members of the public with some of the most beautiful and significant books ever printed.

The Early European Print collection is part of a longstanding commitment by The University of Manchester and the John Rylands Library to share cultural heritage with the widest possible audience through 91ֱ�� Digital Collections.

, Reader in Engineering for Net Zero, is one of ten finalists to be awarded £100,000 in seed funding to develop his solution for this year’s .  

In its second year, the 91ֱ�� Prize is looking for researchers with the most impactful and innovative artificial intelligence (AI) solution enabling the UK to accelerate progress towards net zero.  

Although AI technologies are advancing rapidly, their adoption in clean energy systems has not kept pace. The 91ֱ�� Prize aims to accelerate progress by encouraging the development of AI solutions that support the UK in achieving its ambition to lead the world in clean energy. 

Dr Papadopoulos’ solution, Grid Stability, uses AI to accelerate the analysis performed which ensures electrical power systems meet the specified stability, security and reliability criteria. 

Electrical power systems worldwide are going through unprecedented changes to achieve decarbonisation targets. This drive calls for new technologies, such as renewables, electric vehicles and heat pumps, which increases the complexity and uncertainty in power system operation. System stability is the cornerstone of power system operation, and if not carefully considered, it can lead to blackouts with high economic impact and fallout.  

The tool replaces slow, complex simulations with rapid, AI-driven assessments, enabling real-time monitoring, faster decision-making, and more confident planning. This helps grid operators maintain reliability while scaling up clean energy solutions and cutting emissions. 

Dr Papadopoulos aims to work closely with utility companies to enable safe and useful implementations of Grid Stability. 

Speaking about his solution, Dr Papadopoulos said: “Grid Stability uses machine learning to help bring lower, or zero, carbon technologies onto the grid faster and at the scale we need to hit net zero, but without compromising system stability.

“Being named a finalist for the 91ֱ�� Prize is a huge boost; it not only validates the impact of our work but also gives us a platform to accelerate progress and collaborate more widely across the energy sector.”

Dr Papadopoulos recognised that the computational cost and complexity of assessing stability and security made it difficult to support real-time awareness, decision-making and optimisation. As a result, system dynamics are often neglected or oversimplified. Grid Stability, using machine learning, offers a promising solution to addressing this challenge. 

The 91ֱ�� Prize will pick its winner in Spring 2026, and the winning innovator will receive a £1 million grand prize to continue developing their solution. The winning solution must demonstrate not only technical innovation, but also an evidenced road map to near-term (2030) adoption and scale.  

Announced and launched in 2023, the 91ֱ�� Prize is multi-million-pound, multi-year challenge prize, which is funded by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology. The Prize seeks to reward UK-led breakthroughs in AI for public good and continues to secure the UK’s place as a global leader in cutting-edge innovation. 

The 91ֱ�� Prize is named after the world’s first stored programme computer, nicknamed ‘The Baby’, which was built at The University of Manchester in 1948. AI research at The University continues to build on this legacy, as shown by Dr Papadopoulos’ achievement. 

Announced by the Technology Secretary on Monday 9 June), the Spärck AI scholarships, named after pioneering British computer scientist Karen Spärck Jones, will provide full funding for master’s degrees at nine leading UK universities specialising in artificial intelligence and STEM subjects – from Edinburgh to 91ֱ��, and Newcastle to Bristol. 

Set to rival the likes of globally recognised Rhodes, Marshall and Fulbright scholarships, at least 100 talented undergraduates level students from the UK and abroad will see unparalleled access to industry partnerships, work placements and mentorship opportunities, including in the UK’s AI Security Institute as well as leading tech firms like Darktrace, Faculty and Quantexa. 

This will not only drive forward AI innovation that grows the UK economy but also gives young people a direct route into highly skilled jobs in the UK’s tech sector. 

By covering both tuition and living expenses, the scholarship could also be of interest to talent students from low-income backgrounds who might otherwise be unable to afford university – spreading opportunity across the UK. 

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: “We are providing unique opportunities for talented young people to take up master’s degrees in AI, with fully funded tuition and unparalleled access to industry. 

“Students will be able to go on to highly skilled jobs, building a workforce fit for the future and boosting economic growth as part of our Plan for Change. 

“We are also expanding our fellowship programme to bring top talent into our leading AI sector and drive forward transformational benefits to the public like new drug discoveries.” 

Spärck AI scholarships: Applications will open in Spring 2026, with the first cohort beginning their studies in October 2026.  

Universities participating in the Spärck AI scholarship programme include: Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, UCL, Southampton, Edinburgh, Newcastle, 91ֱ�� and Bristol, who will co-design and co-fund the initiative. 

Companies signed up to participate in the scholarship programme include PolyAI, Quantexa, CausaLens, Flok, Beamery, Darktrace and Faculty. 

At a ceremony in the historic Whitworth Hall, he was presented with an honorary doctorate by the University’s Chancellor, Nazir Afzal. The award is in honour not only of his sporting success but for his inspirational work away from football, including through his family foundation, the Guardiola Sala Foundation.

Pep said: “91ֱ�� means so much to me. I have spent nine years here and it has become home. The people, the culture, my incredible football club, my colleagues… it is all so special to me and my family.  When I arrived here in 2016, I did not know how long I would spend here. The way this city embraced me made everything easy. My time here has been beautiful. 

“I know how important the University of Manchester is to our city. It’s the home to a lot of research and it has a history of discovery. So, honestly, to be honoured in this way by such an esteemed institution is an amazing feeling. I want to thank everyone at the University of Manchester for this moment – and I want to thank everyone at 91ֱ�� City for their constant support.”

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “Pep wasn’t born in 91ֱ��, but like me and so many others, the city has welcomed him and made it feel like home. That welcome and the way 91ֱ�� gets under your skin is why so many people feel a deep, lifelong connection with the city.

“Pep is an innovator and a winner who has inspired millions of people through his success as a manager. He has played a huge role in making 91ֱ�� a global success story and we are honoured that he has chosen to accept this degree. I hope that this forges another important connection between him, the University of Manchester, and the city.”

Honorary degrees are the highest awards the University can offer. The University recognises remarkable individuals that have made outstanding contributions to society that embody its values, improve the lives of people in local communities or have created significant impact in their field of work and often far beyond.

Widely regarded as one of the successful and innovative managers in the history of the game, Pep followed a trophy laden playing career by being appointed as manager of the Barcelona first team in 2008. He won the La Liga title in three of his four seasons at the Camp Nou and lifted the UEFA Champions League twice.

After Barcelona, he joined Bayern Munich whom he led to the last four of the UEFA Champions League in each of his three seasons, landing the Bundesliga three times and winning the league and cup double twice.

Guardiola joined City in 2016. In his second season he guided the Cityzens to the Premier League title and the Carabao Cup. He picked up four successive Manager of the Month awards and was voted the Premier League Manager of the Season and the LMA Manager of the Year.

He was again voted Premier League Manager of the Season after guiding City to four more trophies in 2018/19 to become the Club’s most successful boss ever with six trophies in three seasons.

City added the Carabao Cup and Community Shield to Pep’s list in 2019/20, but the Catalan won yet more silverware in 2020/21, with another Premier League title and Carabao Cup success. He also became the first City boss to take his side to a Champions League final in May 2021, taking his trophy haul to 10. ​Guardiola’s incredible spell at the Etihad saw him claim a fourth Premier League title in five years in 2021/22 and a fifth in 2022/23.

And to top off another history-defining season under Pep’s tenure, a fifth league win and City’s FA Cup final win followed by victory in the Champions League final saw the club named Treble winners in 2022/2023.

On the final day of the 2023/24 season, City became the first club to win the Premier League in four successive seasons, confirming the title on the final day.

Pep’s leadership has not only elevated the club’s success but is a model for performance excellence and continuous improvement that has inspired leaders outside of football. Alongside this, the University wanted to recognise his contributions to 91ֱ��’s cultural and community life, and unwavering commitment to social responsibility and justice, through his family foundation - the Guardiola Sala Foundation. 

●&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����; Led by The University of Cambridge and The University of Manchester, and supported by the two Mayoral Combined Authorities, City Councils, alongside businesses and investors

A groundbreaking partnership between The University of Manchester and The University of Cambridge has been awarded £4.8 million by Research England to accelerate inclusive growth and innovation collaboration. As the UK’s first cross-UK innovation partnership, it will pioneer a new model of place-to-place collaboration and help drive economic growth for the UK- setting an example for other cities to follow. With further investment from the two universities, the total funding for the partnership will be £6m.

The partnership will be led by Unit M and Innovate Cambridge - the universities’ respective innovation capabilities - with support from the two Mayoral Combined Authorities, City Councils, businesses and investors. It is a prime example of how a university-led, cross-UK innovation collaboration can enhance the UK's global competitiveness and foster innovation-driven growth.

This initiative responds directly to the UK government’s imperative for universities to support the delivery of the national Industrial Strategy and make a stronger contribution to economic growth.

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice Chancellor of The University of Manchester, commented: "Our partnership with Cambridge marks a new model of collaboration between UK universities. It brings together the distinctive strengths of each of our universities and cities, connecting two of the great innovation ecosystems to scale up what we can achieve. This new approach to innovation accelerates the time between discovery and impact, getting ideas into the real economy and our communities even more quickly to drive inclusive growth.”

Professor Lou Cordwell, Chief Executive of Unit M, said: “Universities are increasingly taking a lead in convening and catalysing their innovation ecosystems. By bringing together investors, businesses, entrepreneurs, academics, and public sector agencies, this partnership will create new opportunities and stimulate investment into the innovation economy. We are proud at Unit M to be part of such a pioneering partnership, and look forward to continuing to work with Cambridge.”

Professor Deborah Prentice, University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor, commented: “This pioneering initiative brings together the combined strengths of Cambridge and 91ֱ�� to create something that is truly ground-breaking. By connecting our cities, we’re helping to build a more collaborative and dynamic environment in which innovative research can connect with industry, venture capital and entrepreneurs to drive economic growth and deliver real benefits for people and places across the UK.”

Science Minister and Oxford-Cambridge Growth Champion, Lord Vallance, said: “This pioneering partnership is proof that our ambitions for the Oxford-Cambridge Corridor can and will fire up economic growth across the length and breadth of the UK, which is critical to our Plan for Change.

“Cambridgeshire and Greater 91ֱ�� are forging a path I hope others will follow. Science is always stronger when we work together, and stronger research ties between the UK’s great regions will only lead to more investment, more opportunities, and more breakthroughs, from health to clean energy and beyond.”

Jessica Corner, Executive Chair of Research England, commented: “This investment underscores our commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration across England. By connecting the vibrant ecosystems of Cambridge and 91ֱ��, we aim to drive significant economic growth and create a model for place-based innovation that can be replicated nationwide."

At the core of the partnership is the exchange of complementary innovation assets to ensure real-world impact. Both cities already have strong R&D capabilities and strengths in leading-edge sectors such as AI, life sciences, and advanced materials. Cambridge has deep investor networks but experiences growth constraints due to its small scale, higher costs, and lack of development land. 91ֱ�� provides that scale, affordability for start-ups and scale-ups, and a large talent pool - but has a less mature support ecosystem.

The Research England funding will be used in three key areas: ecosystem activation and integration; growing investment; and testing and learning.

●&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����; Ecosystem activation and integration: It will strengthen relations within and between the innovation ecosystems of the two cities, to create a vibrant and ambitious cross-city innovation network. This aims to create progressive new approach inclusive growth.

●&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����; Growing investment: It will harness the combined strengths of both universities and partner cities to support start-ups and scale-ups to secure funding and grow, attract innovation-intensive FDI to the UK, and stimulate investment into R&D.

●&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;&�Բ�����; Testing and learning: It will pilot new approaches and share best practice for delivering ecosystem collaboration and inclusive growth. This will allow other cities, the wider higher education sector community, and local and national governments in the UK and internationally to learn from the partnership.

Recognised as both a City of Literature and a City of Lifelong Learning, 91ֱ�� joins a select group of global cities acknowledged for their commitment to education, creativity and cultural development. 

The University of Manchester, 91ֱ�� Metropolitan University, and 91ֱ�� City Council came together yesterday to celebrate 91ֱ��’s dual status as a UNESCO City of Lifelong Learning and Literature. 

The celebration was held at 91ֱ�� Metropolitan University, and The University of Manchester’s President and Vice-Chancellor Duncan Ivison delivered the event’s closing remarks. 

The UNESCO status of City of Lifelong Learning is an important accolade for The University of Manchester, as lifelong learning is one of the University’s key focuses.  

Lifelong learning provides the opportunity for access to a University of Manchester education without the commitment of full-time on campus study, creating a more flexible and inclusive learning environment. 

Outside of the classroom, lifelong learning also provides support for learner’s personal and professional development, aligning with industry and employer needs by driving economic, social and cultural progress. 

The University is continuously working with students, alumni, businesses and strategic industry partners to make The University a Learning Partner for Life.   

Professor Ang Davies, Academic Lead for Lifelong Learning at The University of Manchester, said: “We are extremely proud to join the UNESCO family of Learning Cities and have already made many connections in the UK and beyond.”

Mags Bradbury, Head of Social Responsibility & Civic Engagement at The University of Manchester, said: “We are proud to be part of this city-wide partnership, working with civic partners, supporting the ambitions of our city. It’s great that we can share what we are doing locally on lifelong learning through UNESCO, delivering in 91ֱ�� our commitment to the global UN Sustainable Development Goals.”  

The UNESCO City of Lifelong Learning designation was given to 91ֱ�� last February. In a short period of time, the partnership has launched over 90 projects, delivered events reaching 14,000 learners and over 2,000 learning and skills specialists have attended professional development events. Three films, launched this week, showcase the impact of the designation on learners and providers.   

The event also showcased the projects from artists funded by the British Council’s International Collaboration Grant, who have been collaborating between 91ֱ�� and Nanjing - one of few other cities globally to have this prestigious dual designation. Yesterday’s event marked the culmination of a 9-month artistic exchange exploring the natural world through literature.  

Also showcased at the event was an exhibition of artwork and writing by young students, developed through a school engagement programme involving Year 3-6 pupils from 91ֱ�� and Nanjing schools. The work created by the artist exchange and schools programme will be open to the public as part of Festival of Libraries at 91ֱ�� Central Library from 3 - 17 June 2025. 

Ivan Wadeson, Executive Director of Manchester City of Literature, says: “Huge thanks to Arts Council England and the British Council International Collaboration Grants for their support to make this happen, alongside the regular funders of Manchester City of Literature: 91ֱ�� City Council, The University of Manchester and 91ֱ�� Metropolitan University.”

Jill Griffiths, Head of the School of Digital Arts and Academic Lead for Lifelong Learning at 91ֱ�� Metropolitan University, said: “It’s a privilege to host the event at 91ֱ�� Metropolitan University in celebration of the UNESCO City of Lifelong Learning and City of Literature designations. 

“Working in partnership with 91ֱ�� City Council and The University of Manchester to attain these designations is a reflection of the collaborative ethos of the city and 91ֱ�� Met, and this event, which also took place during the Festival of Libraries, was a vibrant celebration showcasing the breadth and depth of our creative and cultural offering alongside our commitment to making lifelong learning a reality for everybody within 91ֱ��.”

To find out more about the artist exchange, exhibition and project please visit:  

To find out more about the British Council International Collaboration Grants please visit:  

Join us on Saturday 14 June, 11am - 4.30pm for a day of creativity, discovery and play. Our free community festival offers something for everyone with inspiring talks and performances, hands-on science experiments, art and crafts workshops, heritage tours and more.

One of the festival’s standout features is the Bee Curious programme, featuring thought-provoking talks and performances for all ages. Highlights include: exploring the science and art behind how our brains respond to everyday environments, people we see, and places we visit with Dr Sarah Fox and Dr Henry McPherson;  taking an interstellar journey to find out about other worlds with Dr Eamonn Kerins as the Jodrell Bank Alien; and exploring links between creativity and wellbeing to find joy in the everyday with 91ֱ��-based poet, Rebecca Hurst. 

Step back in time with Grant Collier and explore the roots of our revolutionary institution on a guided historic walking campus tour. Uncover the rich tapestry of history that makes our campus unlike any other. As the nation’s first ‘civic’ university, our unique identity has pushed us to global prominence and this tour offers a fantastic opportunity to learn about pioneering individuals and groundbreaking discoveries.

Try your hand at street art with local art collective Grit Studios, presenting The Art of Research, a vibrant showcase of artwork inspired by research at the University. There’ll be a series of free drop-in workshops throughout Saturday, so release your inner artist and get creative with sprays and stencils.

Come plant with us! Pop along to our University community allotment a partnership between the University and Ardwick Climate Action and get hands-on with planting and sustainability.  Then visit the co-curated, community exhibition Blue Skies at 91ֱ�� Museum, which asks a critical question: “You wouldn’t drink visibly dirty water, so why would you breathe invisibly dirty air?”

Together we’ll explore what makes for a greener, healthier and fairer world for everyone. Take part in over 80 interactive stalls. Uncover the mysteries of the human body as we take a closer look at our hands, hearts and minds. Interact with robot companions, step into a world of virtual reality and explore the wonder of space. Meet the makers of marvellous materials. Enjoy wellbeing and craft making activities, learn the art of calligraphy and don on a University graduation gown! There’s plenty to discover and do – with activities on offer for all ages. 

Be amazed by the power and joy of chemistry in our visually exciting Flash Bang Show with Dr Frank Mair. Expect fantastic colour changes, flashes and the occasional bang - get ready to hold on to your hats!

Our Universally 91ֱ�� Festival is taking place on our Oxford Road campus and is free and open to everyone.

Find out more about our family-friendly activities on the .

This milestone reflects The University’s strategic vision to expand access to education and foster inclusive, innovative learning environments. By becoming a member of EUCEN, The University of Manchester aims to: 

• Enhance collaborative opportunities: Partner with a diverse network of European institutions to exchange knowledge and develop joint continuing education initiatives. 
• Influence educational policy: Contribute to shaping European policies that support lifelong learning and address the evolving needs of learners. 
• Promote innovation in learning: Embrace and share best practices and technologies that enable flexible, accessible learning pathways. 

Through active participation in EUCEN’s programmes and initiatives, The University seeks to help drive advancements in lifelong learning and implement responsive educational programmes that meet the needs of diverse populations. 

Founded in 1991, EUCEN is a leading association dedicated to university lifelong learning - the provision of educational opportunities, services, and research by higher education institutions to support personal and professional development throughout life. University lifelong learning also plays a vital role in driving social, cultural, and economic progress in communities and regions. 

Pascal Paschoud, President of EUCEN said: “EUCEN is truly delighted to welcome The University of Manchester to our network. As a leading UK institution with a strong commitment to lifelong learning, their dedication to making a real impact aligns perfectly with our mission. We look forward to their active involvement and collaboration. Together, we can strengthen the role of university lifelong learning in building innovative, sustainable and inclusive economies and societies.”  

EUCEN currently includes 163 member institutions across 36 countries. Its platform supports knowledge sharing, the development of innovative educational strategies, and policy advocacy in lifelong learning. 

Also inducted at the 2025 conference was Imperial College London, making The University of Manchester one of only four UK institutions in the network—alongside the Universities of Oxford, Sunderland, and Imperial. 

To mark its 60^th anniversary, Alliance 91ֱ�� Business School (AMBS) is bringing back its Festival of Business, expanding on the success of last year’s inaugural event.

Taking place across four days from the 16^th to 19^th June, the festival will bring together industry leaders, policymakers and academic experts to discuss the role businesses have to play in helping society respond to the pressing challenges and opportunities of our time.

Headlining the festival will be the ‘Innovate 2050’ day on Thursday 16^th featuring panel discussions exploring the future of media, finance and digitalisation.

Alongside an impressive line-up of AMBS’s leading thinkers, the day will see the likes of Siobhan Morgan, head of development at the producers of hit TV show, Adolescence, Warp Films; Kerris Bright, chief customer officer at the BBC, and Jess McCreadie, investment director at Northern Gritstone, coming together to discuss how their industries are innovating to respond to the world’s biggest challenges including the climate crisis and the emergence of new technologies like AI.

Alongside this, other events will be running throughout the festival focussing on themes including professional development, the future of the Third Sector and empowering entrepreneurs. The Festival of Business comes as AMBS celebrates six decades of empowering leaders, thinkers and visionaries across the globe to deliver transformative and innovative change.

Ken McPhail, Head of Alliance 91ֱ�� Business School, said: "We are currently living through a critical period as we face challenges including economic growth and regional disparities, global geopolitical upheaval and climate change. Rising to these challenges won’t be possible without business playing key leadership role in finding solutions and capitalising on opportunities."

Further details about the Festival of Business, along with information on how to get tickets to the events running throughout it, can be found .

Sarah joins the University from the Department for Transport where she has been Chief Scientific Adviser since 2021, seconded from the University of Nottingham. At the DfT she leads on many of the engineering and science challenges in transport, including decarbonisation, applications of artificial intelligence and cross-modal safety.

She is an international expert in the field of human factors and its application to engineering problems. Human factors is a scientific discipline which uses an understanding of human capabilities and limitations to design systems to support human performance, wellbeing and safety.

Sarah has previously held the roles the Pro-Vice Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and People (2018-2021) and Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange (Engineering) (2015-2018) at the University of Nottingham.

She has recently been appointed to the role of Deputy Chair of Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2029 Unit of Assessment Panel 12 (Engineering), was previously a member of EPSRC Council and Advance HE Athena Swan Governance Board and is currently the CSA member of ESRC Council.

She was President of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors 2015-2016 and her academic research, funded by industry and UKRI, has considered how complex systems bring people and technology together in the domains of transport, healthcare and manufacturing.

Sarah and her husband Craig are parents to two grown up children, and in her spare time, Sarah applies her passion for human-centred complex systems design to the hobbies of cooking and gardening.

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor, said: “As we develop our 2035 strategy, having Sarah join our leadership team is going to be a great asset to the University. The Faculty of Science and Engineering is critical to our ambition to be one of the world’s great universities by 2035, through research impact, innovation and modern, flexible teaching. I’m very much looking forward to working with her.”

Sarah will join the Faculty in mid-September. Professor Peter Green will be interim Vice-President and Dean in the intervening period.

The charity Versus Arthritis has awarded £3m to bring world-leading experts from five UK universities together to accelerate clinical epidemiology research, which will help answer pressing questions from those living with arthritis. 

Professor Kimme Hyrich, Director of The University of Manchester Centre for Musculoskeletal Research will co-lead the consortium with Professor Christian Mallen, Executive Dean and Professor of General Practice and Public Health at Keele University. 

Professor Hyrich, a leading clinical epidemiologist and consultant rheumatologist, highlights the advantages of team science in epidemiological research: “This award represents an exciting step-change in the way musculoskeletal epidemiology research is conducted in the UK, breaking down traditional research siloes and uniting minds, data and expertise to generate the evidence needed to support people living with arthritis and other painful musculoskeletal conditions."  

The new research consortium is part of the charity’s drive to harness ‘team science’ to better understand the causes and risk factors for arthritis and improve treatment options. Epidemiology – the study of how diseases occur in different people and why - is critical to designing better and targeted interventions using data.   

The consortium, made up of experts from the Universities of Manchester, Keele, Oxford, Nottingham and Aberdeen, aims to close five gaps in our understanding of the debilitating disease and related conditions. They will consider menopause in relation to musculoskeletal health, inequalities in access to care, risks of long-term pain medications and determine the optimum levels of monitoring for those receiving immune drugs.  The researchers will also aim to identify those at higher risk of chronic pain sooner, given painful musculoskeletal conditions often begin in childhood. This holds the potential to explore ways to prevent or reduce persistent pain.  

Lucy Donaldson, Director of Research at Versus Arthritis, said: “The Versus Arthritis Research Consortium: Musculoskeletal Epidemiology - Better lives, Safer journey is a major step forward in tackling the everyday realities faced by people living with arthritis and other painful musculoskeletal conditions.  

“This consortium will bring together leading researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience from across the UK in a team science approach. Their aim - to find real, practical solutions to the problems faced by people with arthritis.”  

The consortium will employ cutting edge analysis techniques on existing datasets to fill the identified gaps in our knowledge of arthritis and MSK conditions. Its findings will help to arm those living with arthritis to have informed conversations with clinicians about their care. It will also seek to improve clinical practice and policy around diagnosis, prevention and treatment.  

Professor Mallen, Keele University, said: "The new Versus Arthritis Research Consortium is an exciting new programme that will have a major impact on the lives of people living with painful conditions by uniting world-leading clinicians, academics, patients and policy makers.  

“It is a privilege to co-lead the consortium with Professor Hyrich and having strong representation from Keele University highlights the importance of primary care in improving outcomes for people living with arthritis and chronic musculoskeletal pain." 

The results will be shared through a broad range of partners including government, the NHS, clinicians and patient networks.  

More than 20 million people, of all ages, in the UK have problems with their joints, bones and muscles, which cause pain and impact all aspects of life including work and school.  

The Versus Arthritis Research Consortium: Musculoskeletal Epidemiology - Better lives, Safer journey is the first of six consortia to be announced by Versus Arthritis which is awarding £18 million of funding to this initiative over the next three years. 

The annual prize is one of the most prestigious museum awards in the world and 91ֱ�� Museum, part of The University of Manchester, is the first university museum to receive it, earning recognition for the way it balances globally-significant academic research with community engagement and social responsibility. 

Judges praised how 91ֱ�� Museum has ‘reimagined its mission, acknowledging and addressing its complex history by redefining the role of its collections and public programmes.’ Its approach to co-curation was cited as part of this, working with local and diasporic communities to bring new perspectives to collections and challenge traditional narratives. The South Asia Gallery, a British Museum partnership, is a key element of this, co-curated with 30 inspiring community members from across the South Asian diaspora, who were able to tell their own stories in their own words and on their own terms. 

91ֱ�� Museum was also praised for ‘thoughtful, informed, and impactful community engagement, creating a truly inclusive space where all individuals, regardless of identity or background, can see themselves reflected and represented.’ The 91ֱ�� Museum Celebrates programme of events, created in collaboration with charities, faith organisations and community activists, aims to build understanding between cultures, bringing people together to celebrate culturally-significant events such as Lunar New Year, Vaisakhi, Africa Day and Iftar. 

Meanwhile, the Museum’s Top Floor has been transformed into a social and environmental justice hub, creating a space for collaboration with charities and non-profit organisations helping Greater 91ֱ��’s communities take action on the issues they care about. It acts as the headquarters for Pinc College, a specialist creative education college for neurodivergent young people, aged 16 to 24. 

These initiatives are part of a wider, values-led transformation, underpinned by a £15 million redevelopment, which was completed in February 2023. 

Operated by the European Museum Forum (EMF), EMYA recognises new or redeveloped museums that showcase the best in excellence and innovation in their field. It aims to recognise museums that promote inter-cultural dialogue and community participation, demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, and show creative and imaginative approaches to the production of knowledge. 

Previous winners include Sámi Museum Siida in Northern Lapland, Finland, Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, Netherlands, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, The Design Museum in London, and Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. 

91ֱ�� Museum won the main prize in the face of competition from 41 other shortlisted museums from across the continent. The award was presented on Saturday 25 May, during the EMYA2025 Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony at the Sybir Memorial Museum in Białistok, Poland on 25 May 2025. 

Senior author Dr Ben Brown is a practicing GP and co-founder of Patchs, as well as a researcher at The University of Manchester. He said: “AI has the potential to reduce the heavier workload which is sometimes associated with eVisits in general practice.

“Despite the potential, AI tools are not yet routinely used in primary care. This study is the first to ask if this use of AI would be acceptable to staff and patients.”

Co-author Professor Niels Peek from The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute, University of Cambridge said: “This work aligns with the government’s strategy to address the high workload that the NHS is facing with technology.

“The study demonstrates that there exist opportunities to streamline NHS services with AI in a way that is meaningful for, and would be welcomed by, patients and staff.”

The conference on 29-30 May will bring together world experts in Dante studies, early print culture, and digital humanities. Attendees will explore groundbreaking interdisciplinary research, including the project’s pioneering use of artificial intelligence and computer vision to analyse page design and layout in early modern books - offering a new lens through which to view the evolution of print culture.

The JRRIL Dante Collection includes all but three of the known pre-1650 printed editions of the Divine Comedy, with highlights such as the very first Italian editions printed in 1472, richly illustrated editions from 1481 and 1487, and later translations in Spanish, French, English and Japanese. The collection also features 19th-century illustrations by Gustave Doré, and a giant hand-illuminated manuscript created in 1902.

The 91ֱ�� Digital Dante Library is hosted on 91ֱ�� Digital Collections, a state-of-the-art platform developed in partnership with Cambridge University Library and supported by the Research Lifecycle Project. It exemplifies a new model for digital scholarship, merging humanities research with advanced imaging techniques and setting a new standard for cultural heritage digitisation.

For more information on the conference, visit .

If you visit 91ֱ��, one of the first things you’ll notice is the great number of bee images throughout the city. Born in the Industrial Revolution, the “worker bee” symbol captured the city’s tireless spirit and its legacy as a buzzing hive of industry. Today, the symbol is more often associated with collective resilience and remembrance following the 91ֱ�� Arena attack on May 22 2017.

The bee became a of the “Mancunian spirit”, emerging almost instantly on murals, on bodies as tattoos and on public memorials. Over the last eight years, it has become a core part of Manchester’s identity.

As part of my ongoing PhD research, I set out to understand why the bee is everywhere in 91ֱ�� and what it means to people. I interviewed 24 Mancunians who were living in the city at the time of the attack, including some who were directly affected.

Conducted in 2023, seven years after the attack, these interviews aimed to capture how the symbol’s meaning had evolved as the city continued to process and commemorate the event.

For many, the bee still stands as a symbol of resilience, a reminder of how the city came together in the face of tragedy. But for others, its presence throughout 91ֱ�� has become more of a burden than a comfort.

Appearing on buses, shop windows and public spaces, it serves as a constant and eerie reminder of the events and aftermath of the attack. Eight of my interviewees described these as memories of “trauma”. Over time, what once felt comforting has become more unsettling.

Fifteen of my interviewees expressed discomfort with how the bee has become more commercialised in the years since the attack. Some described feelings of “exploitation”.

Both independent businesses and large companies have embraced the symbol, integrating it into their branding in public spaces. Many sell bee-themed gifts and souvenirs, such as .

91ֱ�� city council has played a key role in this commercialisation, promoting the image through various initiatives, including the Bee Network transport system and the Bee Cup – a reusable launched in 2023.

In June 2017, shortly after the attack, the council moved to trademark several versions of the bee as an official city symbol. This was made public in March 2018, after the period for .

Initially, the council allowed people and businesses to use the symbol for free, but later introduced a . Now, anyone wishing to use the of the bee must apply for permission from the council, and commercial use comes with a £500 fee. Businesses that want to use the bee are also asked to donate to charity.

The council described the trademarking of the bee symbol as a way to protect its use and support local good causes, such as the , which helps fund community projects and youth opportunities across the city.

But some of my participants noted that this transformed the bee from something personal and meaningful to something more corporate. In their view, it is as if the city itself is commodifying the attack rather than honouring it.

This can be viewed as an element of “dark tourism”, which involves visiting places where tragedy has been memorialised or commercialised. this manifests not through visits to the attack site but through the bee symbol, which has been commodified in murals, merchandise and public spaces. Tourists buy into collective grief through consumption, turning remembrance into a marketable experience and the bee as a managed and profitable commodity.

Some 91ֱ�� Arena bombing survivors I spoke to feel that their personal grief has been repackaged into a public identity, one that does not necessarily reflect the complexity of their experiences.

The use of the bee in products and souvenirs raises questions about how the city commercialises its identity, especially when considering the layered histories that the symbol carries.

Uncomfortable history

For some, the discomfort around 91ֱ��’s bee goes even . Today, the bee symbolises resilience and unity, but it originally represented hard work during 91ֱ��’s industrial boom.

This era wasn’t just about progress — it also involved especially through cotton by enslaved people in the Americas. 91ֱ��’s role in the industrial revolution would have never been possible without slavery.

My participants pointed out this hidden history, noticing that these stories rarely appear in 91ֱ��’s public commemorations in the city. The bee’s visibility today reveals how cities tend to highlight positive histories, while uncomfortable truths .

A painted window in 91ֱ��’s Victoria station. Ashley Collar

Focusing solely on resilience risks creating a simplified version of Manchester’s past. , overlooking how historical injustices, like the city’s links to the transatlantic slave trade, still shape their lives today.

This selective storytelling makes it harder for some communities to commemorate 91ֱ��’s identity. They can’t do so without acknowledging past legacies of slavery and the city’s history of division.

While some see the bee as a proud symbol of unity, others feel it erases their history. As the bee continues to dominate public spaces, 91ֱ�� faces an important challenge: making sure this symbol genuinely acknowledges the varied experiences and histories of all residents.

This might be through dedicated plaques or exhibits that explore some of these hidden histories, and the bee’s complex meaning. Only by confronting its past can the city ensure that commemoration includes everyone.

, PhD Candidate in Sociology at The University of Manchester and Associate Lecturer in Criminology at MMU
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

The Ideas With Impact Prize, which is supported by philanthropic donors to the University, aims to award £300,000 in its first funding round this summer. 

Scaling up support for founders 

Delivered by Unit M and the Innovation Factory, Ideas With Impact Prizes will provide individual awards of £100,000, £50,000, and £20,000 to entrepreneurs at the early stages of their founder journey. These awards will empower projects that address pressing local and global challenges, ensure 91ֱ��’s best technologies move out into the world more quickly, and create tangible economic growth.  

In addition to financial support, winners will receive access to experienced mentors, networking opportunities, and guidance in translating research into viable business ventures. 

Donors at the heart of our innovation ecosystem 

The Prize is the latest development in the University’s Ideas With Impact partners’ programme, which has previously provided £400,000 to early-stage research spinouts. Successful projects include the development of a home-testing kit for the early detection of lung cancer, as well as Plant Organelle Technologies – a new spinout developing targeted techniques to tackle drought and herbicide resistance in plants. By reaching a wider range of founders, the Prize launch will maximise the impact of gifts to the programme. 

Donors have already made a great difference to the University’s innovation ecosystem, and will play a vital role as we scale up our ambition to become Europe’s leading innovation university. Ideas With Impact is more than a funding initiative. It's a celebration of the partnership between philanthropists and the University in driving innovation-led growth. 

A call to budding founders and innovators 

Got a great idea with commercial promise? Applications are now open!   

Ideas With Impact is open to any student, staff member, or recent graduate (within three years of graduation) of The University of Manchester, who have the ambition to turn their research and ideas into enterprises that change lives. Key dates below: 

• 20 June 2025: Applications close. 
• 27 June 2025: Finalist announcement. 
• 14 July 2025: Finalist Pitching Competition and networking event. 

Learn more about the Ideas With Impact Prizes and the application process on the University’s  

Philanthropic Support 

Interested in supporting brilliant future founders and ensuring entrepreneurship for all? We’d love to explore opportunities with you. 

Contact Olympia Kennard to begin a conversation: Olympia.Kennard@manchester.ac.uk. 

Our innovation ecosystem 

• Read more about Unit M here:  
• Read more about the Innovation Factory here:   
• Read more about the Innovation Academy here:  

The PACE programme marks a major shift in how UK policing engages with science and evidence. The initiative will create a collaborative, nationwide research infrastructure that reflects policing’s Areas of Research Interest (ARIs) - from public protection to digital transformation. Each centre will act as a gateway to independent academic advice, helping forces to navigate complex issues and adopt effective, ethical strategies that serve diverse communities.

As the UK faces fast-changing demands on its police services, the launch of the PACE network signals a long-term commitment to smarter, safer, and more responsive policing - backed by the best that British academia has to offer. 

“This is about making sure policing decisions are grounded in the best available knowledge,” said Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, NPCC Chair. “It strengthens our commitment to evidence-based practice and shows our determination to be more transparent, accountable and effective.”

Stian Westlake, Executive Chair of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), said: “The Policing Academic Centres of Excellence will forge closer relationships between police forces and researchers, providing the police with data and evidence to make the justice system work better.

“By bringing experts in policing practice together with social scientists and data scientists across the country, the centres will provide knowledge and insights to drive service improvement. These centres of excellence demonstrate our commitment to reducing crime and making Britain a safer place.”

Inclusion of families is a key part of guidance to universities on conducting such reviews but the study found that in most cases it did not happen. Some families described feeling the university was defensive and reluctant to answer important and painful questions. 

The study found the commitment to suicide prevention in universities is strong. However, it recommends reviews are more responsive to families and proposes a “duty of candour” should be developed and adopted by the higher education sector. 

Most of the serious incident reviews identified potential stressors and experiences that could have contributed to suicide risk. Mental ill-health and academic problems including exam stresses were the most common factors. Around three-quarters of students had been in contact with university support services. Many had experienced adverse life events, including relationship problems, problems with housing, family relationships, their peers, or finance. 

The serious incident reports showed that 13% of the students, five female and five male, were reported to have been victims of violence, including sexual or physical assault, harassment or threats of violence. In three, the gender of the student was not reported. 

Over two-thirds (53, 67%) of the 79 reports of suspected suicide detailed how the university responded to the death, known as postvention.

Postvention to fellow students was documented in 32 (41%) of the 79 serious incident reports but just 7 (9%) said the student’s family received support. The figure was 14 (18%) for staff impacted by the death.

A total of 107 students at 73 English universities were suspected to have lost their lives to suicide in the 2023/2024 academic year. 62 incidents of non-fatal self-harm were also reported in the same period. Of the 169 cases, serious incident reports were submitted for 104 (62%) of them. And of the 104 reports, 79 (74%) were for suspected suicide and 25 (40%) for incidents of non-fatal self-harm.

, Director of the into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health at The University of Manchester, said: “A single life lost to suicide is an immeasurable tragedy. The main aim of this national review is to improve learning from these tragic incidents to help prevent future deaths. We found an excellent response from universities to this national review and, on such a sensitive issue, this is a welcome sign for prevention.

“However, the families we spoke to provided moving accounts of feeling excluded from the process of finding out what happened to their loved ones, and some had a perception the university was evasive and reluctant to answer important and painful questions.

“That is why input from bereaved families should be a key part of the serious incident investigation process, and their questions should be answered as far as possible.

“We suggest a version of the duty of candour should be introduced to the HE sector. This would have the aim of, ensuring openness and transparency with families after a suspected suicide. This should be developed and shaped by the sector itself to ensure it is appropriate to the HE setting.”

from The University of Manchester said: “Mental-ill health was frequently identified in the serious incident reports we examined, sometimes there were clear indications of risk through mental illness or self-harm, but other reports identified students who were experiencing less severe problems with mental well-being. We suggest mental health awareness and suicide prevention training should be available for all staff in student-facing roles, and include recognising and responding to risk and neurodiversity.

“And students who are struggling academically should be recognised as potentially at risk, with enhanced support being offered at key points in the academic calendar. Access to mental health and other support should also be reviewed, particularly for those at additional risk, such as those who have experienced violence or other adverse life events.”

• The study is published on the  DfE

“It’s rare to see a project where everyone - researchers, artists, students, and audiences - walks away changed,” says Helbig. “We’re not just making theatre. We’re co-creating new ways of thinking, feeling, and connecting across difference.”

Each play is infused with the distinctive voice of its creators - from poetic monologues to ensemble movement, to satire and sensory storytelling. Following the performance, audience members are invited to stay for a candid conversation with the creators, discussing the themes, the process, and what it means to tell stories across cultures.

In a time of global complexity and cultural tension, it offers a rare chance to pause, reflect and connect. It celebrates the diversity of lived experience and invites audiences to engage directly with the kinds of questions anthropology is uniquely positioned to ask. 

Tickets for the event can be purchased at . 

Tiny Human Dramas is part of an expanding vision - the team is currently developing a short documentary film about the creative process and exploring opportunities to take the project to national festivals, including the Edinburgh Fringe and the ESRC Festival of Social Science.

Building upon his 2024 book, , the unsettling history of role-playing in ‘constructed situations’ is explored through his commentary on the performative dynamic of the experiment and its wider societal implications. Students from the School of the Arts, Languages & Cultures also feature in the reenactments shown in the series. 

To mark the UK premiere, the , in partnership with , will be hosting an in-conversation event on Wednesday 4 June titled ‘’.&�Բ�����;

Professor Stephen Scott-Bottoms will be joined by from the , who is also among the expert commentators featured in the series, alongside , Director of the docuseries. An internationally recognised expert on social identity, collective behaviour, intergroup conflict, and leadership influence, Professor Stephen Reicher co-led the BBC’s partial reconstruction of the Stanford Prison study,  

The event will feature behind-the-scenes insights into the making of the series, a discussion on the enduring relevance of the Stanford study and a live audience Q&A. It is open to the public and promises a compelling dialogue on truth, myth, and morality in psychological research.

Register for

The documentary series, The Stanford Prison Experiment: Unlocking the Truth, is set to air on .

The treaty suspension reflects a growing regional trend: South Asian countries are increasingly treating water as a strategic asset rather than a shared resource amid rising mistrust, climate stress and geopolitical competition.

The region is home to nearly a quarter of the global population, and relies on huge transboundary rivers fed by Himalayan glaciers – the so-called of freshwater reserves. A breakdown in water diplomacy could trigger environmental collapse, humanitarian crises and geopolitical instability. The weaponisation of water must be urgently addressed as a global climate justice issue.

A flashpoint occurred in August 2024 when devastating floods affected in Bangladesh. Some Bangladeshi officials accused India of releasing excess water from a large dam upstream without warning. India , citing extreme rainfall and standard dam operations. Nevertheless, the incident reignited longstanding tensions between the two countries.

Complicating matters further is China recently approving the construction of the on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet, which becomes the Brahmaputra in India. This massive project has about China’s ability to exert control upstream, and the ecological risks for India and Bangladesh downstream.

China hasn’t signed formal water-sharing agreements with its neighbours, but its growing presence in regional water infrastructure signals a dramatic shift in south and east Asian hydro-politics.

Climate change is making things worse

Recent climatic trends are making transboundary rivers an increasing focus of geopolitical friction. These trends include accelerated , , and intensifying extreme weather.

While melting glaciers will temporarily boost the flow of rivers, the long-term prognosis is bleak. If emissions and warming trends continue, many glacier-fed rivers – including the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra – could see by the end of the century. This will directly affect hundreds of millions of people who depend on them.

The crisis is being intensified by changes in the Himalayas. The region is warming faster than the global average, with a shift from snowfall to rainfall that disrupts the timing and volume of water that flows down from the mountains to the fields and cities below.

At the same time, has pushed South Asia’s reserves of underground water toward collapse, threatening both food and water security.

A dangerous precedent

A collapse or suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty could set a dangerous precedent. Importantly, the threat is less about India cutting off water flows – an unlikely and technically challenging act – and more about the erosion of trust, transparency and data sharing.

One of the treaty’s most valuable features has been the routine sharing of data on things like water levels, river flow and dam operations. Pakistan needs this data to forecast floods and droughts, plan its irrigation, generate hydropower effectively and manage its drinking water, yet India is indicating it will no longer honour these obligations.

But India’s strained water relations are not limited to Pakistan. Bangladesh and Nepal have often felt sidelined or pressured in negotiations, and India’s indication that it may reconsider longstanding treaties raises concerns in both countries.

This is especially the case as the Ganges Water Treaty nears its 2026 expiration: the vast Ganges river flows through India and irrigates much of Bangladesh – and the treaty guarantees Bangladesh a minimum river flow.

Other key agreements, such as the and with Nepal, and the with Bangladesh, remain largely unimplemented, breeding mistrust. These failures undermine confidence in regional water diplomacy and cast doubt on India’s commitment to equitable cooperation.

None of this is helped by India, Pakistan and Bangladesh all continuing to rely on outdated irrigation methods that mean they use more water than necessary. As climate change intensifies floods, droughts and glacial melt, there is an urgent need to reform existing water treaties to reflect present-day climate, hydrological and geopolitical realities.

The Indus Waters Treaty, negotiated in the 1960s before the emergence of modern climate science, no longer accounts for these transformations. Indeed, most water treaties in the region remain rooted in technocratic, engineering-centric frameworks which fail to address extreme climate variability and its cascading impacts.

The upcoming expiration of the Ganges Water Treaty, and the pending negotiation of other basin agreements, present a critical opportunity to rethink water governance in South Asia.

Though the Indus flows through India before Pakistan, in other basins, India is downstream. This is the case with the Brahmaputra, where it demands upstream cooperation from China.

Undermining the Indus treaty could weaken India’s own position in future negotiations and strain its relations with Nepal and Bangladesh, while giving China more influence in South Asian hydro-politics. China is already expanding its footprint by offering billions in loans to Bangladesh and strengthening ties with Nepal, particularly around water infrastructure.

Weaponising water is a perilous strategy that may backfire. The weakening of water diplomacy in South Asia is not just a regional threat; it endangers global climate security.

In the face of escalating climate change impacts and recurring disasters, updating transboundary agreements like the Indus Waters Treaty, Ganga Water Treaty, and Kosi and Teesta accords is no longer optional – it is an urgent necessity with enormous consequences.

, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, Geography,
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

Taking place in 91ֱ�� - the birthplace of KTP - the event will mark the pinnacle of national 50^th year celebrations, bringing together the KTP community for a programme of guest speakers, workshops and seminars. 

Since their launch in 1975, the UK Government has funded over 14,000 groundbreaking KTPs, uniting top businesses with researchers and graduates to solve real-world challenges, adding billions to the UK economy.  From 2010 to 2020 alone, Innovate UK invested £200m in 2,000 projects, adding £2.3bn to the UK economy. 

The Innovate UK KTP Awards will showcase this year’s finalists, alongside the KTP Golden Awards - these special honours will highlight legacy projects, partnerships and people that have profoundly shaped the UK economically, socially and environmentally over the last five decades. Registration for the conference and awards is now open, with early bird pricing available until Monday 30 June 2025. 

Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation, Lord Vallance, said: “Knowledge Transfer Partnerships have long supported collaboration between our renowned universities, UK innovators and thriving businesses – from helping household brands to produce their goods more efficiently through to unleashing new discoveries that improve lives.  

“They also demonstrate the benefit of public investment, with ambitious, Innovate-UK-backed projects across the country having added billions of pounds to our economy in the previous decade alone. I look forward to these partnerships supporting the next generation of cutting-edge innovations.”  

KTPs are a UK-wide programme designed to foster innovation by linking businesses with academic institutions. With funding and support provided by Innovate UK, the scheme enables companies to access cutting-edge research and specialist knowledge to solve strategic challenges, develop new products and enhance their competitive edge. Greater 91ֱ�� was part of the original pilot of the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships scheme when it launched in 1975.  

In a joint statement, the Vice-Chancellors of the three host universities - the University of Salford, 91ֱ�� Metropolitan University and The University of Manchester - said: “Together, we are proud to be co-hosting the KTP 2025 Conference and Awards in the birthplace of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. For 50 years, KTPs have exemplified the power of collaboration between universities and industry - driving innovation, supporting economic growth and tackling real-world challenges.  

“This milestone celebration is not only a tribute to the enduring impact of the programme, but also a springboard for shaping the next era of research-driven partnerships that benefit society locally, nationally and globally.” 

Richard Lamb, KTP Programme Manager at Innovate UK, said: “Celebrating 50 years of the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships programme offers a valuable opportunity to recognise its enduring impact on UK innovation and economic resilience. By bridging academia and industry, KTP has extended vital opportunities to businesses and academic partners across the UK, reaching beyond London and the Southeast to drive innovation in fields ranging from STEM to the creative industries and pioneering areas like AI and quantum technology.  

“This collaborative model has not only boosted productivity and growth but has empowered organisations of all sizes to innovate and thrive on a local and national scale. This 50th anniversary is the perfect occasion to reflect on the impressive impact achieved through the programme and its lasting legacy.”  

The KTP 2025 Conference is aimed at KTP associates, practitioners, academics and funders, whilst the Awards will bring together business, associate, academic and practitioner teams behind the UK’s most transformative projects. 

Find out more about the conference and reserve your place:  

The  groundbreaking research, led by Dr Matthew J. Kibble, used a state-of-the-art 3D printing technique called bioprinting to replicate the complex structure and environment of human spinal discs. 

In a study published in the journal today, they reveal tissue stiffness and oxygen levels significantly impact the production of vital biological materials, including collagen and hyaluronic acid, by human disc cells. 

The insights could ultimately lead to new treatments for back pain, a condition affecting hundreds of millions of people across the world. 

Bioprinting is a cutting-edge technique that uses living cells and biological materials to create complex 3D structures that accurately mimic the structure of human organs. 

The new bioprinted discs will allow scientists to study how different conditions affect disc cell behaviour and contribute to tissue degeneration and back pain.

Most bioprinters work in a similar way to plastic 3D printers, extruding material through a nozzle under pressure to build structures.

However, rather than printing plastic, bioprinters use cells and gel-like inks made from cell-friendly materials such as collagen, cellulose or gelatin.

The scientists prepared the cells and materials needed for bioprinting and designed a digital model of a human spinal disc. For this study, the bioprinted discs were made from gels containing collagen combined with alginate, a protein derived from seaweed.

They used state-of-the-art 3D bioprinters capable of depositing multiple types of cells and materials, layer-by-layer, to create sophisticated models where the different biological, chemical, and mechanical characteristics of the human disc could be modelled.

The bioprinted tissues were then stored in controlled conditions so they could grow, mature, and develop their biological functions.

Dr Stephen M. Richardson, from The University of Manchester, corresponding author of the study said: “This work represents a step towards the automated creation of realistic whole organ models and brings us closer to understanding the root causes of disc degeneration.”

“Our findings provide important insights into the factors driving disc degeneration and pave the way for the development of more effective regenerative therapies, for example through incorporation of stem cells.”

Bioprinting has been used to fabricate models of different tissues including skin, brain, nerve and heart, kidney and tumour.

However, fully functional tissue engineered organs are still  decades away; current models are mostly used for investigating biological processes in the lab but may act as replacements for lab animals.

As part of his PhD research at The University of Manchester, Dr Kibble developed the bioprinted discs to explore the impact of tissue stiffness on the two cell types that inhabit different parts of the adult spinal discs:  nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus cells.

In future disc models the scientists plan to incorporate cells found in healthy, young developing discs, alongside stem cells or gene-edited cells to create even more advanced models of health and disease. This will enable them to understand how healthy tissue is formed and whether stem cells can be used to produce healthy tissue and treat back pain.

Dr Kibble said: “Over 600 million people worldwide suffer from lower back pain. Our bioprinted intervertebral disc models are an exciting opportunity to inform better regenerative therapies.

Our research has shown that tissue stiffness and oxygen levels have a significant impact the production of vital biological materials.

There have been many attempts to engineer discs so that we can understand their biology and develop models for testing different therapies or transplanting them into animals. But as well as being very difficult to do, this is also extremely time consuming.

Our work allows us to produce biologically functional disc models at scale and will allow us to make desperately needed advances in our understanding  of disc disease.”

The study was funded by the UKRI EPSRC/MRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Regenerative Medicine, the Wellcome Institutional Strategic Support Fund, and the Medical Research Council.

The authors also acknowledge the support of the national Henry Royce Institute EPSRC grants and the Bioprinting Technology Platform.

A video of the bioprinted in action is available, as are images of the bioprinted discs, and graphics.

The paper,  Suspension bioprinted whole intervertebral disc analogues enable regional stiffness- and hypoxia-regulated matrix secretion by primary human nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus cells is published in Acta Biomaterialia and is available.

The University of Manchester is globally renowned for its pioneering research, outstanding teaching and learning, and commitment to social responsibility. We are a truly international university – ranking in the top 50 in a range of global rankings – with a diverse community of more than 44,000 students, 12,000 staff and 550,000 alumni from 190 countries.  Sign up for our e-news to hear first-hand about our international partnerships and activities across the globe. 

In a Wellcome funded study published today (01/05/25) in Science - one of the world’s leading scientific journals – the researchers challenge conventional wisdom taught in schools for over 100 years.

Students are currently taught that during cell division, a ‘parent’ cell will become spherical before splitting into two ‘daughter’ cells of equal size and shape.

However, the study reveals that cell rounding is not a universal feature of cell division and is not how it often works in the body.

Dividing cells, they show, often don’t round up into sphere-like shapes. This lack of rounding breaks the symmetry of division to generate two daughter cells that differ from each other in both size and function, known as asymmetric division.

Asymmetric divisions are an important way that the different types of cells in the body are generated, to make different tissues and organs.

Until now, asymmetric cell division has predominantly only been associated with highly specialised cells, known as stem cells.

The scientists found that it is the shape of a parent cell before it even divides that can determine if they will round or not in division and determines how symmetric, or not, its daughter cells are going to be.

Cells which are shorter and wider in shape tend to round up and divide into two cells which are similar to each other.  However, cells which are longer and thinner don’t round up and divide asymmetrically, so that one

daughter is different to the other.

The findings could have far reaching implications on our understanding of the role of cell division in disease. For example, in the context of cancer cells, this type of ‘non-round’, asymmetric division could generate different cell behaviours known to promote cancer progression through metastasis.

Harnessing this information could also impact regenerative medicine, enabling us to better manufacture the cell types needed to regenerate damaged tissues and organs.

Scientists may one day be able to influence the function of daughter cells by simply manipulating their parental cell shape.

Co-lead author Dr Shane Herbert, a senior research fellow at The University of Manchester said: “The phenomenon of mitosis - or cell division - is one of the fundamentals of life and a basic biological concept which is taught from school age.

“Students learn that when a cell divides, it will generate a uniform spherical shape. Our study, however, shows that in real living organisms, it is not as simple as that.

“Our research suggests that the shape of the cell before it divides can fundamentally direct whether a cell rounds, and importantly, if its daughters are symmetric or asymmetric both in size and function.”

The scientists used real time imaging to study the formation of blood vessels in 1-day old transparent zebrafish embryos.

Growing blood vessels and other tissues are made of strands of collectively migrating cells.

Each new vessel is led by a special fast-moving cell at the front with slower cells following behind.

When the fast moving “tip” cell divided, the study showed, it didn’t “round-up” as expected. In doing so it was able to divide asymmetrically and generate the new fast “tip” cell at the front and a slower following cell behind it.

Co-lead author Dr Holly Lovegrove, a lecturer at The University of Manchester said: “Using transparent 1-day old zebrafish embryos allows us to study a dynamic process like cell division inside a living organism.

“We are therefore able to make movies of this fundamental cell behaviour and in doing so reveal exciting new aspects of how tissues grow.”

The team also used a technique using human cells called micropatterning.

Co-First author Dr Georgia Hulmes, a Postdoctoral Research Associate at The University of Manchester said: “Micropatterning allows us to generate specifically shaped microscopic patches of proteins that cells can stick to.

“The cells will then take the shape of the patch. This therefore allows us to change the shape of the cells and test how these shapes impact on the subsequent cell division.”

The micropatterning system used by the scientists is called PRIMO by Alvéole. This system allowed the scientists  to manipulate cells into different shapes at tiny resolutions of less than a tenth of the width of a human hair. A UV laser is used to burn specific shapes onto a non-sticky surface. Cells are then seeded onto the surface and will only be able to stick down in areas where the UV laser has printed a shape. The cells then spread out into the laser patterned shape and this allowed the scientists to create the precise shape of cell they desire.

• Video shows cells with membrane and nucleus labelled undergoing division, copyright University of Manchester
• The paper Interphase cell morphology defines the mode, symmetry, and outcome of mitosis, is published in Science.

The University of Manchester is globally renowned for its pioneering research, outstanding teaching and learning, and commitment to social responsibility. We are a truly international university – ranking in the top 50 in a range of global rankings – with a diverse community of more than 44,000 students, 12,000 staff and 550,000 alumni from 190 countries.  Sign up for our e-news to hear first-hand about our international partnerships and activities across the globe. 

Key Findings

• Contrary to common belief, and consistent with other recent large-scale studies, loneliness decreases with age. 29% of Gen Z feel lonely compared to 14% of Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation. Yet, most interventions still focus on the elderly — highlighting a gap for products, services, and workplace cultures that prioritise belonging amongst young people.
• Perhaps surprisingly, more than 50% of people find positive alone time a helpful way of overcoming loneliness — revealing a powerful opportunity for businesses to design environments, products, and experiences that support solitude, not just social interaction.
• 14% of people who completed the survey say they have nowhere to go when they feel lonely, but want to connect with others — a clear opportunity for businesses to create connection-friendly spaces in places such as cafés, retail stores, and offices.
• 60% report experiencing ‘relational’ or ‘collective’ loneliness, not just ‘intimate’ loneliness — opening the door for brands to design experiences that foster everyday social connection.
• People not belonging to a group are 1.6x more likely to feel lonely — giving businesses a chance to build community through memberships, loyalty programs, and shared identity experiences.
• Dissatisfaction with income doubles the likelihood of loneliness, regardless of actual earnings — suggesting companies can drive loyalty and retention among their workforce by improving perceived financial well-being, not just financial status.

The report launch invites purpose-driven business leaders to join the Business vs. Loneliness change platform, working together with public and non-profit partners to help create a more connected world through business.

To access the report and for more information, visit . 

For over 30 years Professor Itzhaki, professorial fellow emerita, University of Manchester and visiting professorial fellow, University of Oxford, has pursued the idea that HSV1, the herpes virus that causes cold sores, is a precursor to the development of AD. 

The 2025 STATUS List features 50 influential people shaping the future of health and life sciences across biotech, medicine, health care, policy, and health tech. 

The list is wide-ranging: from the biotech and health system executives who lead the market, to scientists developing AI technologies and breakthrough therapies, to patient advocates and activists.  

At  the University of Manchester, Professor Itzhaki’s team discovered that HSV-1 DNA is present in the human brain in a high proportion of older people - the first microbe to be detected definitively in normal human brains.

The researchers later indicated that the virus when in the brain, in combination with a specific genetic factor, confers a high risk of developing AD.

She recently co-authored a that suggested that repeated head injuries could reawaken dormant HSV1 virus in the brain, triggering the onset of the disease.

The research team found that even mild brain trauma can trigger this chain reaction, leading to harmful changes associated with memory loss and cognitive decline.

The idea is winning purchase as the “amyloid hypothesis” — which proposes that Alzheimer’s is caused by a protein buildup in the brain — loosens its grip on the scientific community.

The researchers hope their work will pave the way for new treatments to protect against neurodegeneration, particularly for those at high risk due to repeated concussions.

Professor Itzhaki said: “I am delighted to be included in this year’s STATUS list. It is a great honour and a recognition that my work is finally being accepted by the scientific community.

“Most people now accept that dormant Herpes Simplex Virus in the brain  can become reactivated and in so doing can trigger the symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease.”

“The other circumstance for unwanted behaviour was while they were working in their first part-time job as a teenager, with adult male customers making sexual or otherwise inappropriate comments to them while they were working. A young girl working her first job probably isn’t going to feel able to challenge this behaviour or speak to someone about it.”

Ms McFalone also carried out interviews with affected women. One told her she was 13 years old when she first was “cat-called in a school uniform” by “fully grown men.” Another said: “I worked for a pizza place as my first job – surprisingly the worst sort of male attention I got, which was borderline illegal, was when I was 15.”

The researchers suggest that policymakers should increase funding so that deprivation is taken into account as a factor in general practice funding to address income disparities between GPs in more deprived and less deprived areas.

Published in the today (22/04/25) and funded by the , the researchers analysed data from over 8,500 GPs between 2015 and 2021 in the GP work life

They looked at the relationship between deprivation of practice population and job pressures, job satisfaction, reported income, working hours, and intentions to leave direct patient care.

The lead researcher is , an NIHR Clinical Lecturer at The University of Manchester and practicing GP.

He said: “This study shows how the socioeconomic deprivation of practice populations in England is adversely linked to the working conditions of the GPs that work there.

“We highlight a clear and persistent challenge in ensuring equitable healthcare provision.

“Without targeted investment and policy interventions, the difficulties faced by GPs in deprived areas will only continue to worsen, exacerbating health inequalities.”

Key Findings also included:

• GPs in the most deprived areas earn less than those in wealthier areas with an average difference of £5,525 less per year.
• Despite higher job pressures, there were no differences in overall job satisfaction, hours worked per week, or intentions to leave patient care between GPs working in more deprived and less deprived areas.

from The University of Manchester, senior author of the study, added: “Though deprived populations have higher needs for GP services, we know these areas have the most difficulty recruiting and retaining GPs.

“Our study is the first to examine how working in deprived areas affects the working lives of GPs. Addressing their concerns about increased job pressure and decreased resources would help reduce health inequalities.”

According to the researchers, the findings explain why working in areas of greater deprivation is less attractive to GPs, exacerbating workforce recruitment and retention issues.

Dr Anderson added: “Alongside financial incentives, non-financial incentives such as enhanced career development opportunities including fellowships that incorporate time for additional training, research, and leadership responsibilities could be a useful lever to promote GP recruitment and retention in areas of greater deprivation”.

“We also think it’s important to acknowledge we find no differences in hours worked per week, job satisfaction, and intention to quit direct patient care in more deprived and less deprived areas.

“Despite the challenges experienced by GPs working in areas of greater deprivation, this suggests that there are many rewarding aspects of working in areas of greater deprivation.  A broader recognition by the GP community of the potential advantages of working in areas of greater deprivation would therefore be helpful to promote recruitment and retention.”

This article reports the findings from independent research commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care and carried out by the Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Systems and Commissioning (PRUComm). The research was conducted by the Health Organisation, Policy, and Economics (HOPE) group within the Centre for Primary Care & Health Services Research at The University of Manchester. The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Policy Research Programme. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Policy Research Programme, NIHR, or the Department of Health and Social Care

• Deprivation and General Practitioners’ working lives: Repeated cross-sectional study is published in the  Journal of the , DOI: JRSM-24-0273.R2 and is available here.

#BeeWell is a youth-centred programme led by The University of Manchester, The Gregson Family Foundation and Anna Freud. The #BeeWell survey listens to the voices of thousands of young people in secondary schools every year to understand and improve their wellbeing.

China recently of the world’s largest hydropower dam, across the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet. When fully up and running, it will be the world’s largest power plant – by some distance.

Yet many are worried the dam will displace local people and cause huge environmental disruption. This is particularly the case in the downstream nations of India and Bangladesh, where that same river is known as the Brahmaputra.

The proposed dam highlights some of the geopolitical issues raised by rivers that cross international borders. Who owns the river itself, and who has the right to use its water? Do countries have obligations not to pollute shared rivers, or to keep their shipping lanes open? And when a drop of rain falls on a mountain, do farmers in a different country thousands of miles downstream have a claim to use it? Ultimately, we still don’t know enough about these questions of river rights and ownership to settle disputes easily.

The Yarlung Tsangpo begins on the Tibetan Plateau, in a region sometimes referred to as the world’s third pole as its glaciers contain the largest stores of ice outside of the Arctic and Antarctica. A series of huge rivers tumble down from the plateau and spread across south and south-east Asia. Well over a billion people depend on them, from Pakistan to Vietnam.

Yet the region is already under immense stress as global warming melts glaciers and changes rainfall patterns. Reduced water flow in the dry season, coupled with sudden releases of water during monsoons, could intensify both water scarcity and flooding, endangering millions in India and Bangladesh.

The construction of has historically disrupted river flows, displaced people, destroyed fragile ecosystems and increased risks of floods. The Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Dam will likely be no exception.

The dam will sit along the tectonic boundary where the Indian and Eurasian plates converge to form the Himalayas. This makes the region particularly vulnerable to earthquakes, , and .

Downstream, the Brahmaputra is one of south Asia’s mightiest rivers and has been integral to human civilisation for thousands of years. It’s one of the world’s most sediment-rich rivers, which helps form a huge and fertile delta.

Yet a dam of this scale would trap massive amounts of sediment upstream, disrupting its flow downstream. This could make farming less productive, threatening food security in one of the world’s most densely populated regions.

The Sundarbans mangrove forest, a Unesco World Heritage Site that stretches across most of coastal Bangladesh and a portion of India, is particularly vulnerable. Any disruption to the balance of sediment could accelerate coastal erosion and make the already low lying area more vulnerable to sea-level rise.

The Brahmaputra eventually flows into a region of fertile fields and mangrove forests. Sk Hasan Ali / shutterstock

Unfortunately, despite the transboundary nature of the Brahmaputra, there is no comprehensive treaty governing it. This lack of formal agreements complicates efforts to ensure China, India and Bangladesh share the water equitably and work together to prepare for disasters.

These sorts of agreements are perfectly possible: 14 countries plus the European Union are parties to a , for instance. But the Brahmaputra is not alone. Many transboundary rivers in the global south face similar neglect and inadequate research.

Researching rivers

In our recent study, colleagues and I analysed . We wanted to assess how much academic research there was on each, what themes it focused on, and how that varied depending on the type of river. We found that, while large rivers in the global north receive considerable academic attention, many equally important rivers in the global south remain overlooked.

What research there is in the global south is predominantly led by institutions from the global north. This dynamic influences research themes and locations, often sidelining the most pressing local issues. We found that research in the global north tends to focus on technical aspects of river management and governance, whereas studies in the global south primarily examine conflicts and resource competition.

In Asia, research is concentrated on large, geopolitically significant basins like the Mekong and Indus. Smaller rivers where water crises are most acute are often neglected. Something similar is happening in Africa, where studies focus on climate change and water-sharing disputes, yet a lack of infrastructure limits broader research efforts.

Small and medium-sized river basins, critical to millions of people in the global south, are among the most neglected in research. This oversight has serious real-world consequences. We still don’t know enough about water scarcity, pollution, and climate change impacts in these regions, which makes it harder to develop effective governance and threatens the livelihoods of everyone who depends on these rivers.

A more inclusive approach to research will ensure the sustainable management of transboundary rivers, safeguarding these vital resources for future generations.

, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, Geography,
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

Funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the study on mice shows that the brain’s hypothalamus controls how the immune system adapts during fasting, through a handful of highly specialized neurons responsible for making animals hungry.

Published today (04/04/25) in —one of the world’s leading immunology journals—the study shows the brain’s perception of hunger or fullness, rather than actual eating or caloric restriction, is enough to drive changes in the body’s immune cells.

The findings cast doubt on the current view that a lack of nutrients alone controls how the immune system responds to fasting, indicating the brain has a critical role, beyond the simple absence of food.

By artificially switching on specific brain neurons in mice—which typically signal low energy levels—scientists induced a synthetic sense of hunger. Remarkably, within hours, they saw a fast reorganization of immune cells in the blood, with a noticeable drop in inflammatory monocytes. These artificially hungry mice looked, from an immune perspective, just like mice that had fasted for real.

This discovery could have important implications for developing new therapies to treat a range of inflammatory diseases as well as for treating wasting syndromes seen in cancer, in which individuals lose weight despite eating normally.

It may also explain why obesity often accompanies inflammatory conditions and why malnourished individuals are more prone to infections and inflammation.

The lead senior researcher, Dr Giuseppe D’Agostino, who coordinated the study, said: “Our perceptions can shape our bodies in ways we don’t always notice. It’s easy to see how thoughts guide our actions, but this study reminds us that even our internal body adjustments that are not under conscious control respond to the brain’s signals.

“This study underlines how important the brain is in regulating the immune system. But if internal or external factors alter the brain’s perception, these processes can go awry, reminding us how deeply the mind and body are—and should remain—connected.

"In addition to BBSRC who funded the work, we are grateful to the Medical Research Council for providing early-stage seed funding that helped the lab explore completely novel areas — a small but truly visionary contribution that still resonates today."

Collaborator and 91ֱ�� immunologist Professor Matt Hepworth added: “This work challenges the long-standing view that fasting’s immunological impact is driven purely by nutrient levels. It highlights the nervous system’s profound influence on how the immune system adapts during fasting.”

Lead author Dr Cavalcanti de Albuquerque said: “By showing how the brain exerts top-down control over immune cells, we can further explore when and how fasting might deliver health benefits. It also opens up potential ways to treat infectious, inflammatory, metabolic, and psychiatric conditions.”

The paper Brain Sensing of Metabolic State Regulates Circulating Monocytes   is available

Ali Oliver MBE, Chief Executive at Youth Sports Trust said:  
 
"At the Youth Sport Trust, we know a child's wellbeing is the foundation for their success, both in and out of the classroom, and physical activity including PE, sport and play is vital to their physical, social, and emotional development. When children are healthy and happy, they are ready to learn. It’s encouraging to see through these results more parents are recognising the critical link between wellbeing and academic and personal development, with many now prioritising it when choosing a secondary school. We believe measuring wellbeing can help track progress as well as ensuring support is targeted towards those with the greatest needs. 

“Through our development of the Well School and Well School Trust movement, a growing collection of schools and trusts taking positive action to improve education outcomes by supporting the health and happiness of their staff and pupils, we are committed to helping make this a reality. In June, we’re introducing a free Well check service for schools which will help parents easily identify schools committed to nurturing wellbeing, while also supporting schools in creating environments where every young person can thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally."  

Ben Levinson OBE, executive headteacher at Kensington Primary School and chair of the Well school collective, said:

"As a parent, headteacher and chair of the Well School Collective, I have always been a strong advocate for prioritising children's wellbeing within schools. Supporting positive mental and physical health has been at the heart of my approach at Kensington Primary School, and I’m proud to say that this focus has played a key role in our Outstanding Ofsted grade. By establishing strong wellbeing practices in primary schools, we help parents see the importance of continuing this focus as they look ahead to secondary education. Wellbeing and school excellence are not competing priorities; they are complementary, essential elements that drive success. That is why it’s so encouraging to see more parents recognising this; when we support wellbeing, we’re creating the conditions for every young person to flourish, and it’s vital that schools and parents work together to make this a priority." 

The experts also say that investing in wellbeing is not just a moral imperative - it also makes economic sense. They point to research from  which highlights the substantial financial benefits of prioritising wellbeing, estimating that tackling low wellbeing among young people could deliver billions  
 
To find out more about the national wellbeing measurement programme campaign, visit .  

“Through her work, Jackie has foregrounded disability inclusion, ensuring that disabled staff and students have a voice in shaping a more inclusive culture,” said Vicki Baars, Head of Culture Transformation at Culture Shift. “She truly leads by example and lives the principle of ‘Nothing about us without us’ -  her work remains a vital force for creating lasting change at the university.”

Also named as a Fellow is Professor Toni Haastrup, a leading expert in feminist international studies. Her work has explored contemporary Africa-EU relations, feminist foreign policy and the Women, Peace and Security agenda. With over 80 published works, her work seeks to bridge theory and practice, which has led to collaborations with UN agencies and EU institutions. Passionate about inclusion in the sector, Toni is currently chair of the . Her contribution to feminist knowledge in Europe was recognised with an Emma Goldman Award in 2022. She is also a mid-career fellow of the Independent Social Research Foundation.

“I am deeply honoured to be recognised by the Academy of Social Sciences,” Toni said. “This recognition further validates the importance of feminist perspectives within the humanities and social sciences, at a time we are increasingly seeing a backlash within and outside the academy. Yet, this work is essential to addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time, and I am grateful to the colleagues and collaborators who have supported my work over the years.”

Our final new Fellow is Professor Sophie Woodward, a distinguished sociologist who carries out research into material culture, consumption and everyday life. Sophie is the author of several books including Why Women Wear What They Wear (2007), Blue Jeans: The Art of the Ordinary (2012), Birth and Death: experience, ethics and politics (2020) and Material Methods: Researching and Thinking with Things (2019) who co-directs the , as well as serving as Vice-Director of the National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM). She is also one of the founding editors of the new Journal of Creative Research methods. 

“I am delighted to be made a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences - it is wonderful to receive recognition like this,” said Sophie. “I look forward to working with other fellows at a time when the world needs social science methods, perspectives and critiques more than ever. I look forward to continuing to develop critical engagements with methods and the data they can generate and my research into everyday lives.”

“I’m delighted to welcome these outstanding social scientists to the Academy’s Fellowship, whose research and practice are helping to develop solutions to pressing societal issues,” said Will Hutton, President of the Academy. “We look forward to working with them to further promote the vital role the social sciences play in all areas of our lives.”

The scientists also found slightly less, but still significant levels of microplastics in other organs of both male and female turtles, including the heart, kidney, liver and spleen, as well as skeletal muscle, subcutaneous fat, stomach and intestines.

They studied the bodies of 10 stranded loggerhead sea turtles, recovered by the Oceanogràfic Foundation of Valencia, that suffered drowning and exhaustion when they were accidently caught up in commercial fishing nets. 

The findings, published in the journal , could spell disaster for the majestic creatures already found in declining numbers in the world’s oceans.

It is the first study to show that microplastics from the gut can translocate in sea turtles, opening up the possibility of different organs  especially the reproductive system -  being directly affected.

The scientists believe microplastics may also lead to systemic inflammation  in the animals.

The largest median particle size  of around 25 microns was found in the intestines and fat, and the smallest median particle size  - of around 15 microns was found in the stomach and reproductive organs.

Lead author Leah Costello, a PhD researcher from The University of Manchester was funded under a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Doctoral Training Studentship. 

She said: “Microplastics are a pervasive marine environmental pollutant, on a par with other global threats such as climate change and ozone depletion. 

“Our study is the first to show direct evidence of the presence of microplastics in the reproductive and other organs of loggerhead sea turtles.

“Sea turtles already face many pressures from human activity and although we have been aware that they ingest plastic throughout their range, the finding of microplastics in almost every tissue sample was quite shocking.

“These findings show that even seemingly healthy individuals could be under physiological stress, impacting the reproductive success of vulnerable and recovering populations.”

Foreign microparticles were identified in 98.8% of all samples, of which around 70% were  microplastics. 

Analysis revealed that polypropylene, polyester fibres, and polyethylene were the most common microparticle types. 

Polypropylene is used in include food packaging, clothing, bottle caps, ropes, personal care products, fishing gear and twine. 

Loggerhead turtles are regularly reported to ingest plastic bags  - made from polyethylene -  who misidentify them as  jellyfish and algae. 

Polyester is another dominant microfiber releasing large numbers of microfibres into the oceans and seas. 

And further analysis provided direct visualisation of cotton microfibres embedded in loggerhead heart tissue.

 Three million tonnes of primary microplastics are released into environment every year, with a further 5.3 million tonnes of larger plastic items that can degrade into secondary microplastics over time.

Because plastics can remain in the gut for up to four months in sea turtles, the scientists speculate that microplastics can cross biological barriers from the gut to organs via the circulatory system contributing to a suite of adverse biological effects.

Co-author Professor Holly Shiels from the University of Manchester  added: “Microplastic accumulation is likely to be associated with organ damage and toxicity in these incredible marine reptiles that can live for 70 years.

“Of particular concern is the impact on reproduction, with implications on growth, development and viability of offspring which could spell trouble for the stability of these already vulnerable sea turtle populations. 

“However, further studies are required to more broadly assess the biological and health impacts of microplastic on sea turtle reproduction.”

• Images: fibre lodged in sea turtle heart; microplastics found in the turtles; drawing of sea turtle by Eve Boswell 
• Microplastics accumulate in all major organs of the Mediterranean loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is published in Marine Environmental Research  

According to their study published today (25/03/25), satisfaction levels were lower in practices that rely more both on telephone appointments and consultations with non-GP staff.

Advanced nurse practitioners, physician associates, practice-based pharmacists and even paramedics, are among the roles who over the past few years have increasingly worked in place of GPs.

The study also theorises that patient satisfaction could increase by 1% when 10 additional face to face GP appointments per 1000 patients per month are added.

The findings are released amid recent changes to Government policy which aims to place more emphasis on non-GP roles to fill gaps in primary care provision.

However, critics of the policy argue that the new roles can be a cheap substitute which blur the lines between doctors and non-doctors.

The study is the first to use national appointment data to investigate the complex relationships between patient satisfaction, access, preference for a specific GP, and support for managing long-term conditions against appointment volume, modality (telephone or face-to-face), and practitioner type.

The data set of over half a million English patients from 5,500 practices was taken from the General Practice Patient Survey (GPPS) and  NHS Digital's practice level appointment data, covering August 2022 to March 2023.

The study found that 69.5% of appointments were face-to-face and 27.2% were on the telephone. Only 29.6% of appointments were face-to-face with a GP and 18.4% were GP telephone appointments.

The researchers also found that practices with a larger amount of telephone consultations had less satisfied patients. This dissatisfaction was still present and decreased only slightly when telephone calls were carried out by GPs, rather than non-GP staff.

The  correlation coefficient between face-to-face appointments and overall satisfaction was 0.096, showing that  practices with a greater percentage of face-to-face appointments were  more likely to have patients with higher overall satisfaction.

However the figure for GP face-to-face appointments was 0.167 showing that GP face-to-face appointments have an even stronger correlation.

The study also found that:

• Practices offering more on the day appointments had reduced satisfaction with access compared to practices that offered appointments days or weeks in advance.
• Greater numbers of appointments of any type with any staff member overall resulted in improved patients satisfaction.
• Greater numbers of GP appointments at a practice were associated with reduced unmet health needs.

Dr Patrick Burch is an academic clinical lecturer at The University of Manchester and a practising GP.

He said: “This study of appointments from over 5,500 practices showed that more appointments, particularly with face-to-face with GPs, tended to be associated with more satisfied patients who were better able to meet their health needs.

“While telephone and IT assisted appointments have an important role to play in general practice, we would cautiously welcome an overall increase in the proportion of face-to-face consultations.

“Until recently, simply employing more GPs was not seen as feasible. However, given six out of 10 job-seeking GPs have to find a vacancy to apply for over the past year, this may now be a potential option.

“We would also welcome measures that free up GP time to enable more patient appointments.”

He added: “A greater proportion of telephone appointments were associated with decreased satisfaction in general, especially when provided by non-doctor roles.

“Non-GP clinicians employed in primary care since 2019 has increased by 21,600 full time equivalent staff members.

“As primary care funding has not gone up significantly, arguably this cash is now being used to pay other less expensive clinicians rather than GPs.

“The reasons for the findings behind this study are likely to be complex, but there is undoubtedly an important role for non-GP clinicians in primary care.

“Patient satisfaction is not the only measure of success in general practice but it is important that policy makers take note of the link between patient satisfaction and numbers of appointments with GPs.”

In the paper, appointments were only divided into GP or non-GP, with no other categories used. As a proportion, if one goes up, the other goes down.

The paper What is the relationship between the volume and type of appointments in general practice and patient experience? An observational study of general practice in England is published in the British Journal of General Practice . DOI:

To secure the future of bus services, the expert panel has put forward a series of recommendations including investment in more frequent and reliable buses, long-term funding settlements, a new statutory requirement to provide socially necessary services and continued support for affordable fares.

The panel urged the Transport Select Committee to ensure their report to the Government includes a focus on the ‘four As’ - Availability, Accessibility, Affordability, and Acceptability. Without addressing these key issues, they point out that millions of people will continue to face transport-related exclusion.

“Buses are an essential public service, yet too many communities are cut off from the bus network - this needs to change,” said Silviya Barrett from Campaign for Better Transport. “The Government must identify gaps in the current network, provide targeted funding to plug those gaps and introduce of a ‘bus service guarantee’ to ensure all communities have access to a good, affordable and reliable bus service in the future.”

“There is an urgent need for reform,” added Professor Lucas. “If the Government takes action now, we can create a sustainable, well-connected bus network that benefits communities, the economy, and public health.”

The application sets out detailed proposals relating to the appearance, landscaping, layout and scale of the scheme, which covers Owens Park, Oak House and Woolton Hall.

It builds on the Outline Planning Permission granted in January 2024.  

The application will now be evaluated by 91ֱ�� City Council’s planning department.

A five-week consultation and engagement exercise was completed throughout December 2024 and early January 2025 to ensure the views of the local community informed the proposals.

The ambitious redevelopment plans include the creation of 3,300 modern, high-quality student bedspaces, along with dedicated amenity space, ancillary residential dwellings and greenspaces. Five distinct neighbourhoods that celebrate local history and character, and a central hub as an anchor and heart of the campus, are features of the scheme.

Commenting on the submission of the Reserved Matters Planning Application, Dr Simon Merrywest, Director for the Student Experience, University of Manchester, said: “This is an important milestone in realising our vision for the Fallowfield Campus. The plans and proposals within the Reserved Matters Application reinforce our commitment to providing new and returning students with modern, high-quality accommodation, and will help us to meet the future needs of our student population.”

The project is being delivered by the Viridis Consortium - a partnership consisting of GRAHAM, Equitix and Derwent FM.

The demolition of the Owens Park Tower and surrounding buildings is ongoing.

Enabling works are progressing in preparation for the main construction programme, which will commence in 2026. The phased handover of buildings will allow students to move into their new homes at different points from 2027 through to 2030.

GRAHAM has led the planning process in collaboration with the University of Manchester, architects, Sheppard Robson, and planning consultants, Deloitte.

Neil McFarlane, GRAHAM Project Director for the Fallowfield Campus, said: “The planning submission is a further important milestone for the Fallowfield Campus project. It is the culmination of months of challenging work and an intensive programme of engagement with the University, staff, students and the local community. We believe the submitted plans will create an exemplar sustainable campus that will enhance the experience of the University’s next generation of students.”

Sustainable design and construction are embedded within the proposals. The development will be one of the largest Passivhaus developments in the world – meaning the buildings will use less energy, promote good indoor air quality and maintain comfortable temperatures year-round.

The development is also targeting BREEAM Excellent certification, a further independent sustainability assessment. The preservation of the mature landscape and enhanced green spaces are embedded within the plans.

Natalia Maximova, Associate Partner at Sheppard Robson Architects, who has managed the design process, said: “Our designs are inspired by the site's layers of history and its unique character, providing high-quality student homes and amenities in a rich parkland setting. The proposals rebuild the student community at Fallowfield and create a new generation of sustainable student homes."

Tristan Meredith, Equitix Development Director, added: “Equitix is committed to delivering best in class solutions with a core focus on sustainability. The submitted plans demonstrate our commitment to sustainable development while providing a world-class living experience for the University of Manchester’s future students.”

For more information on the Fallowfield Campus redevelopment, please visit: /about/governance/corporate-documents/campus-masterplan/fallowfield-consultation 

As the honorary chair of creative writing, Lemn will joined by fellow judges John McAuliffe, Professor of Poetry at The University of Manchester and 91ֱ��-based poet and critic, Maryam Hessavi.

The theme for 2025 is ‘Connections’ and the challenge is simple - write a ‘micro poem’ of no more than 280 characters, and submit using the official competition entry form.

Lemn said: “The Micropoetry Competition sets a wonderful yet challenging task of translating a theme into a short work of art. It’s a craft to tell a story in such a manner and I’m looking forward to reading the 2025 entries, centred around the chosen theme. As someone who published a book of tweets in the form of quatrains, I urge you to pen your poem and enter the competition.”

Entries must be submitted by 23:59 on Saturday 21 June 2025, with winners to be announced by Friday 25 July 2025.

Prizes will be awarded for first place (£500) and the two runners-up (£250), with a £25 book token for winner of the under-18s category.

Professor of Poetry at The University of Manchester, John McAuliffe, said: "World Poetry Day celebrates all that is fascinating about poetry and its manifold forms. Our Micropoetry Competition explores the art of translating a set theme into a condensed poem that captures attention and shares a story.”

For the full entry details as well as the terms and conditions, 

is Professor of Health Policy and is a GP by background. She leads a team of researchers in the Division of Population Health, Health Services Research and Primary Care at The University of Manchester. Professor Checkland’s team researches the impact of changes to NHS policy, organisation and management, working closely with policy makers at the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to ensure that policy and organisational changes are based upon the best possible evidence.  

Professor Checkland has a particular interest in primary care workforce, working with colleagues across the and to develop an evidence base to support policy in this area. 

is Professor in Health Economics, Lead for the 91ֱ�� Centre for Health Economics (MCHE), an applied health economist, and a UK-registered pharmacist.  

Professor Elliott applies an economics perspective to better understand complex healthcare themes (patient safety and adherence, primary care, digital interoperability, diabetes, antibiotic resistance, mental health and dementia) to design effective, sustainable solutions that improve health where there is the greatest unmet need. 

is a Professor of Health Psychology at the University as well as being President of the European Health Psychology Society. Professor French is a behavioural scientist who is interested in developing, evaluating and implementing complex interventions to improve health. His research focusses on cancer screening, prevention of diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease in high-risk populations, and effects of changing the built environment. 

The University also celebrates , Professor in Oncology, who has been reappointed as Senior Investigator by the NIHR. 

Professor Kath Checkland said: “I was absolutely delighted to have my work for NIHR recognised by this award. My research has benefitted enormously from the financial and practical support provided by NIHR, and I am delighted to have this opportunity to contribute to further to its work.  

Professor Rachel Elliott said: “I am very pleased and honoured to have been given the Senior Investigator award. As a Senior investigator, I will expand my leadership in research through continued development of the economics of safety work programme, augmented by my role in NIHR-Greater 91ֱ��-Patient Safety Research Collaboration.  

“I will enhance public, patient, and community engagement in health economics through expanded training and funded projects, while promoting inclusion in the academic workforce by proactively reaching out to underrepresented professions, regions, and institutions, supported by my role as Post-doctoral Award Chair in the NIHR Academy.” 

Professor David French said: “I am delighted to be appointed as an NIHR Senior Investigator, and the opportunities this provides to provide leadership in developing and evaluating complex interventions to promote health, especially those with high reach.” 

The NIHR funds Senior Investigators every year. Those appointed to the role help to guide research capacity development and play a leading role in guiding strategy and tackling challenges in the health and social care landscape.  

The position is awarded to those who make an outstanding leadership contribution to the work of the NIHR. All Senior Investigator appointees receive funding for 4 years to support their research activities while undertaking a senior leadership role for the NIHR. 

Working in partnership with the NHS, universities, local government, and the public, the NIHR funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people’s health and well-being and promotes economic growth. 

See the full list of NIHR Senior Investigators .

Read NIHR's news story .

The NGI opened in 2015 and became the home of research into the world’s thinnest, strongest, and most conductive material. Since then, the institute has established itself as a global leader in the research and development of graphene and other advanced 2D materials.  

Through the translation of graphene science into tangible, real world applications, the NGI has provided the opportunity for researchers and industry to work together on a variety of potential applications. The institute has been at the forefront of numerous pioneering projects that have reshaped industries and set new benchmarks for innovation. 

The NGI’s community of leading academics has played a pivotal role in advancing 2D material research, producing some of the most influential and highly cited studies in the field. Their pioneering work has accelerated the transition of graphene from the laboratory to real-world applications, driving innovation at an unprecedented pace. This collective expertise has cemented 91ֱ��’s position as the global home of graphene, ensuring it remains at the forefront of discovery and innovation. 

One of the many groundbreaking innovations from the NGI is the recent advancement of graphene-based neural technologies, now entering the first phase of human trials. is using graphene-based brain-computer interface therapeutics to improve precision surgery for diseases such as cancer. 

The NGI has also seen the establishment of many high-profile collaborations and spinouts founded by its academics, or as a result of NGI-based research: 

• A collaboration between Inov-8 and the University led to the development of the world’s first graphene-enhanced running shoes, proven to be 50% stronger and more durable than other running shoes. This demonstrates the potential of graphene to revolutionise performance sportswear. 
• seeks to increase accessibility to clean water and air through 2D-enhanced membranes.  
• is using breakthrough technology to control infrared thermal radiation, which could have applications in aerospace engineering. 
• are designing and building mineral recovery systems from various sources, such as brines, industrial wastewater, and used batteries. 

At the heart of the National Graphene Institute’s pioneering research is its state-of-the-art 1,500m² nanofabrication facility, featuring ISO Class 5 and 6 cleanrooms spread across two floors. This advanced facility is dedicated to the fundamental research of graphene and 2D materials, and the development of cutting-edge devices that harness their exceptional properties. By providing such unique environment for precision research and innovation, the NGI continues to drive breakthroughs that push the boundaries of material science. 

Reflecting on the anniversary, Professor Vladimir Fal’ko, Director of the National Graphene Institute said: “This 10-year milestone is a testament to the NGI’s relentless pursuit of excellence and the collaborative spirit that has defined our journey. 

“We are immensely proud of the tangible impact our research has had across multiple sciences and industries and remain excited about harnessing 2D materials’ potential to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.”  

Looking ahead, the NGI is committed to furthering its legacy of groundbreaking research and sustaining the pipeline of innovation together with its sister institute, the (GEIC), and the nurturing of the next generation of 2D materials scientists with the PhD programme. 

Innovative research remains at the forefront of the NGI’s mission, with the Institute currently exploring green hydrogen technologies, next-generation batteries and supercapacitors for faster AI and machine learning, advanced quantum electronics, and the continued development of research into nanofluidics, nanocomposites, and van der Waals materials.  

The most recent statistics show that violence against women and girls affects one in 12 women in . A quarter of domestic abuse incidents reported to police involve known, repeat perpetrators. But despite being to identify and control the most serious perpetrators, police do not currently have systems good enough to do that.

Currently, police forces use an algorithm to determine which offenders pose the greatest risk to women and girls. This is known as the – perpetrators are propelled up or down a list based on the recency, frequency, gravity (seriousness) of reported incidents, and the vulnerability of the victim.

The gap in this approach is that it largely treats incidents as isolated, when they should be looked at as a whole. Research has also found it is used between forces.

Most police perpetrator lists contain hundreds or even thousands of people, making them difficult tools to use. They also do not seem to be able to distinguish who the most serious offenders are, with men with very similar profiles near the top, middle and bottom of the lists.

We propose an , which would assess the whole of a perpetrator’s record of incidents. This would allow police to identify not only the most dangerous perpetrators, but also opportunities to better address their offending earlier on. This might be with diversion to programmes designed to support better choices and rehabilitation, or arrest and incarceration to prevent them harming other people.

By joining together incidents recorded by police for individual perpetrators, we constructed detailed case studies using police officer’s notes. Here is a summary of two people who appear in one force’s perpetrator list.

1. Male born mid 1980s, involved in 340 incidents over 20 years

His offending begins with an indecent assault on a young teenage girl when he is 19. He is increasingly involved in drug-related offending in his 20s. He is later sentenced to six years in jail for arson endangering life. Released on conditional licence, he is re-convicted of the harassment of his ex-partner and recalled to prison.

Release is followed by further offences until the mid-2010s when he is imprisoned again. When released, his offending is erratic (low-level public order, violence, threats, drug-related offending).

Throughout his 30s, he frequently victimises partners and ex-partners. He has no settled address and is homeless at various points of his life. He is still subject to frequent mental health episodes.

2. Male born early 1980s, involved in 396 incidents over 25 years

In his teens he was involved in low-level thefts, criminal damage and breaches of an antisocial behaviour order. He was also suspected of selling drugs to schoolchildren, and imprisoned, aged 18, for drug-related violence.

In his 20s he “associates with” children and is found with a missing vulnerable schoolgirl hiding in his house. He continues to commit offences of criminal damage, drug dealing, and stealing vehicles. Another missing teenage girl is found to be living with him.

In his early 20s he very violently assaults and harasses much younger partners. He continues to commit public order offences and to threaten, harass, and assault current and ex-partners, kicking his pregnant partner in the stomach.

In the early 2020s, police attend his ex-partner’s house following abandoned 999 calls – they find him with his hand over her mouth to stop her calling out to the police. He continues to be violent to ex-partners and his involvement in drug-related offending deepens. He is currently in prison for a violent offence.

Who is the danger?

Both men pose a real and severe threat of violence to women and girls as well as the public. But the RFGV algorithm places the first man more than a thousand places higher than the second. Clearly treating the offences they commit in isolation is not sufficient to distinguish which man poses the greatest risk.

A life-course approach, which takes into account the type and pattern of offending as it develops over time, is less susceptible to fluctuations which move an offender rapidly up or down the priority lists. Therefore, it more reliably reflects who poses the greatest risk.

A better ranking system is clearly required. The RFGV algorithm provides a “score”, but a more sophisticated system would also evaluate the direction of offending of individuals – is it escalating, more frequent, more serious?

A life-course approach could be used separately or together with RFGV to allow police analysts to identify the most serious perpetrators. It may also be possible to use artificial intelligence to identify trends in offending and escalation of risk through analysis of thousands of police incident reports in real time.

The system could then identify opportunities for which have been shown to be effective in reducing re-offending against current and future victims. It could also automatically trigger warnings to neighbourhood officers, specialist domestic abuse-trained officers, mental health services and so on.

We won’t really know the full capability until new systems are tried, and evaluated. This also means including the voices of survivors and focusing on the lives of persistent perpetrators – often substance use, homelessness, estrangement, imprisonment and mental health problems are at play. The possibilities of learning from artificial intelligence or other technology should not be privileged over the very sources of the data such intelligence relies upon: victims’ experiences.

, Professor of Criminology, and , Professor of Social Justice,  
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

The UK government has published its , a cornerstone of its strategy for growth. The bill aims to and includes the hugely ambitious target of building in England over this parliament.

The bill is ambitious in scope – 160 pages long and very technical. But what does it promise exactly?

On , it outlines reforms to limit vexatious repeat use of judicial review to block development. There are also some measures for a stronger electricity grid to ease the move towards renewable energy. While the plan to reward people living with £250 off their bills grabbed headlines, just as important are measures for energy storage to level out peaks in demand and supply.

On the side, planning departments will be allowed to charge more to those making applications. This should speed up decisions by funding more planning officer roles. But there are no measures to increase funding for drawing up local plans. This is important because councils often fall behind schedule in producing these. And where there is no up-to-date plan, there is a danger that developers will push through controversial proposals.

The bill also provides for more decisions to be delegated to planning officials rather than planning committees – this means council staff rather than elected representatives. This already happens for smaller planning applications, so is not entirely new. But it does raise concerns about democratic scrutiny.

The government argues that local democracy will not be undermined, as planning officers will be making their decisions in the context of democratically approved local plans as well as national legislation. But this could be misleading, unless planning authorities have the funds to update local plans regularly.

There are also changes to existing legislation, to support the building of new towns. Particularly welcome is the responsibility on development corporations – government organisations dealing with urban development – to consider climate change and design quality. This is in order to hit net-zero targets and avoid cookie-cutter housing estates.

Other measures are aimed at ensuring appropriate infrastructure is built to serve these new towns.

There are changes planned too on when orders can be used to buy sites that are broadly to be used for the public good. This could be for affordable homes, health or education facilities, for instance. It would work by reducing payments to the actual value of the land rather than its “hope value” (when landholders hold out for price rises once planning permission is granted).

There is also a commitment to creating a fund, which the government hopes will overcome some of the delays to approving new housing caused by potential threats to wildlife.

The fund will aim to unblock development in general rather than specific sites, as happens at the moment, and will pool contributions from developers to fund nature recovery. Where there are concerns for wildlife, experts will develop a long-term mitigation plan that will be paid for by the fund while allowing the development to go ahead in the meantime.

Will it work?

As a professor of urban and environmental planning, the question for me is will the bill encourage development to progress more speedily? Almost certainly – probably mostly in terms of bringing forward improvements to critical national infrastructure schemes such as the electric grid. For residential development, some incremental speeding up is likely as developers crave certainty in planning decisions.

But on their own, these measures are unlikely to be enough to provide the 1.5 million new homes set out in the government’s target. They offer nothing to tackle critical bottlenecks in terms of both . It is also difficult to see the target being met without much more government involvement – by building social housing in particular.

Will the bill result in better quality development? There is surprisingly little in the plans about improving design quality, other than in areas. This is disappointing, and a missed opportunity to ensure that developers raise their game in residential building and neighbourhood quality.

And might it override local democracy? Arguably yes, but in practice not as much as some critics might argue. Most of the reforms are finessing existing practices, such as delegated powers to planning officers. Much depends on what the national government guidance turns out to be.

The biggest concern is that it might increase invisible political pressures on planning officers by councillors and senior officials. It would have been good to have seen more measures to protect their independence and professional judgement.

Hopefully the bill will speed up delivery of nationally important schemes for critical infrastructure. This means things like modernising the electricity grid and removing repeated use of judicial review to block a development. These elements should create jobs sooner and support economic growth.

Where the bill will make absolutely no difference is in improving living standards for people with older homes. This bill is focused on new builds and has little to offer those hoping for support in retrofitting ageing housing stock with more energy-efficient features or creating green spaces in areas where new development is increasingly in demand.

Despite some of the ministerial bluster about , much of the content of this bill is not about removing planning regulations. It is much more about improving them. Some measures will work better than others, but overall, given the government’s electoral mandate to deliver growth and protect the environment, this is a reasonable balancing act.

It’s unlikely to deliver much growth in its own right, but as an enabler of growth, it is promising. More worrying is whether it will lead to poor-quality housing built at pace and massive scale to inadequate energy-efficiency and design standards. This would fail to deliver on net-zero and biodiversity ambitions. It is very much a minor win for facilitating growth, but for nature it is nothing more than maintaining the status quo.

, Professor, Urban and Environmental Planning,
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .