Newsroom University of Manchester

Celebrating Success: Pathways to Law Graduation

Thu, 08 May 2025 11:22:18 +0100

The celebration marks the culmination of their hard work and dedication throughout their time on the long-running programme.

Pathways to Law is a social mobility programme, run by the University in partnership with The Sutton Trust, which supports college students from backgrounds under-represented in higher education who are interested in a career in law.

The talented students have embraced the opportunities offered by the programme, accessing higher education information, gaining hands-on work experience, and building connections with leading legal professionals, stepping outside of their comfort zones and embracing challenges.

The ceremony brought together graduates, their supportive families and friends, inspiring guest speakers, student ambassadors and University staff.

A highlight of the event was the powerful closing address delivered by Miran Khan, Pathways to Law and University of Manchester alumna. Her motto: “Continue to overcome barriers and break the status quo,” was a fitting reminder to the graduating cohort as they move into the next stages of their education.

The Pathways to Law programme is committed to fostering the next generation of future leaders and change-makers. The Faculty of Humanities and the wider University of Manchester community wishes all 2025 Pathways to Law graduates the best for their bright futures.

Find out more about the at The University of Manchester.
Contact Emma McDougall, Student Marketing and Recruitment Coordinator, for more information.

Report highlights how businesses can help tackle loneliness

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 11:20:06 +0100

A trailblazing new report, Business vs. Loneliness, published by the Economics of Mutuality Alliance and The University of Manchester, has urged companies to take a leading role in addressing one of the most pressing yet overlooked challenges of our time — loneliness.

The report presents the results of an extensive global study on loneliness funded by Mars, Incorporated and conducted by the Economics of Mutuality Alliance’s Mutual Value Labs and The University of Manchester. The research is based on over 50,000 individual responses from participants in five countries around the world — the largest dataset of its kind. Respondents from the U.S., Mexico, the UK, Germany, and China shared their experiences in response to survey questions and open-ended prompts.

The report shows that more than 44% of people around the world feel moderately to very lonely. It reframes the issue of loneliness as a wider social and economic problem that needs large-scale, system-wide solutions, rather than as a personal failing.

Drawing on practical case studies, the report demonstrates how purpose-driven companies can turn loneliness into an opportunity for generating both social impact and sustainable business growth by applying the Economics of Mutuality operating model.

One example given is how Asahi Europe & International used hospitality spaces and an online platform to help young adults overcome loneliness through meaningful social connections, based on an in-depth study conducted in the Czech Republic with the Economics of Mutuality Alliance’s Mutual Value Labs.

“Applying the Economics of Mutuality operating model has helped our brands to drive positive societal impact and meaningful commercial growth at the same time,” said Mandikova Drahomira, Group Chief Sustainability Officer at Asahi Group Holdings. “I encourage more companies to join the Business vs. Loneliness change platform and take action toward lasting change.”

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 .

Insights from the ��Ӱ��ed Places Summit on the Procurement Act 2023

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 16:19:22 +0100

At the recent ��Ӱ��ed Places Summit, Elvira Uyarra, Director of the Manchester Institute of Innovation ��Ӱ�� joined a panel of experts to explore how the UK’s new Procurement Act 2023 can unlock innovation and deliver better outcomes in the public sector.

Hosted by the Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre (IPEC), the session highlighted the crucial role of procurement in driving not just technological advancements, but also broader improvements in public services.

The panel featured Rikesh Shah, Head of IPEC, Elvira Uyarra, Director of the Manchester Institute of Innovation ��Ӱ��, Shailee Howard, Partner at Mills & Reeve, and Sophie Moule, Marketing & Product Director at Bloom Procurement Services.

The panel discussed key challenges in procurement, including rigid processes, short-term thinking, and a lack of institutional memory, which have traditionally hindered innovation. They also explored the uncertainty around what constitutes ‘good’ procurement, which makes it difficult for public bodies to adopt best practices.

Experts also identified significant opportunities within the new Procurement Act, emphasising the need for leadership, ambition, and clear examples of success to drive both cultural and practical shifts in procurement practices.

Young people with Special Educational Needs face far more bullying and discrimination

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 08:00:00 +0100

A new report from , which has surveyed 130,000 young people since 2021, has highlighted the experiences of pupils in mainstream schools with Special Educational Needs (SEN). While there were some positive findings, the study found that across a range of headline metrics – mental wellbeing, life satisfaction, self-esteem and emotional difficulties – young people with SEN experience worse outcomes.

The report includes data from over 20,000 young people receiving SEN support or with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan in Greater Manchester, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton (of which 9,000 responses were from #BeeWell’s 2024 survey).

The report reveals that young people with SEN or an EHC plan experience much higher rates of discrimination and bullying than their peers. In particular, the rate of discrimination due to a disability is almost three times higher for those receiving SEN support and four times higher for those with an EHC plan compared to those without SEN. One in ten young people without SEN experience discrimination due to a disability, compared to one in four young people receiving SEN support and one in two with an EHC plan.

Young people receiving SEN support are more likely to be bullied physically, relationally and online than those without SEN, and those with an EHC plan are even more likely. The findings indicate that young people with SEN are disproportionately exposed to unfair treatment and negative experiences at school and in their wider lives. Findings also touch on the social consequences of living with SEN, revealing that over 11% of young people with either SEN support or an EHC plan often or always feel lonely, compared to 8.4% of those without SEN.

More positively, researchers found that while participation varies locally, roughly one in three young people with SEN attend young clubs regularly – equivalent rates to those without SEN. Looking at other activities linked to arts, culture and entertainment, such as going to the cinema or theatre (around one in four young people), reading for enjoyment (two in five young people), arts and crafts (two in five young people) and other creative hobbies (two in three young people), those with SEN have similar levels of participation to their peers without SEN.

The report comes after the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) published a report which highlighted that the percentage of school pupils in England identified as having SEN has risen to 18.4% - a steep increase of 6% since 2023.

“Our findings show that more needs to be done to make sure that all young people feel safe, respected, and included - both inside and outside of school,” said Dr Chris Knowles from #BeeWell.

#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 plans to build the world’s largest dam – but what does this mean for India and Bangladesh?

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 14:19:20 +0100

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.

��Ӱ��ing 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 .

2025 Methods@Manchester Summer School

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 10:27:15 +0100

Methods@Manchester’s popular Summer School is back for another year, with one week of courses in the week commencing 30 June.

Featuring a range of methods courses for both qualitative and quantitative researchers, the Summer School provides the opportunity for researchers to get together, learn or develop new social science and humanities methods skills while meeting and networking with their peers.

This year we are pleased to offer seven courses including training in Nvivo software, Qualitative Interviewing and Longitudinal Data Analysis. The courses themselves allow us to showcase the considerable expertise we have in the Faculty of Humanities in a range of methodological areas, providing opportunities for attendees to receive support from leading experts.

For example, are offering a team-taught course focused on Creative Approaches to Qualitative ��Ӱ��. Throughout this short course members of the Centre will support attendees in learning about their specific areas of expertise in innovative and creative methodological approaches.

is a leading centre in the development and application of social network analysis techniques and this year offers a course in Mixed Methods in Social Network Analysis. This course will focus on personal networks and uses qualitative methods combined with statistical modelling.

The team will run a course focused on Digital Methods. It will introduce state-of-the-art approaches (visual methods, geospatial methods, text mining, data visualisation, creative AI methods and sensing methods) and attendees can apply them to create, analyse, and question data.

And new for this year, experts within the are offering a course in AI Driven Analytics, providing the opportunity for participants to explore cutting-edge methods ranging from descriptive and predictive to prescriptive analytics.

And it’s not just about the courses, this year as well as our usual welcome event in a local brewery, attendees will be treated to a City Centre walking tour, providing a chance to learn about Manchester’s rich history while getting to know participants across the seven courses.

Our Summer School fee structure features a reduced price for PGRs and those attending from the charity or community sector. We also offer the opportunity for those entitled to this reduced fee, yet without the necessary funding, to apply for a further reduction via our bursary scheme.

You can see the full range of 2025 Summer School courses and further details on the and don’t hesitate to contact methods@manchester.ac.uk if you have any questions.

Manchester planning expert appointed as ESRC Council Member

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 12:34:14 +0100

The - the UK’s largest funder of economic, social, behavioural and human data science - has appointed The University of Manchester’s Professor Cecilia Wong as a member of its Council.

Professor Wong brings a wealth of expertise and an exceptional track record to her new role. Her extensive research encompasses strategic spatial planning, policy monitoring & analysis, urban & regional development and housing & infrastructure planning.

A distinguished academic, Professor Wong is a Professor of Spatial Planning and serves as Co-Director of . She also directs the Spatial Policy & Analysis Lab within the .

She is a Fellow of both the Academy of Social Sciences and the Royal Town Planning Institute, underscoring her significant contributions to the field.

She currently chairs the , an independent inquiry into city and regional inequalities in the United Kingdom. Additionally, she is a member of the National Infrastructure Commission’s Levelling Up Advisory Panel and has previously contributed to the Lyons Independent Housing Review.

Her advisory roles extend internationally, having advised the European Commission on the Urban Audit II and UN-Habitat on the City Prosperity Index.

Currently, Professor Wong is engaged in a five-year UK Prevention ��Ӱ�� Partnership-funded project addressing the root causes of health inequalities in urban planning decision-making. She also led a joint ESRC and China Natural Science Foundation project on eco-urbanisation, promoting sustainable development in metropolitan regions of China.

Her work continues to shape policies and practices, driving forward the agenda of creating sustainable, prosperous urban environments.

Pupil wellbeing is more important to parents than Ofsted ratings and grades

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 09:00:00 +0100

and the are calling on the government to implement a national wellbeing measurement programme to address the needs of children and young people, after polling found that most parents, guardians and carers consider pupil wellbeing before Ofsted ratings and academic achievement when choosing a secondary school for their children.

The findings come as Ofsted is asking parents, guardians and carers to shape the content of new report school cards, including what should be prioritised in inspections.

A YouGov survey of more than 1,000 parents, guardians and carers co-funded by #BeeWell and the Youth Sport Trust found that 66% of parents selected pupil wellbeing as an important consideration, more so than other factors such as school location (62%), facilities (61%), school culture and ethos (56%) and Ofsted rating (52%). Notably, only 43% of parents cited exam results as a key factor in their decision.

Further reinforcing this trend, 64% of parents agreed that pupil wellbeing is more important than academic achievement.

While parents overwhelmingly value pupil wellbeing, the research highlights a gap between this priority and the support parents perceive is currently available in schools overall. Nearly half (49%) of parents believe that schools need to do more to support student wellbeing, a concern that is particularly pronounced among younger aged parents. Evidence suggests that improving wellbeing not only benefits young people’s personal development, but also enhances their long-term academic success.

#BeeWell and the Youth Sports Trust argue that measuring wellbeing provides crucial insights into the experiences of young people, helping policymakers and educators to implement targeted interventions that promote positive mental health. 75% of parents agree that measuring young people’s wellbeing is essential if we are to improve it - however, there is currently no nationwide system in place to assess and address wellbeing in a meaningful way.

In response to these findings, #BeeWell, with The Children’s Society, Fair Education Alliance and Pro Bono Economics, is leading the coalition of over 50 organisations, including the Youth Sport Trust, who are urging the government to introduce a national wellbeing measurement programme. They say that by systematically tracking and responding to young people’s wellbeing, schools and policymakers can ensure that all children have the support they need to thrive. The wellbeing of young people across the UK remains consistently and substantially lower than peers internationally, and within the bottom 5% of countries surveyed ().

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 .

Manchester Professor wins award for her commitment to disability inclusion

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 12:03:18 +0100

Professor Jackie Carter from The University of Manchester has been recognised with a prestigious Culture Shift Award for her exceptional leadership and commitment to advancing disability inclusion within higher education.

Jackie has dedicated her career to championing equality, diversity, and inclusion, with a particular focus on ensuring that disabled staff and students are supported and empowered. She has long been committed to widening participation in education, creating pathways for individuals from underrepresented groups to excel in academia and beyond. Her extensive work in the field of data science has seen her mentor and guide numerous students into successful careers, and she has played a key role in promoting inclusive teaching practices within the University and across the sector.

When she became The University of Manchester’s EDI Disability Academic Lead in 2023, Jackie set out to achieve two major goals – to ensure that disability is discussed as prominently as other protected characteristics, and to move from dialogue to tangible action. She points out that 24% of the working age population are disabled, and 80% of disabilities are not visible – like hers. Under her leadership, the University has made significant strides in embedding disability inclusion into its institutional priorities, ensuring that it is a core consideration in shaping policies and practices.

A key achievement in Jackie’s leadership has been the creation of the ‘’ podcast series, in which she hosts two guests per episode – one senior leader and one staff member or postgraduate researcher who is Deaf, disabled, or chronically ill. The conversations allow her guests to share their perspectives while committing to ‘just one thing’ they will take away and act on. This simple but powerful format has significantly shifted the conversation around disability inclusion at the University, elevating it into previously untapped areas.

Jackie has been instrumental in developing a culture of openness, understanding and proactive change. She is a passionate advocate for role models in the disability space, drawing on her own lived experience as a deaf, dizzy and disabled individual. Her leadership has fostered an environment where disabled staff and students feel empowered to share their challenges and aspirations without fear of stigma. Through her mentorship and advocacy, she has inspired others, leading to several colleagues receiving nominations for major awards – a testament to the ripple effect that her work has created across the University.

Jackie’s efforts have been recognised at the highest levels, influencing the University’s Manchester 2035 strategy and reinforcing the Vice-Chancellor’s vision of being ‘Inclusive by Design’. Her contributions have ensured that disabled staff and students are not only heard but actively involved in shaping a more inclusive academic community.

“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.”

#BeeWell survey highlights wellbeing priorities and challenges for young people

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 11:56:17 +0100

The #BeeWell programme delivers an annual survey as part of their ambition to understand young people’s wellbeing and the things that impact it
Nearly 100,000 young people aged 11-15 in Greater Manchester have participated in the #BeeWell survey since 2021, making #BeeWell the largest of its kind in the UK
This year, 51.7% of young people report having “good” wellbeing or higher, broadly in line with previous
Newly released data highlights how we can support young people to Live Well across the city-region, making young people’s health and wellbeing everyone’s priority
The impact of the cost of living and food insecurity among children remains high, with one in ten young people reporting food didn’t last in their home

New findings from the latest #BeeWell survey highlight the importance of ensuring every young person has access to everyday support in their wider community. This supports the broader Live Well commitment which seeks to tackle inequalities and improve wellbeing for all residents across the city-region.

Since launching in 2021, the #BeeWell programme, a partnership between Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the Gregson Family Foundation, The University of Manchester and Anna Freud, has engaged almost 100,000 young people in Greater Manchester to listen to their needs, understand their wellbeing, and drive action to ensure they receive the support they need.

The report highlights areas where Live Well, Greater Manchester’s innovative vision for a shift in how public services and community organisations collaborate, will play a crucial role in ensuring no young person is left behind.

One of the key findings in this year’s report identified urgent challenges around food insecurity, with one in ten young people reporting that on most days, food in their house didn’t last and there wasn’t enough money to buy more. The survey also found that only one in ten young people are consuming the recommended 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

The #BeeWell Youth Steering Group highlighted the need for greater awareness of how nutrition affects energy levels and wellbeing, alongside increased support for families to make healthy choices.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:

“The #BeeWell findings make it clearer than ever why our Live Well ambition is so important. We are listening to young people, and they are telling us that access to support in their neighbourhoods, safe spaces to go, and someone to talk to are vital to their wellbeing.

“Through Live Well, we are ensuring that every young person, regardless of their background, can get the help they need to thrive. Wellbeing is everybody’s business, and Greater Manchester is leading the way in putting young people at the heart of this mission.”

Physical activity among girls also remains a concern with the trend continuing from previous years, with just one in four girls meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s guideline of one hour of activity per day.

Young people raised concerns about the sports offered in PE, gendered PE kits that make participation uncomfortable, and a lack of access to free and enjoyable activities in the community.

Live Well will work alongside GM Moving, local councils, and community partners to address these challenges, removing barriers to participation and increasing opportunities for young people to stay active.

Hayley Lever, CEO of Greater Manchester (GM) Moving said:

“Movement, physical activity, and sport is fundamental to young people’s mental wellbeing.

“The #BeeWell findings highlight the urgent need to accelerate our collective efforts to make physical activity more accessible, inclusive, and enjoyable for all young people.

“I’m so proud of #FeelGoodYourWay and how it shines a light on how movement, physical activity, and sport is changing young lives for the better.

“The right opportunities to move can transform a young person’s life.”

The survey also identified that while 60% of young people feel like they belong at school, the report found lower levels of school belonging reported among girls and LGBTQ+ young people. It also showed lower scores for Year 10 pupils in metrics including sense of school belonging and feeling hope and optimism, when compared to Year 7s.

This drop-off in wellbeing and hope has been a large driver in the development of the Greater Manchester Baccalaureate (MBacc) which launched this year. The MBacc is transforming technical education in our city-region, supporting all our young people to fulfil their potential and help give them hope for the future.

This year’s survey introduced new measures on access to trusted adults, revealing that while 75% of young people say they have someone to talk to about their worries, boys are less likely to feel that they have someone to confide in than girls.

The #BeeWell Youth Steering believes that improving feelings of school belonging would have a positive impact on overall wellbeing, including increasing hope and optimism for the future.

Saint, from the #BeeWell Youth Steering Group, said:

“It is incredibly important that we run #BeeWell surveys so we can accurately determine where young people need more support.

“By analysing these key headlines, we can target the most significant factors impacting the mental wellbeing of young people and aim for improvements within those areas.

“Every young person should be given the opportunity to flourish and succeed and ensuring this not only provides an environment of safety and belonging for the individual, but will collectively help us progress into a more cohesive and compassionate society in the long run.”

The Live Well ambition aims to tackle these disparities head-on by ensuring every young person has somewhere to go and someone to talk to.

Councillor Mark Hunter, GMCA Portfolio Lead for Young People, said:

“Every young person in Greater Manchester deserves access to great everyday support. The #BeeWell data provides us with the evidence we need to take action—whether that’s tackling inequalities in school belonging, increasing access to healthy food, or ensuring young people feel safe and supported in their communities.

“We want to bring services and communities together to make our vision for Greater Manchester a reality, and we are committed to making a real difference to young people’s lives across our city region.”

In response to the findings, #BeeWell will work with Greater Manchester’s ten local authorities to support the development of an action plan to improve young people’s wellbeing across the city-region.

An event will be held in the coming weeks bringing together young people, schools, and community partners to co-design a plan for action based on the #BeeWell insights.

Expert says ageing is 'an opportunity, not a problem to be managed'

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 11:37:09 +0100

Professor Tine Buffel called for society to reframe ageing as an opportunity during her plenary at the Age-Friendly Futures Summit held from 25 to 27 March in Manchester. She emphasised the need to rethink ageing, not as a problem but as a shared opportunity to strengthen communities and create healthier, fairer and more sustainable cities through collective action.

At the Summit, MUARG played a key role in shaping the WHO European Strategy on Healthy Ageing. Led by Yongjie Yon, Head of the Ageing and Health Programme at WHO Europe, MUARG contributed insights and evidence through a series of roundtables, designed to inform the programme's strategic development.

Professor Tine Buffel, Director of the Manchester Urban Ageing ��Ӱ�� Group at The University of Manchester, said: “Deeds, not words. Manchester has never waited for change – it has led it. As a pioneer in the age-friendly movement, the city and region have brought together research, policy, and communities to drive forward real progress in creating places where people can age well. The Age-Friendly Futures Summit is our moment to build on this legacy, push boundaries, and drive bold action for a fairer, more inclusive, and more connected future where people of all ages can thrive.”

MUARG, a leading research group comprising experts from the University of Manchester and the Manchester School of Architecture, has been instrumental in highlighting the growing social and spatial inequalities in ageing. In the UK, people living in the most deprived areas can expect to live up to 19 fewer healthy years than those in the most affluent localities.

Manchester was recognised as a pioneering voice in the global age-friendly movement at the Age-Friendly Futures Summit this week. The Summit, delivered in partnership by the University of Manchester, the Centre for Ageing Better, the World Health Organization, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Manchester Metropolitan University, was a landmark event that brought together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, architects and communities to share cutting-edge research, showcase effective interventions and set a global agenda for a more age-friendly world.

With the global population of people aged 60 and over predicted to reach 2.1 billion by 2050, the Age-Friendly Futures Summit called for urgent action to create a more equitable and age-friendly future. Population ageing and urbanisation are the defining demographic trends of our time, but urban planning still focuses on youth and families, rather than integrating the needs of all generations. In response, the WHO developed the Age-Friendly Cities initiative in 2007 and launched the Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (AFCC) in 2010, which now covers over 1,700 cities and communities in 60 countries.

Building on this legacy, Greater Manchester has since become the UK’s first age-friendly city region. Together, the city and region have worked to create environments where people of all ages can participate in community life and feel respected and included in social, cultural, and civic spaces.

At the Summit, various initiatives from Greater Manchester were showcased, including the installation of age-friendly benches with backrests and arm supports to make public spaces more accessible. Architecture students collaborated with older residents to co-design public spaces that reflect their needs and aspirations. Cultural institutions hosted events, such as My Generation Club Nights, for people aged 50 and over, challenging ageist stereotypes. Underused spaces have been repurposed as community hubs, offering safe and welcoming spaces for older LGBTQ+ people and ethnically minoritised groups.

A key message from the Summit was the leading role older people play in shaping the age-friendly agenda, as active co-creators of research, policy, and practice. Initiatives such as MUARG’s Older People’s Forum and the Greater Manchester Older People’s Network (GMOPN) enable older residents to act as co-researchers, shape research priorities, and influence local and regional decision-making. Elaine Unegbu, Chair of GMOPN, noted how older people’s voices have often been silenced and their contributions overlooked. These platforms challenge that, providing a space for older people to lead change, inform policy, and improve lives. The Summit highlighted such examples to encourage genuine co-production and long-term collaboration with communities and grassroots organisations.

Professor Stefan White, Professor of Architecture at MSA and member of MUARG, said, “The relationship between place, health inequality and ageing is a complex challenge which requires urgent critical attention. This Summit showcases globally significant research in Greater Manchester, helping researchers, developers, housing providers, urban planners and public health departments from around the world to better understand and create age-friendly neighbourhoods and respond to the residential desires of older people.”

The Summit reinforced that tackling the inequalities that shape how we age, linked to place, gender, class, race, disability and migration, must be central to age-friendly work. MUARG's ongoing work is crucial in driving research and collaboration to improve the experience of ageing and to build fairer, more inclusive and connected cities for all.

Learn more about the Manchester Urban Ageing ��Ӱ�� Group’s work in building an age-friendly future by .

Five Manchester experts become Academy of Social Sciences Fellows

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 11:14:30 +0100

An unprecedented five academics from The University of Manchester have been recognised as leading experts in their fields by being named as Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences.

New Fellows are named in recognition of their excellence and impact, and their advancement of social sciences for the public good. Through leadership, research and policymaking, they have deepened understanding of major societal challenges. The Academy comprises over 1,400 Fellows, 46 societies and affiliates, forming a 90,000-strong network that cements the UK’s global leadership in social sciences.

Joining them is Professor Sherilyn MacGregor, a leading scholar in environmental politics who is internationally renowned for her expertise in ecological feminism and environmental justice. Her research connects sustainability and justice in policy and practice, working with organisations like Oxfam and grassroots activists. She has authored pioneering works, mentored early career scholars, and edited Environmental Politics since 2010. She has secured over £1 million in research funding and recently led an £8.5 million bid for the , where, as PI and director, she leads more than 30 researchers studying just transitions to net zero.

“It is a huge privilege to become a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, and I want to thank the colleagues responsible for my nomination,” said Sherilyn. “As we start building the JUST Centre, I am more committed than ever to demonstrating that the environmental social sciences play a vital role in leading the way out of the current so-called ‘polycrisis’. I will continue to do work that supports community struggles for eco-social justice, inspired by the countless mentors who have taught me the necessity and the rewards of engaged scholarship.”

Also named as a new Fellow is Professor Stefan Bouzarovski, who also co-leads a core working group of the JUST Centre as well as the . Honoured by the EU as an ‘Ordinary Hero’, Stefan is a leading expert on energy regulation, urban inequality and housing vulnerability who has influenced global climate policies as the University’s Associate ��Ӱ�� Director for Impact. A key member of the and the , he has worked with the UN, UK Government, EU and World Bank. He co-founded the European Energy Poverty Observatory, and he has authored over 150 publications.

“I am incredibly honoured and humbled to have received this recognition, while also feeling deeply grateful to the Royal Geographical Society for their nomination,” said Stefan. “All academic work is collective, and this Fellowship is equally the result of multiple years of cooperation with numerous researchers and practitioners across the world. I hope to be able to extend and develop our shared work in the period to come, in working towards energy equity and social justice against the background of the unfolding climate crisis.”

Another new Fellow is deputy director of the JUST Centre Professor Matthew Paterson, a globally recognised expert in climate politics and environmental governance whose work explores the political economy of climate change, global environmental governance and sustainable transformations. Matthew has authored influential books and over 100 scholarly articles, shaping discourse on climate politics. He has led major international research projects funded by organisations such as the Economic and Social ��Ӱ�� Council (ESRC) and the Leverhulme Trust, and he has engaged policymakers worldwide including as an author for the UN’s IPCC reports.

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 ��Ӱ�� 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: ��Ӱ��ing and Thinking with Things (2019) who co-directs the , as well as serving as Vice-Director of the National Centre for ��Ӱ�� Methods (NCRM). She is also one of the founding editors of the new Journal of Creative ��Ӱ�� 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.”

New ‘River Rescue Kit’ empowers campaigners to tackle sewage pollution

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 20:06:00 +0000

An expert from The University of Manchester has contributed to the ‘River Rescue Kit’, a groundbreaking online resource designed to empower communities to take action against the growing crisis of river pollution.

The kit - which provides expert guidance on how ordinary people can help to protect local waterways - has been launched by campaigning organisation River Action.

In a video filmed for the resource at the River Irk in Greater Manchester, - who has been lauded for his pioneering research into river pollution - highlighted the devastating extent of sewage contamination in the region’s rivers, which he describes as often being ‘little better than open sewers.’ The video underscores the urgency of the problem and the critical role that local communities play in driving change.

In the clip, his analysis reveals how these pollutants degrade ecosystems, harm wildlife and pose serious risks to public health. He emphasises that while scientific research can expose the scale of the problem, real progress comes when communities unite and campaign for action.

The River Rescue Kit is designed to support individuals and grassroots organisations in holding polluters and policymakers accountable. It offers guidance on gathering water quality data, lobbying decision-makers and raising public awareness.

Professor Woodward highlights the impact of groups like Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (WASP), whose campaigning efforts have brought national attention to the issue and helped shift public and political discourse. “Community activism works,” he said. “We need more people to step up, challenge the status quo, and demand urgent action to clean up our rivers.”

River Action and Professor Woodward urge the public to engage with the River Rescue Kit and join the fight against river pollution. By equipping communities with specialist knowledge and tools, this initiative aims to drive meaningful change and restore the UK’s rivers to health.

For more information and to access the River Rescue Kit, visit .

New research centre for the North of England aims for a sustainable future

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 16:25:14 +0000

A new research centre led by The University of Manchester has been launched which aims to promote socially just, people-centred sustainability transformations by collaborating with communities, governments and businesses to develop low-carbon living initiatives.

The People’s History Museum hosted the launch of the , which featured a discussion on creating a sustainable and fair future in the UK through a place-based strategy that tackles political and social obstacles to reaching net zero.

The University’s Vice-President for Social Responsibility, Professor Nalin Thakkar, opened the event, during which researchers, policymakers and community leaders gathered to discuss effective strategies for low-carbon living (LCL).

The ESRC-funded centre brings together leading academic institutions across Northern England including the Universities of Manchester, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, and Newcastle, and The Institute for Community Studies at The Young Foundation.

With the UK’s target to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and the recent seventh carbon budget announcement by the UK’s Climate Change Committee (CCC), attention now shifts to ensuring a just transition. This means sharing the benefits of net zero and the green economy fairly across UK regions and households. Achieving net-zero emissions is essential, but if the results widen inequality or cause some local areas to stagnate while others thrive, the UK will have missed the chance to create equal opportunities for all households, claims the Centre.

The JUST Centre is dedicated to exploring innovative, coordinated strategies to achieve a just transition, emphasising the need to tailor solutions to each location and individual's unique needs and circumstances.

The Young Foundation’s 2022 study revealed that while 97% of the UK population wanted to participate in achieving net zero, 64% lacked confidence in the government's ability to deliver without leaving people behind. In response, Sherilyn MacGregor, Director of the JUST Centre; Mat Paterson, Deputy Director; and Emily Morrison, the Centre’s Impact Lead at the Institute for Community Studies, joined representatives from various community initiatives across the UK. Together, they showcased diverse approaches to mobilising local communities towards decarbonisation.

Fuel poverty was at the forefront of the discussion, with those experiencing it being most likely to lose out if there is not a just transition to green, clean energy, following the initial presentation from Rossendale Valley Energy. This community-led renewable energy group aims to bring residents warmer and healthier homes at no extra cost. The group recently received the Energy Innovation Award 2024 for its Net Zero Terrace Streets project, which aims to decarbonise terraced houses using insulation, ground-source heat pumps, and solar panels. If successful, the project could make the energy system greener and more affordable in Rossendale Valley.

Guests also heard from the Climate Sisters project by the Women’s Environmental Network. Working with women’s groups in the London boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Hackney, the initiative empowers racialised and marginalised women to use their voices to explore climate justice through a 12-week Feminist Climate Leadership programme. The programme not only provides an opportunity to join the important debate but also contributes ideas and solutions to climate change, ensuring that all community voices are heard when shifting to LCL.

Another community initiative, Project Collette from the Green Finance Community Hub, aims to make energy ownership accessible to everyone. As the UK’s first large-scale, part-community-owned offshore wind farm, Project Collette has identified that communities face even greater barriers when competing with businesses for renewable energy projects. Located on Cumbria’s coast, known as ‘Britain’s Energy Coast’, this project seeks to power a million homes yearly with a proposed 1.2GW of offshore wind. It strives to radically rethink community involvement in offshore wind by enabling communities to become part-owners and investors in the wind farm.

Additionally, guests heard about E.ON’s ‘Homes for Living’ scheme. The programme is an extension of E.ON’s existing offer of free or partially funded home solutions. The three-year scheme has helped make homes more energy-efficient and inclusive for vulnerable populations. By providing energy-efficient home upgrades and mobility aids to older people living independently, the scheme has helped reduce energy consumption while improving residents' physical and mental health.

In their remarks, the JUST team emphasised the importance of taking a place-based approach to addressing political and social barriers to achieving net zero by 2050. With £8.5 million invested by the ESRC over the next five years, the centre will develop new ways of generating evidence about what works where, why, and for whom in sustainable living, enabling meaningful conversations between communities and decision-makers.

Professor Sherilyn MacGregor, JUST Centre Director and Principal Investigator, comments: “There are many challenges facing the UK on the road to net zero, and it is a challenging time for this kind of work. We know a lot about the dangers of not accelerating the transition, and we do have the technological know-how to get it done."

For more information about the centre, please visit

Kisii County ambulance services development

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 09:31:26 +0000

Overview of the Ambulance Service

At the heart of Kisii County’s emergency care system is its dedicated ambulance service, owned and operated by the Kisii County Ministry of Health. Currently, the county aspires to have 10 ambulances and 35 ambulance officers. While most of these personnel hold a basic first aid certificate, formal ambulance care training has been limited.

To enhance emergency response capabilities, the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute (HCRI) is launching a professionalisation programme. This initiative includes two cycles of a Kisii University-certified 4-week ambulance officer training course, modelled after the UK ambulance service Miller programme. The training aims to equip both existing personnel and new recruits with essential emergency medical skills, increasing the ambulance cadre to 48 trained personnel.

Launch of the First Training Programme

We are excited to announce that the first ambulance officer training programme in Kisii County has officially begun! This initiative is made possible through collaboration with volunteers from the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) in England, who are on-site to support the training efforts.

The first cohort of 27 students have started their 4-week training, with hands-on instruction led by Prof. Walter and NWAS trainers. The training team is expanding, with additional colleagues arriving to further enhance the programme’s practical sessions.

Government and International Support

Kisii County government has taken ownership of the programme by covering in-country costs for the team. Dr Kinane, Economic Advisor to Governor HE Simba Arati, has expressed strong support for the initiative, emphasising the County’s commitment to improving emergency medical services.

Furthermore, global health organisations are engaging with this initiative. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the African Federation of Emergency Medicine (AFEM) are actively involved, with the WHO Basic Emergency Care Course integrated into Week 3 of training. AFEM is also working toward accrediting the programme.

Looking Ahead: Future Development Plans

The training programme is set to run until 14 March 2025, with the Governor of Kisii County expected to personally award certificates of completion.

In parallel, discussions are underway to implement a formal dispatch and ambulance tracking system, along with a mobile-based electronic patient record system. NWAS representatives and UK-based companies are exploring philanthropic support to build and sustain these critical emergency response tools. The aim is to develop and roll out these systems within the next 18 months to 2 years, significantly improving emergency care coordination in Kisii County.

Conclusion

This initiative marks a significant step toward professionalising Kisii County’s ambulance services and strengthening emergency medical response for the community. With strong local and international partnerships, this programme is laying the foundation for a responsive emergency care system.

Kinship carers struggling to cope despite £4.3 billion value they add to society

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 15:31:31 +0000

Dr , Lecturer in Sociology, is one of the authors of '', a new report on the huge and often under-recognised contribution made to society by kinship carers, who look after children who would often otherwise be in the care system.

The team estimate that over 132,000 children live in kinship care in England. Kinship carers contribute an estimated £4.3 billion a year to society. But unlike foster carers and adoptive parents, most have few rights to financial, practical and emotional support, and taking on the care of a child they love often pushes them into poverty, unemployment and ill health.

The report is produced by at University of Sheffield in partnership with Kinship. It is written by Maria Petrillo, Jingwen Zhang, Becky Driscoll, and Nathan Hughes.

New Head of School of Environment, Education and Development appointed

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:53:39 +0000

, who is Professor of International Development, Global Development Institute (GDI), will take up the Head of School role on 1 August 2025. He will take over from interim Head of School, .

Khalid has previously held positions as Managing Director of the GDI, and Director of ��Ӱ�� in the School.

Professor Fiona Devine, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, said:

Khalid said:

methods@manchester and UoM staff visit the Data Visualisation Observatory (DVO)

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 16:12:57 +0000

This session was organised to give colleagues a feel for the DVO itself and the kinds of projects and opportunities it offers.

It was led by and Laura Pemberton.

Qudamah is a research fellow within AMBS and works directly supporting the observatory, developing the data visualisations for ongoing projects.
Laura is an AMBS postgraduate researcher and has worked on a number of projects that have used the lab, including her PhD research.

So what is the DVO?

It’s a 3D, large-scale visualisation facility with 72 full HD screens. As such, there are opportunities for immersive data analytics and social network analysis, the building of digital twins, experiments and tracking studies, the list goes on…

We were treated to a number of examples of what can be done. These included:

A scenario based experiment: You are travelling to an airport, there is a public transport strike and you are offered the choice of an AI-driven or traditional person-driven taxi. Which would you choose?
How do various changes to this scenario such as the cost of the two options, the brand of the AI-driven car impact your choice? (e.g. are Volvos considered safer?)
A simulation to mimic the use of new technologies: Laura Pemberton’s PhD work concerns the potential of robots to assist elderly people in their homes.
Attitudes to different robot types ranging from ‘Ziggy’, with its futuristic design, to ‘Kitty’, a cute cat-like prototype, are measured through head tracking and other data capture methods (and yes there were a few involuntary “awws” at the cat!)
You can read more about Laura’s work in the .

Attendees came from across the University, including nursing, architecture, anthropology, geography, music, physic and astronomy, dentistry and politics. And with them came a rich diversity of ideas and questions.

Laura reflects:

If you’d like to find out more about the DVO, you can find out more on the DVO website, or if you have an idea you’d like to discuss please contact Qudamah directly at datavisualisationobservatory@manchester.ac.uk.

Our next staff training session is focused on Creative AI methods see the for more details and registration.

If you have ideas for research methods sessions you would like to see offered or that you would like to lead, please let us know.

To find out more about methods@manchester and connect with us visit our or email methods@manchester.ac.uk.

The 2025 Methods Fair

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 16:26:17 +0000

Last year, over one-hundred researchers presented work, engaged in discussion, attended work shops and connected with others from UoM, universities in the wider North West region and further afield. Read about last year’s event.

Our theme for this year is ��Ӱ�� Methods in the Digital Age: Addressing Challenges, Realising Opportunities.

However, we welcome submissions from researchers who work across the diversity of fields engaged in Humanities and Social Science methods and approaches. Attendees and contributors can be at any point in their development as researchers (e.g. whether in their first year of a PhD programme or established scholars).

Whether you opt to present a lightning talk or poster or want to attend to simply immerse yourself in the day, you can find out more details and information about how to submit on the .

To find out more about methods@manchester and connect with us visit our or email methods@manchester.ac.uk.

Mitchell Online – the new methods@manchester Spring School offering

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 17:10:00 +0000

Mitchell Online is brought to you by our friends at the , the leading cross-disciplinary research group in the development and application of social network analysis (SNA) techniques, located in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Manchester.

As Mitchell Online is designed with the beginner in mind, it will cover core concepts, methods and data analysis techniques of SNA. It will be hands-on and largely based around the use of the UCINET software package, giving participants experience in analysing real social network data.

**There is no prior knowledge of SNA or quantitative methods required**

Perhaps you have colleagues and friends who would benefit from this online course?

While attendees can attend from anywhere, it could particularly benefit those living overseas who find it difficult to benefit from the expertise at our regular in-person methods@manchester summer school courses.

All information can be found . But don’t delay as registration closes on Monday, 17 February and the Spring School sessions are spread over three weeks (3-17 March 2025) to maximise learning opportunities and flexibility.

To find out more about and connect with us, visit our or email methods@manchester.ac.uk.

Baroque Opera as a tool for peace: An evening with international theatre director Peter Sellars

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 12:10:28 +0000

Taking place at the on Tuesday, 4 February, Peter will deliver a lecture titled ‘How to End a War: The Living and the Dead Working Together in Baroque Opera’.

As the latest academic to deliver one of these inspiring lectures, Peter will use his talk to delve into the compelling world of Baroque opera, exploring its historical significance in promoting equality and reconciliation.

Having garnered international recognition for his advocacy of 20th century and contemporary music, Peter is a distinguished professor currently teaching in the Department of World Arts and Cultures at UCLA. He has received numerous prestigious awards for contributions to European culture, including the MacArthur Fellowship and the Erasmus Prize.

Peter’s visit to Manchester follows the launch of a major new partnership between the English National Opera (ENO) and Greater Manchester. The organisation’s exciting relocation project will see the development of longer-term strategic partnerships with venues and organisations across Greater Manchester, all working to create operatic experiences for communities and raise the curtain to the opera-makers of tomorrow.

Professor Maggie Gale, Vice-Dean for ��Ӱ�� at the University of Manchester’s Faculty of Humanities, said:

Following the lecture, Peter will be joined by distinguished academic, critic and curator Professor Maria Delgado, who will discuss his illustrious career and current interests. Professor Delgado is the Vice Principal at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London. Her extensive work across Spanish-language theatre, film and cultural memory has garnered her numerous accolades, including the ATHE Lifetime Achievement Award in Academic Theatre and the Cross of the Order of Alfonso X the Wise for her services to culture and education.

Reserve your spot on .

The Post Office: an emblem of the UK’s relationship with the state, sliding into dystopia

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 15:07:52 +0000

Written by

The Horizon scandal, which led to the wrongful prosecution of hundreds of subpostmasters, has severely dented the public’s perception of the Post Office as an institution. Against this backdrop, across the Post Office network.

These further cuts to a system already struggling can only do further harm to the sense that well-resourced public services could and should play a central role in everyday life.

In my , I spoke to people about their thoughts on the Post Office and their ideas about the future of society more generally. One interviewee relished their trips to Manchester’s now-closed crown post office at Spring Gardens and described it, with only a little irony, as “the cathedral of post”.

They loved the way it revealed something of the workings of a larger, complex and world-spanning system of communication. They also liked to daydream about how it would be to live in a society oriented towards a more community-focused, village-like way of life.

My work looks at these speculative dimensions of social life – the way hopes, dreams and desires for other ways of living are expressed by people now. These speculative dimensions have a political significance – they tell us something about the forms of social organisation people yearn for, and what frustrates them about our current way of living. Understanding how public infrastructures influence these frustrations and desires is a key focus of my research.

The infrastructures which facilitate social life also send signals to us about how society is organised, what’s valued and powerful within it, and what seems likely to be valued in the future. They help structure our ideas about what society is and what it could be like.

In the case of the Post Office, the Horizon scandal demonstrates how the consequences can be severe and dystopian when something malfunctions within a key institution of this kind.

Historically, the Post Office played a key role in developing infrastructures of modern life that came to be cherished. Key among these, as historian has noted, is routine engagement with paid officials of the state, through Post Office staff and postal delivery workers, or “posties”.

Speaking to Post Office workers and posties has long been among the most positively regarded interactions that an ordinary person routinely has with state infrastructures. Local post offices and posties have represented valued senses of local knowledge, community overwatch and benevolent officialdom.

Crown post offices (the larger branches in the network), often inhabiting a significant spot in a town or city centre, have done their bit too, contributing a sense of civic importance to a place, alongside libraries and town halls. They have provided access to a professional, knowledgeable human interface between a complex system of multiple state services, and those who rely on them.

But our positive engagements with this state system have been placed under decades of increasing strain. Privatisation has flowed from a creeping rejection of the idea that publicly owned public services could ever function beautifully. This, in turn, has left the services we need on a daily basis under-resourced.

The condition of crown post offices has reflected this. Their interiors often emanate a stark sense of minimal upkeep and only grudging repair. Already, many crown post offices have been closed. Where their services have not fully disappeared, they have been precariously relegated to space in retailers such as WH Smiths.

Meanwhile, the way we communicate, shop and socialise has been altering dramatically. Digital communication technology is impressing itself ever further into our social lives. Technology has deeply embedded associations with the future, but with this also comes a sense of unavoidability. The way AI is spoken about, as something set to bring inevitable and consequential transformations of our lives – whether we like it or not – is a case in point.

Both of these things – the neglect of physical places where we interact with state services and the increasing technologisation of social life – contribute to a growing sense of anachronism about places like the post office. The idea that a public service might attend to the public good in a well-appointed, pleasant, urban public setting feels, for no good reason, like a relic of the past.

All this affects the ways we imagine social futures. It brings a false air of inevitability to the loss of things people still need and care deeply about.

When talking with users of post offices for my research, there was a simultaneous sense among them that posties and post offices contributed vital resources to everyday life, and that technology meant these things were not likely to survive much further into the future. This was often regarded as something to be accepted, even as it was acknowledged that what was going to be lost was something important and irreplaceable.

But such losses are not inevitable. They are a political choice built on two key failures – failure to challenge the idea that well-funded, publicly owned and run public services are unaffordable, and failure to envisage ways of organising public services in the digital age, such that they retain the vital material contributions they make to places.

Further losses to the crown post office network would represent a sad and, I believe, unnecessary extension of these failures.

, ��Ӱ�� Assistant, School of Social Sciences, University of Manchester

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. .

Data Visualisation Observatory (DVO) - Staff Training

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 18:26:35 +0000

Did you know that the University has a 3D, large-scale visualisation facility with 72 full HD screens?

Do you want to learn more about this facility, the kinds of projects that can benefit from it, and how this kind of work can be supported within the University?

We invite you to join us for a methods@manchester staff training session which introduces you to the Data Visualisation Observatory.

This staff training session is for any UoM member of staff who is interested in finding out more about the Data Visualisation Observatory (DVO) for research purposes.

You might be:

A researcher working on a project or going for funding and interested in how you can utilise the DVO in your work
A PGR supervisor who is working out whether the DVO could be useful for PGR(s) you are supervising
Working with industry partners and see a potential use for DVO in your collaborations
Wanting to learn more about this facility for your future projects and collaborations.

You can find out more about the session and register .

If you are a PGR who is interested in finding out more about the DVO, please contact methods@manchester.ac.uk.

13th Annual Workshop on Medical Innovation and Healthcare

Thu, 02 Jan 2025 15:47:58 +0000

Medical innovation is crucial for advancing healthcare systems, improving patient outcomes, and addressing global health challenges. By fostering collaboration between academia, industry and healthcare organisations, innovations in medical research and technology can lead to breakthroughs that save lives and enhance the quality of care worldwide.

The (MIOIR) at The University of Manchester hosted the 13th Annual Workshop on Medical Innovation and Healthcare (WOMI) from 11 to 13 December 2024. This year’s event brought together 23 participants from several countries to discuss contemporary issues in medical and healthcare innovation.

WOMI is an international network of researchers dedicated to studying innovation, entrepreneurship, and the organisation of research and development within healthcare organisations, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and broader life sciences. The annual workshop serves as a platform for the core group of researchers and invited guests to engage in in-depth discussions on early-stage work and key themes in the field. Themes included innovation dynamics, cross-organisational collaboration and entrepreneurial activities in life sciences.

This year’s conference was organised and chaired by Ronnie Ramlogan and Dimitri Gagliardi together with Professor Maureen McKelvey (University of Gothenburg). They invited discussions on various critical topics, including the adoption of AI in medicine, innovative business models for healthcare, and the integration of pharmacogenetics/genomics into the NHS and other health systems.

Reflecting on the event, Professor Maureen Mckelvey remarked:

A key takeaway from the event was the recognition of the challenges and opportunities in integrating advanced innovations, such as pharmacogenetics and AI, into healthcare systems. This aligns with the overarching goals of WOMI to advance research and policy insights through interdisciplinary collaboration.

The 2024 event was a collaboration between the Manchester Institute of Innovation ��Ӱ�� at The University of Manchester and the University of Gothenburg’s U-GOT KIES Center.

It also received funding support from the project ‘The Organisation and Diffusion of Translational ��Ӱ��: Can Cardiovascular Medicine learn from Oncology? Case Studies of Pharmacogenomics in the NHS’ (ES/W011484/1) and Swedish ��Ӱ�� Council, Professor McKelvey’s Distinguished Professor Programme (VR DNR 2017-03360) ‘Knowledge-intensive Entrepreneurial Ecosystems’.

To learn more about the WOMI community and its ongoing contributions to medical innovation, .

Festival of Libraries wins ‘Best Event’ at the 2024 Manchester Culture Awards

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 14:10:07 +0000

The Festival of Libraries is an annual celebration of the diverse role played by libraries, showcasing their role as service, learning and creativity hubs. The Festival spans across ten boroughs in Greater Manchester and includes internationally renowned and historic institutions such as Central Library, Chetham’s Library, The Portico Library, John Rylands ��Ӱ�� Institute and Library and Manchester Poetry Library, alongside local community libraries.

The University of Manchester is one of three stakeholders in the organisation, and each year offers a diverse series of workshops for the Festival of Libraries. These workshops are organised by the research platform and delivered by academics across the .

The award went to the Festival of Libraries for its 2023 programme which included a vibrant selection of dance, theatre, music, comic art, poetry and family events, all of which were free.

Headline events featured Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, Drag Artist Cheddar Gorgeous, award-winning poet Raymond Antrobus and Icelandic novelist Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir in residence at John Rylands ��Ӱ�� Institute and Library.

The University of Manchester’s 2023 event offerings included a workshop looking at dictionaries and word meanings, delivered by the Linguistic Diversity Collective,‘Writing for Wellbeing’ workshops led by poets and authors from the Centre for New Writing, and a family-friendly session exploring food in children’s literature, run by the Programme in American Studies.

Head of the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, Thomas Schmidt, commented:

The Festival team, including Creative Manchester Director John McAuliffe, took to the stage to accept the award at the ' ceremony at The Hilton, Deansgate, which took place on 23 November.

The next will take place 4-8 June 2025.

MIOIR’s New ��Ӱ�� Projects: Addressing Democracy, Governance, and Trust

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 10:42:14 +0000

The Manchester Institute of Innovation ��Ӱ�� (MIOIR) is proud to announce two new research projects involving Mercedes Bleda and Kieron Flanagan. The two projects are part of the (T-AP) and have been selected as two of the 18 awardees of the T-AP Democracy, Governance, and Trust (DGT) call. This initiative aims to deepen understanding of opportunities, challenges, and crises relevant to democracy, governance, and trust.

Governance of Policy Failure Risks in Mission-Oriented Innovation Policies (MOIPs)

is the Lead Principal Investigator on a collaborative research initiative titled Governance of Policy Failure Risks in the Design and Implementation of Mission-Oriented Innovation Policies. The project is supported by an international consortium including Dr Seweryn Krupnik (Jagiellonian University, Poland) and Dr Alexandra Mallett (Carleton University, Canada), with funding from the Economic and Social ��Ӱ�� Council (ESRC), the Polish National Science Centre (NCN), and the Social Sciences and Humanities ��Ӱ�� Council (SSHRC).

Mission oriented innovation policies (MOIP) are a new generation of transformative policies aimed at fostering innovations that help address complex societal challenges. The uncertain, multilevel, and complex character of MOIP exacerbates the risk of policy failure, i.e., the risk of the policies not delivering their intended goals, leading to ineffective policy support and growing distrust towards governments.

This project aims to analyse policy failure risks in the design and implementation of MOIP and identify suitable risk governance approaches to address them. To do so the project analyses specific MOIP initiatives with sustainability related goals in three selected countries (United Kingdom, Poland and Canada) using Qualitative Comparative Analysis (to identify necessary and/or sufficient links through systematic cross-case comparison) and Process Tracing (to construct key causal mechanisms at the within-case level). The research contributes to a better understanding of MOIP failure risks and their governance, which can in turn help reduce policy failure and increase levels of trust in institutions and public authorities.

Investigating the Relationship between Science Diplomacy and Global Democracy, Governance, and Trust (DGT)

as co-PI and join a global consortium led by Dr Cassidy R. Sugimoto (Georgia Institute of Technology) on the project ‘Investigating the Relationship between Science Diplomacy and Global DGT: The Role of Inclusive Metascience Observatories (IMSO4DIPLO)’. This multidisciplinary team includes experts from the University of São Paulo, Adam Mickiewicz University, Stellenbosch University, CNRS, and Université de Montréal. The project is funded by ANR, FAPESP, NCN, NRF, NSF, SSHRC, and UKRI.

This project is examining the role of evidence-informed science diplomacy as a strategic instrument to strengthen democracy, governance, and trust (DGT). The project will utilise qualitative and quantitative methods to (1) understand the relationship between science diplomacy and DGT; (2) conceptualise and operationalise metascience observatories and investigate the extent to which they can be leveraged to improve science diplomacy; and (3) explore how threats to DGT could be mitigated and opportunities seized through inclusive metascience observatories.

The outputs will include both academic-oriented products, as well as communications to policymakers and the wider public, honouring the practices of open science. In addition to these products, outcomes will include communities of practice for science diplomats and training opportunities for early-career researchers.

Global Scholars gather at Lingnan University (Hong Kong) to explore the future of Chinese Higher Education

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 09:50:26 +0000

The China and Higher Education / ChinaHE network’s seventh annual conference, hosted this year by Lingnan University in Hong Kong in November, brought together over 400 scholars and students from around the globe under the theme “Collaboration and Change: Unleashing the Possibilities for Chinese Higher Education Ahead.”

This dynamic event showcased the collective insights and innovative ideas of participants from diverse regions, including Finland, Ghana, Mainland China, Mexico, Norway, Taiwan, the UK, the US, and Hong Kong and Macao SARs.

The conference marked a significant milestone in fostering international collaboration, featuring both in-person and virtual engagement. Since 2018, the ChinaHE network—led by a team at the Manchester Institute of Education (MIE)—has provided a platform to examine China’s evolving role in global higher education.

The team, of MIE colleagues (Cheon Yin Chan, Heather Cockayne, Rui He, Miguel Lim and Jenna Mittelmeier) are delighted to see the ChinaHE network continue to grow, fostering a rich exchange of ideas that can shape the future of education in and beyond China.

This year’s partnership with Lingnan University and their academic team led by Lucy Baohua Wu and Anne Tang has been especially impactful, reflecting years of collaboration and mutual commitment to advancing research and understanding.

The visit to Hong Kong also included collaborative activities with Hang Seng University, The Education University of Hong Kong, The University of Hong Kong, and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, to enrich the conference experience with diverse perspectives and local expertise.

For additional insights and highlights from the conference, visit Lingnan University’s or the Hang Seng University’s .

About ChinaHE

is a global network dedicated to exploring China’s growing influence in higher education through annual conferences, research collaboration, and knowledge-sharing. The network, based at the Manchester Institute of Education, has become a central hub for academics and practitioners committed to addressing the opportunities and challenges shaping higher education in China and the world.

What’s in your wardrobe? Exploring the power of stories and connections

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 09:58:52 +0000

We all have those items of clothing that have sentimental value, acting as reminders of significant moments in our life.

A recent event, “What's In Your Wardrobe? Telling & Sharing Clothing Stories”, encouraged attendees to bring items of clothing, and delve into the associations, memories, and connections these special items held.

It explored how we use stories to understand ourselves and our relationships, encapsulating the principles of the Being Human Festival, which celebrates how the Humanities inspire and enrich our daily lives, and help us navigate a changing world.

The event was held at Ascension Church Hall in Hulme, and featured Jolene Sheehan (community workshop lead, poet, artist, and more), Professor Sophie Woodward (from The University of Manchester’s Morgan Centre for ��Ӱ�� into Everyday Lives), and Dr Benjamin Wild (Reader in Fashion Narratives at Manchester Fashion Institute, Manchester Metropolitan University).

All three speakers incorporate storytelling into their work. For Sophie and Ben, stories are the threads that connect us to our lives, identities, and imaginations. Jolene leads the project, which aims to connect people to each other, themselves, and their memories through writing. We were delighted to have a number of participants from this project join us for the event.

The stories behind the items of clothing were moving, engaging and uplifting.

One woman brought a prayer dress, a loose-fitting garment with a scarf, typically worn by Muslim women during prayer. This item has gained additional significance during the Israel-Gaza conflict, as Palestinian women have taken to wearing their prayer clothes day and night, staying covered and prepared for any situation.

Another attendee brought the dress she wore on her first date with her then-boyfriend (now husband) nearly 40 years ago. The dress has adapted with changing fashions and hemlines but has remained a constant in her life, standing in stark contrast to the fast fashion dominating our high streets.

Such items and shared stories were deeply individual, yet they connected people within the room and beyond, highlighting important familial relationships and communities bound by empathy and solidarity.

“Talking is important” said one attendee and I couldn’t agree more.

To keep up-to-date with methods@manchester activities and events please here or connect via our .

University Partners with English National Opera

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 15:10:00 +0000

The University of Manchester is delighted to announce a new collaboration with English National Opera, as they announce the first wave of plans for a major new partnership between the company and the city-region of Greater Manchester for the next three years, enabling ENO to be firmly established within Greater Manchester by 2029.

The ENO Greater Manchester partnership, which includes projects across the city-region, covers every aspect of opera production and celebrates new possibilities for the artform. This announcement represents the beginning of longer-term strategic partnerships with venues and organisations across Greater Manchester.

It will include major contemporary works, new work development in opera, presenting ENO signature classics, interdisciplinary experimentations, creating operatic experiences by, with and for communities, and developing the opera makers of today and tomorrow.

The first wave of projects and partnerships announced, include collaborative projects with The University of Manchester, Factory International, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, The Lowry, The Bridgewater Hall, Walk the Plank, Royal Northern College of Music, and The Hallé.

The University of Manchester and ENO will work together on Tuning Into Opera. This invites the people of Greater Manchester to explore the opportunities for the artform, engage with new communities and discuss what it means to have an opera company based in the city-region.

We will bring a range of perspectives together, including artists, local communities, researchers and the wider sector to discuss how the artform can and must continue to grow. The first of these events will take place at Manchester International Festival at Aviva Studios in July 2025.

Professor John McAuliffe, Director of Creative Manchester at The University of Manchester said: “The University of Manchester is delighted to be working in partnership with colleagues at ENO, as part of their move to the city-region. Together, we are planning a shared programme of work, that will look at opera as part of Greater Manchester's cultural landscape, listening for the sound of new collaboration and creating more opportunities for our students, staff, artists and research in creative health across the music sector.”

Jenny Mollica, Chief Executive of English National Opera, said: “The projects we are announcing today mark the first wave of our developing partnership with Greater Manchester, which will be fully implemented by 2029. Working together over the last year, we could not be more clear that Greater Manchester is the right place to put down roots, a place where we can develop, expand and innovate. Where, building on the region’s legendary reputation as the heart of music making in this country, we can make a difference to audiences and communities, help invest in the next generation of talent and break new ground in the future of the artform – locally, nationally and internationally.”

ENO’s Greater Manchester partnerships and programme will continue to develop alongside the continuation of annual seasons at the London Coliseum, and ENO’s nationwide education and health programmes.

Further information:

Visit the .

Bob Dylan just finished what could be his last tour – but remains a defiant artist forging new ideas

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 17:08:02 +0000

Written by

This November, Bob Dylan performed the final concerts of his at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The tour picked up where Dylan left off just before the COVID pandemic – . But now at the age of 83, the concerts might well be Dylan’s last.

The Rough and Rowdy Ways tour was billed as running from 2021 to 2024, but at the time of publication, there seem to be no future tour dates on the horizon. As Dylan himself wondered on his most recent album:

Dylan has diced with death more than once – think of his infamous , or his serious – and death has preoccupied his songs increasingly in recent years. Throughout this tour, Dylan’s thoughts have been heavily focused on his own mortality and his own legacy.

If the Albert Hall concerts this year are to be his last on the road, then it’s a fitting venue at which to bow out, having first played it nearly 60 years ago. Back then, Dylan was a restless, hungry artist, reinventing his sound, his image, his voice with every album – sometimes, within months of release.

Between 1962 and 1966, Dylan went from being a Midwest folk singer to the , via , rewriting the popular music songbook as he went.

With each successive regeneration, he seemed determined not only to redefine rock and popular music, but to alienate his audience . He was an artist in search of answers, who didn’t give those in his wake time to catch their breath. Sixty years on, and now well into his ninth decade, things haven’t changed.

His own version

Dylan’s final night at the Albert Hall was a summation of how he remains a defiant artist still forging new ideas. The performance contained highlights from his entire career. Eight of the 17 songs were written and released before the 1990s, while everything else was from the 2020 album after which the tour is named. But each song was radically reinvented, reworked to Dylan’s ever-changing vision, with some of the songs even being rearranged during his three-day residency at the Albert Hall.

Take (2020), Dylan’s late masterpiece about the process of creation. In the song, the narrator – a modern-day Prometheus, maybe even Dylan himself – tells of his efforts to construct his vision from “limbs and livers and brains and hearts”.

The song’s arrangement at the start of the Rough and Rowdy Ways tour was as a brooding, Tex-Mex noir. But by the tour’s end, Dylan had stripped his ode to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to its essentials, until all that was left by the final Royal Albert Hall concert was Dylan’s voice.

He rapped the lyrics, accompanied by his own sparse piano backing and the occasional guitar flourish. It was a performance that evoked similarities to Dylan’s rapid-style solo delivery of songs like (1965) on the same stage in the 1960s.

My Own Version of You is a song in which Dylan reflects on his own artistic and creative processes. And in its radical and stark new arrangement in this final concert, Dylan was returning to how he started: as an artist whose main tools have always been . It’s the reason he was awarded the in 2016, after all.

It’s perhaps unsurprising then that the entire concert was a reflection on the process of creation. Dylan’s process is to reshape, disassemble, reassemble and strip back. While the process is undoubtedly frustrating for some in the audience, as they struggle to guess what song Dylan is performing, it is also exhilarating to watch an artist reinventing himself and his songs in real time.

They become assemblages of the old and the new, the found and the borrowed. (1971) is no longer an elegiac sing-along song, but instead a reggae-influenced tune via Dylan’s own down-and-dirty blues of the Time Out of Mind album (1997), with a bit of his born-again gospel thrown in for good measure.

(1968) is no longer Dylan’s homage to Jimi Hendrix’s career-defining cover version, but a fable of hell trapped on a loop from which the narrator seeks escape, with echoes of (1990). And (1981) becomes a melancholic requiem by an old man with no regrets, determined to rage against time. It conjures memories of Dylan’s version of , performed at the Royal Albert Hall in 2013.

If this was to be Dylan’s last ever live performance, then what does it say about him and his place in music history? Well, that he remains as vital an artist as he was in the 1960s, one who continues to reinvent himself, who continues to chase that restless, hungry feeling and who doesn’t look back, but constantly forward.

Dylan would leave behind an expansive body of work – both studio albums and live recordings – for scholars, critics and audiences alike to . And in that rediscovery, they will learn much about what it means to be an artist.

, Senior Lecturer in Creative and Cultural Industries, University of Manchester

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. .

New musical piece inspired by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine explores tyranny, tragedy, despair and protest

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 15:18:36 +0000

The welcomes a world premiere on Friday,13 December as De Profundis, a newly crafted musical piece from , takes centre stage.

A story of despair, tragedy and protest, De Profundis is Latin for ‘From the Depths’. The piece reflects on the impact of tyranny, particularly for those who stand up to tyrannical regimes - as such, the piece is dedicated to Russian anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny who died in prison in February.

Switching between time periods, the piece uses multiple languages - Latin, German, Russian and English. It will be performed by the Quatuor Danel string quartet, with Opera North’s Simon Grange – Philips’s son - as bass voice, who is cast as an unnamed journalist.

‘Tyranny through the ages’ is a focus, with the piece featuring quotes from Russian poet Anna Akhmatova, who suffered under Stalin’s regime.

It then moves back to 523AD, to the Roman Empire and the story of Boethius who fell foul of the Roman Court, being imprisoned and eventually executed the following year. De Profundis quotes from his The Consolation of Philosophy, which he wrote in prison. The piece also uses quotes from Todesfuge by poet and Holocaust survivor Paul Celan.

A conversation then took place between Philip and the quartet’s first violinist, Marc Danel, who enthusiastically embraced the idea of a work for bass voice and quartet. This ignited a creative journey lasting nearly three years.

For the text, Philip turned to writer Kim Ballard, who he has worked with previously. It was Kim who created the main premise for the piece following numerous conversations with Philip. By October 2023 the text was ready, and over the following year Philip wrote the music.

Friday, 13 December 2024 will be the first performance of the piece. Tickets are available .

Reimagining meanings: Co-curatorship and decolonising methods

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 13:47:50 +0000

Instead of the usual “please do not touch the exhibits”, ’s Curator of Living Cultures, Njabulo Chipangura, encouraged attendees to handle their own heritage.

These African objects, generally seized within a colonial context and often with violence, are usually held in stores concealed from public view. Herein lies the challenge - how to engage with and exhibit African history, yet in ways that are honest, respectful and true to the knowledge and meanings of people’s lived experiences.

The event was designed to support Manchester Museum’s aims to change its approach to narrating the past, and to reinforce how important local communities are to these developing understandings and approaches to decolonisation.

It was particularly fitting this workshop was held in Manchester, next door to the site of the 1945 Pan African Congress, widely celebrated as a turning point in the journey of African nations to freedom from colonial powers. This poignant connection was pointed out by one attendee while discussing the considerable challenge ahead for a museum committed to decolonising their exhibitions.

With input from people from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Nigeria, the objects literally came to life as people shared feelings, ritual practices and stories.

For many objects, their meanings emerge through experiences or knowledge about their use, hence the terminology of ‘living cultures’. Sometimes recounting these stories and uses drew excitement and laughter but other reflections warranted a serious tone and quiet contemplation.

An object described simply as “a wooden cup” by its label was so much more. We learnt of the vessel’s potential use for divination purposes, in meaningful rituals for special blessings and protective reasons. What looked at first glance like a decorative pattern etched onto its surface likely symbolised a particular community, and in this case the gift of such an object could symbolise friendship or support between communities.

The “wooden cup” represents so many things but reduced to this simple label “the knowledge is dead” as one participant so eloquently remarked.

Unsettling memories and historical facts were recounted. One example being the instruction to stop using particular objects - threats by Christian missionaries that heaven wouldn’t be an option if populations continued with African practices and customs: “now we are reclaiming them” said one woman.

And that’s what this workshop was all about. Using an innovative and interdisciplinary approach to help the Museum discover the values and meanings these objects have for African diaspora. This essentially is at the heart of the Museum’s decolonisation methodology, hence the importance of this collaboration to . Centring those histories and narratives that are often omitted or ignored allows the return of the “living” to these objects encouraging those who know to reclaim and narrate their stories.

What’s next?

We hope to continue with this collaboration between methods@manchester, The University of Manchester, Manchester Museum and the African diaspora community groups who very generously shared their stories during the workshop.

Filmmaker, Dr Sophie Everest is currently leading with the development of a co-produced film featuring the workshop, the stories and the museum’s attempts to decolonise its exhibits, and we hope to release a digital mini-exhibition and Dr Njabulo Chipangura will appear on an episode of , the methods@manchester podcast.

To keep up-to-date with methods@manchester activities and events please or connect with us via our .

Keep it Human: How video games can help us learn about our impact on our planet

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 15:51:47 +0000

The 2024 Manchester Science Festival took place between Friday, 18 and Sunday, 28 October.

This year was themed around tackling the extremes of our world, with approximately 30,000 visitors having the opportunity to get hands-on with some of science's most cutting-edge developments through multi-sensory experiences, immersive events and hands-on family fun.

A series of interactive events were held throughout the 10 days of the festival. It was in the fun-filled at the Museum of Science and industry where visitors were able to look at the extremes of human performance and our planet.

Colleagues from the NOVARS ��Ӱ�� Centre at The University of Manchester showcased a series of hand-on video game activities that emphasise the positive impact we can all have on the planet.

Professor Ricardo Climent, NOVARS ��Ӱ��er, said:

The Manchester Science Festival is a highlight of the city's cultural calendar and the team are proud to be part of one of the most popular science festivals in the UK.

Discover more about the research on the .

British Council to fund Manchester-Nanjing cultural exchange project

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 16:56:41 +0000

, funded by the British Council’s programme, will forge a lasting relationship between Manchester in the UK and Nanjing in China, both UNESCO Cities of Literature. It will explore the natural world through literature and art, uniting poets, illustrators, and playwrights from both cities to create new work.

John McAuliffe, Professor of Poetry and Director of , said:

Karen Wang, Deputy Director, , said:

As part of the exchange, artists from Manchester will visit Nanjing in March 2025. Outputs will include a bilingual illustrated poetry collection and a play, ensuring representation from under-represented groups, including female artists.

The creative collaborations will explore the ecological theme of Real Contentment, inspired by ‘s poetry. Additionally, a schools engagement programme will involve 300 young people, fostering inter-cultural understanding and addressing the climate emergency through creative expression. The work created by the artist exchange and schools programme will be shared at the Festival of Libraries in June 2025 when Manchester hosts the artists from Nanjing.

Partners in the programme also include and .

The British Council’s International Collaboration Grants are designed to support UK and overseas organisations to collaborate on international arts projects.

The Art of ��Ӱ��

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 14:39:40 +0000

Explaining our research

If you visit Manchester, it will be hard to miss the incredible murals, patterns and colours that light up the streets. Manchester is bursting with creativity, and it’s clear that street art culture is an important and creative way to channel important messages.

Our university research platforms influence and create impactful outputs that affect our local community and beyond. Communicating these important messages and using a new medium to translate our research impacts was a fantastic opportunity to mark the University’s Bicentenary.

Teaming up with Art Battle MCR and GRIT Studios, we collaborated with four of the UK’s top street artists to help us deliver this. Each artist collaborated in a creative workshop with their platform, discussing each area's vital work and interdisciplinary nature and understanding what they truly represent.

X Cookie Love

Creative Manchester’s research themes focus on Creative Industries and Innovation, Creative and Civic Futures, and Creativity, Health and Wellbeing.

X Oskar with a K

Digital Futures research themes focus on Societal Challenges, Cross-cutting capabilities and Institutional Challenges.

X All Weather Artist

Healthier Futures research challenges focus on Healthier lives, places and systems.

X Becki Miller

Sustainable Futures research challenges focus on Health, Net-Zero, Equity, Skills, Resilience and Resources.

Universally Manchester Festival

On Saturday, 4 June 2024, we joined the Manchester Universally Festival to deliver the live creation of each platform's artwork.

We want our local community not only to feel but also to see the impact of our research. Inviting our local community, staff, and students to join us for the event allowed our audiences to be part of the art’s creation.

Families were invited to participate in the art by spray painting their mini murals using repurposed spray paint bottles.

The artworks are now being displayed across campus, with plans for the artwork to be displayed at the upcoming Festival of Social Sciences and World Academic Summit.

MA Library & Archive Studies Receives Highly Commended Award

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 16:09:46 +0100

As part of the Faculty of Humanities’ Outstanding Staff Awards for Teaching, Learning, and Student Experience, this recognition highlights programmes that have not only met but exceeded students' expectations, thanks to inspiring, motivating, and innovative teaching teams.

Launched in September 2023, the MA Library and Archive Studies has already made a significant impact by offering a curriculum that blends academic excellence with practical insights into the evolving field of library and archive management.

Student feedback played a crucial role in this recognition, with nominations highlighting the programme's commitment to fostering a supportive learning environment, encouraging students to push their boundaries, and promoting critical thinking.

Speaking ahead of the award, Programme Director Benjamin Wiggins expressed his gratitude, saying:

Kenneth Atuma, another academic actively contributing to the programme’s development, also said:

The Faculty awards panel reviewed numerous student nominations across various categories, and the programme’s recognition stands as a testament to the dedication and hard work of the teaching staff, who have consistently delivered a high-quality educational experience.

The official awards event will take place on Wednesday, 6 November 2024, at Christie’s Bistro, where this outstanding achievement will be formally celebrated.

New book illuminates the lives of one of Manchester’s most influential families

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 14:50:39 +0100

As the University continues to celebrate its bicentenary, a group of experts from The University of Manchester are seeking to revive the history of one of the city’s most influential families through the publication of a new book: .

Published this week by , the volume investigates the lives and public work of Henry and Emily Simon, and Ernest and Shena Simon, a family shaped by their German ancestry and Manchester’s mercantile class.

The book is written by , Senior Lecture in Geography, , Doctoral ��Ӱ��er in History, Dr Diana Leitch MBE, former Deputy University Librarian of the John Rylands Library, , Professor of Intellectual History, and , Professor Emerita in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures.

Although many in Manchester are familiar with the Simon name – through the University’s Simon Building, Simonsway in Wythenshawe and the Manchester College’s Shena Simon Campus – the family themselves are often overlooked in favour of other prolific local individuals. This volume aims to boost their profile by illuminating their deep contributions to public life, both locally and nationally.

The book aims to study the family collectively, by highlighting the marriages of Henry and Emily and of Ernest and Shena as strong partnerships in which the women played important roles not just as mothers and housewives but also as philanthropists, activists and public figures.

Dr Diana Leitch said: “Emily Simon was one of the first women to be awarded an OBE in 1920, shortly before she died aged 60, for her tireless work at the Red Cross Hospital she ran in her home in very tragic personal circumstances. It was a tribute to her courage and resilience through the First World War.”

The first section of the volume, ‘Cosmopolitan Manchester and the Simons’, focuses on the four Simons as individuals; the four biographical chapters are framed by a study of Manchester’s German community. The second part, ‘The Simons’ contribution to society’, emphasises the family as a unit and spotlights their economic, social and political endeavours in Manchester.

In a later chapter, ‘Burghers and citizens: The Simons and the University of Manchester’ Professor Stuart Jones and Dr Professor Chris Godden examine the relationship between the University and the Simon family. Ernest and Shena were at the heart of the University for many decades, and the family have a long connection with the institution and its precursors.

In 1898, as a leading benefactor, Henry Simon was asked to lay the foundation stone for the new Physics Laboratories for Owens College, later integrated in 1903 into The University of Manchester. It was in these same laboratories that Ernest Rutherford, Hans Geiger and their colleagues first split the atom.

Ernest Simon’s substantial personal investment in social science research - notably through the Simon fellowship scheme - was conceived as a contribution to the cause of citizenship education, to which he devoted much of his public work from the 1930s onwards.

Professor Stuart Jones comments: “As a senior lay officer at the University for a quarter of a century, as a leading benefactor, and as a practically-minded thinker, Ernest Simon did more than anyone in his time to sustain a vision of what it meant to be a civic university: a university for the city.”

The family greatly enriched Manchester’s cultural and civic institutions, worked to improve the lives of its citizens and helped to spearhead profound national reforms in healthcare, women’s rights, housing, civic planning and education.

Read the full text of The Simons of Manchester .

Book of the Year nomination for pathbreaking new volume bridging textile studies, critical cultural theory, and material culture studies

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 15:29:25 +0100

, a volume created between colleagues at the University of Manchester and the University of Liverpool, has been unveiled as a contender for the Association of Dress Historians Book of the Year Award.

The volume is a decentred study of how textiles shaped, disrupted, and transformed identities in the age of the first globalisation.

The research and work in the shortlisted book have been undertaken by (Professor of Early Modern History and Deputy Director and Scientific Lead of the John Rylands ��Ӱ�� Institute, University of Manchester) and (Derby Fellow in Historical Legacies of Empire) from the University of Liverpool’s archaeology and history departments, who brought together researchers from a plethora of disciplines.

Professor Hanß said: “The diversity of topics, disciplines, geographies, and contributors in these 16 chapters is so exciting! We bring together world-leading anthropologists, archaeologists, art historians, conservators, curators, historians, scientists, and weavers, establishing cutting-edge conversations across disciplines to examine how textiles created and challenged experiences of subjectivity, relatedness, and dis/location that transformed social fabrics around the early modern globe.

“We’re really proud to be named on the shortlist for this year’s Book of the Year award, particularly because we are the only pre-modern study and the only edited volume to feature in the shortlisted works. It’s a real honour!”

The project has received funding from various streams and Professor Hanß added: “All of our funding contributors and supporters are integral to the work we have been able to conduct. From the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures at The University of Manchester, we were awarded funds from the ��Ӱ�� Development and Support Fund. We were also able to secure funding from The Leverhulme Trust, Churchill College Cambridge and St. John’s College Cambridge.”

The volume has received stellar praise, among others, by Indian literary critic Homi K. Bhabha (Harvard University): “This outstanding volume provides us with the warp and woof of historical exchange and cultural co-existence. These enthralling essays engage with material practices of weaving across genres and geographies, displaying the travelling world of textiles as they record the shifting global communities of a ‘woven imaginary.’ Reading In-Between Textiles, brought to life the migratory memory of my mother’s Parsi garas: a traditional sari, commissioned in Bombay from Chinese sailors who offered her a range of silks and motifs, and brought her the sari, months later, when they docked again in Bombay harbour. Set out on this wondrous voyage of the woven world.”

Exciting New Partnership: MIOIR/AMBS Partners with Leading Global Institutions

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 11:34:12 +0100

Expanding Horizons Through Global Collaboration

We are excited to announce that the and have established new partnerships with three global institutions: the School of Public Policy at Georgia Tech, the University of Gothenburg and the University of Turin. These new Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) signify a major step forward in our ongoing commitment to advancing collaborative research, education and policy engagement.

Our partnership with the School of Public Policy at Georgia Tech builds on our past collaborations, including significant events such as the Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy and the AI for Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy Early Career ��Ӱ��er School. These initiatives have laid a strong foundation for our continued cooperation, which will now be formalised through this MoU.

The MoU with the University of Gothenburg also builds up on our long-standing collaboration with Professor Maureen Mckelvey (currently a member of MIoIR Advisory Board). Maureen is Head of the Unit for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the School of Business, Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg and director of the Centre on knowledge-intensive innovation ecosystems (U-GOT KIES).

We have also historically close connections with the University of Turin, particularly with renowned innovation economists such as Cristiano Antonelli, Francesco Quatraro and Aldo Geuna, which we seek to strengthen with this MoU.

Our partnerships with Georgia Tech, the University of Gothenburg and the University of Turin will enrich our efforts in faculty and student exchanges, joint research projects, and academic events, further strengthening our impact in these vital areas.

We look forward to the exciting opportunities these partnerships will bring and are enthusiastic about the collaborative efforts ahead. Stay tuned for further updates on our progress!

Jack Benton Awarded Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 15:15:01 +0100

This project aims to develop new tools and insights for understanding how changes in urban environments impact people’s wellbeing.

He will create innovative camera-based observation methods to assess wellbeing behaviours in urban environments and develop a novel theoretical framework to determine which environmental interventions are most effective in different urban contexts.

These methods and theories will be applied to a real-world environmental intervention in Manchester, which will be evaluated through a ‘natural experiment.’

This highly interdisciplinary project will deliver a step change in generating a robust evidence base for urban policies and practices that enhance population wellbeing and reduce inequalities.

The Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship is a highly competitive grant awarded annually by the Leverhulme Trust to support the work of emerging scholars. The fellowship provides 36 months of full-time research funding, including support for research expenses.

will conduct his research at The University of Manchester’s , under the mentorship of , starting in October 2024.

Since completing his PhD in 2017, Jack has been based in the School of Health Sciences at The University of Manchester. He previously received a Wellcome Trust pump-priming fellowship in 2021. His work bridges public health, behavioural science, and urban research, with a focus on improving policy and decision-making for healthier cities.

New report on Innovation Districts as Drivers of Sustainable Urban Development

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 16:45:00 +0100

��Ӱ��ers at the and , funded by , have released a report titled Innovation Districts as Drivers of Sustainable Urban Development: An impacts and monitoring framework to drive knowledge economy, urban revitalization, and social inclusion.

This study was commissioned by the University of Manchester on behalf of the Joint Venture Partnership.

Innovation Districts: Beyond Economic Islands

Innovation districts are increasingly viewed as critical mechanisms for economic innovation and investment. However, ensuring these districts benefit the broader community remains a challenge. The new report highlights how innovation districts can foster sustainable urban development by integrating inclusive innovation strategies.

Global Insights and Local Applications

The first section of the report includes a comprehensive literature review and a global scan of 165 innovation districts. The study identifies leading examples, such as the Cortex Innovation Community in St. Louis, USA, and Kendall Square in Cambridge, USA, which have successfully implemented strategies for broader community benefits and social inclusion.

The report's authors analysed these cases using a logic model framework (input-activity-output-outcome-impact) to pinpoint specific actions and inputs that have driven significant economic, urban, and social impacts.

ID Manchester: A Case ��Ӱ�� in Sustainable Development

The report's second part focuses on ID Manchester, a major innovation district under development in central Manchester. Positioned next to Manchester Piccadilly, the busiest railway station in Northwest England, ID Manchester aims to be a model for sustainable and inclusive growth in the UK.

Using the logic model framework, the report outlines a series of targeted activities to achieve three primary objectives:

Economic Activities: Establish a knowledge-based economy through the digital tech sector, life sciences, creative industries, green industries, and advanced manufacturing. Goals include creating a self-sustaining innovation ecosystem, supporting startups, enhancing local economic assets, and fostering global partnerships.
Urban Activities: Promote urban revitalization and sustainable development through local leadership, long-term partnerships, and creating mixed-use public spaces. Strategies involve forming multi-level governance partnerships, enhancing connectivity, and supporting sustainability in infrastructure and businesses.
Social Inclusion Activities: Enhance neighbourhood vitality and inclusive development through community engagement and empowerment. This involves fostering equality, diversity, and inclusion, providing career training and skill courses, and transitioning citizen engagement into entrepreneurship.

Innovative Monitoring Strategies

The report proposes a comprehensive monitoring framework that combines traditional metrics with innovative methods, such as qualitative approaches, longitudinal data, real-time data collection, and participatory sampling. This strategy aims to ensure that ID Manchester remains a genuinely innovative and inclusive place, generating a wide range of benefits for the community.

The full report is available to read .

methods@manchester Summer School 2024

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 15:46:18 +0100

The 2024 Methods Summer School took place at the beginning of July. It saw researchers coming together, within the University of Manchester, from a range of European countries including Italy, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark and, of course, the UK to work intensively on research training in a range of topic areas.

Just under 100 attendees enrolled on five in-person courses and three online offerings, demonstrating the University’s considerable strengths in areas such as Digital Methods, Social Network Analysis, Qualitative Interviewing and Nvivo qualitative data analysis software.

Networking was a key component of the week. During the first evening, participants and training leads mingled over a light buffet and drinks at the local Brewdog bar, developing contacts and friendships within - and across - their chosen courses.

This set the scene for the lunches and breaks. The contemporary Hive social space within AMBS building lends itself to participants taking the time to discuss their research ideas and methodological challenges in a more relaxed setting.

As with all methods@manchester events a vegan catering policy demonstrates how small steps can contribute towards more sustainable approaches to hosting events, and the University catering team did us proud!

The courses themselves adopted a range of approaches to training. Some of the courses were team taught.

The Mitchell Centre shared their established expertise in Social Network Analysis. This year the team offered both in-person and online options, a new approach that can help improve accessibility providing a more cost-effective option for those attending from overseas or with less flexibility.

The Digital Humanities team developed a new offering focused on Digital Methods. The course included a deep dive into a range of approaches including geospatial, mobile and operational methods alongside text mining, data visualisation and algorithmic ethnography.

These team-teaching efforts allow us to work with ��Ӱ�� Centres, Institutes and clusters of expertise around the Faculty of Humanities to offer varied content on a broad range of topics.

We are busy collecting and analysing feedback from attendees, but what we have thus far is overwhelmingly positive, with many highlighting the practical skills they gained and the collaborative spirit of the event.

We have plenty of ideas around how we can take the Summer School further next year. We are discussing incorporating a poster session to encourage knowledge exchange, spark conversations and potential collaborations around attendees’ use of methodologies and approaches.

Perhaps you have some ideas you would like to share with us or courses you would like to see offered in the 2025 Summer School?

Do contact us on methods@manchester.ac.uk if you’d like to find out more or offer suggestions.

To keep up-to-date with our events and activities sign up to the methods@manchester newsletter. You can also find us on , and.

Cross-border and domestic early-stage financial investment in 3D printing

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 14:32:26 +0100

3D printing is a relatively new digital technology which can transform the way firms organize their innovation and production operations locally and globally. While 3D printing is being adopted by diverse organizations worldwide, empirical academic research on investment in early-stage 3D printing technology firms is still limited. In this paper, we consider the geography of the 3D printing ecosystem to illuminate the financing of investment into early state firms developing innovation in this technology.

Using a hand-collected dataset of 500 firm-level investments, we hypothesize 3D printing investment is drawn to countries with greater innovative capacity, countries with greater human capital competencies, and countries with higher wages. We find that larger investments tend to benefit companies developing 3D printing technology in higher wage locations and in countries with higher innovative capacity level, suggesting that investments in the 3D printing ecosystems take places mostly in locations that already have an ecosystem in place.

Our study is one of the first to examine detailed patterns of global investment in a new digital technology ecosystem - 3D printing, an increasingly important technology for innovation.

Access the full article .

New Future You podcast about studying humanitarianism at Manchester, with Dr Amanda Mccorkindale

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 12:41:51 +0100

Senior Lecturer Dr Amanda McCordkindale spoke with careers guidance podcast Future You about life and study at HCRI, reflecting on the benefits and challenges of studying difficult global issues.

The latest Future You podcast delves into the history of the University’s and looks at the day-to-day life of students on our courses.

Listen to on Spotify.

In this podcast, Dr Amanda Mccorkindale describes the rationale behind HCRI’s foundation – to apply critical refection to the real-world practices of humanitarian response and improve the outcomes of those affected by natural and man-made disasters and emergencies.

Since its founding in 2008, HCRI has moved from being a strictly research-focused institute to providing a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD courses, for those working as or aspiring to become humanitarian practitioners. This includes our unique Leadership Education Academic Partnership (LEAP) online course, which provides critical and theoretically-informed education to those working for humanitarian NGOs.

In the , Dr Mccorkindale discusses the mental health challenges of studying heavy topics, such as conflict, genocide and disasters, but also the measures HCRI takes to support its students, including trigger warnings, peer mentoring programmes, reflection on ethical positionality, and access to a wide variety of support services at University of Manchester.

The podcast also covers the wide range of career outcomes for those studying at HCRI and the multidisciplinary nature of our courses and student cohorts.

The Future You podcast is published by Prospects, an organisation that supports graduates in finding employment and educational opportunities. You can find out more information on the website.

Methods Fair Success

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 18:00:00 +0100

Over one hundred researchers gathered last month to present their work, attend workshops and engage in discussion at the annual Methods Fair.

, Director of methods@manchester kicked off the day, welcoming attendees from across, and beyond, the Faculty (including as far afield as London, Cardiff and even Poland).

Institutions within the North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP) were particularly well represented with faculty and researchers from UCLan, Keele, Liverpool and Lancaster hosted workshops focused on specialised methods and methodological concerns.

Highlights of the day included the Lightning Talks - five minute presentations from around 25 researchers across parallel streams, chaired by UoM PGRs. Such talks provide valuable jumping off points for further discussions and networking.

This year saw record submissions of posters of an exceptional standard. The poster session featured 30 contributions from researchers at various career stages (from first year PGRs to professors). Over a vegan buffet lunch, attendees and presenters engaged with diverse ideas and perspectives.

In the afternoon it was time for many Fair attendees to step aside for others to do more of the talking. With workshops featuring video, film, ethnography, ethics, archival data and AMBS’ Data Visualisation Observatory, as well as news about funding opportunities, it was a jam-packed programme with something there for everyone.

We would like to leave you with some thoughts from attendees….

You can see the 2024 Methods Fair programme .

Why using dating apps for public health messaging is an ethical dilemma

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 17:38:37 +0100

Dating apps are not just about finding love or hooking up. They are becoming increasingly important in the communication of public health messaging, particularly sexual health.

In 2023, magazine suggested that dating apps could “become a key component in [sexually infectious diseases] prevention”. And their prediction seems to be spot on.

Grindr, a dating app popular among men who have sex with men, for example, has recently partnered with and in London to allow users to order HIV test kits through the app. While these partnerships hold promise for public health, they also raise important ethical challenges. Alongside colleagues from the UK and US, we have of these challenges and proposed ways of addressing them.

During the , more people than ever started using . Today, apps such as Tinder, Match, or Grindr have millions of users worldwide. A recent in the US showed that more than half of people aged under 30 had used dating apps. Most dating apps can be accessed from smartphones, allowing users to find other people based on shared interests, preferences or location.

A concluded that apps have multiple benefits for public health, including the ability to effectively target specific groups. In the US, is a successful example of collaborating with dating apps to promote sexual health. And, during the recent outbreak, Grindr provided information and its vaccine to users.

Profit, privacy and prejudice

But most apps are profit-generators for businesses and operate in ethical and regulatory contexts that are very different to those of medical or health related professions. One major concern is privacy, as apps collect vast amounts of personal data. Cybersecurity experts have argued that apps are a “”. This is, in part, because the main goal of apps is “generating, capturing and controlling ” for profit.

Unfortunately, there are many examples of apps mishandling data. For example, has been fined for sharing sensitive user data with third parties, including users’ HIV status. This misuse of data can have severe consequences, including in unsafe environments.

Dating apps can also reproduce all too common in wider society. that many users, particularly from marginalised groups, experience harassment, including and , on these platforms. of the experiences of dating apps among rural sexual minority men in the US found that online dating often led to “deception, bullying or discrimination, and harassment or coercion”.

Some apps, such as Grindr, – but other with features which allow, if not encourage, discrimination. Discriminatory experiences undermine users’ trust in dating apps, making marginalised groups more reluctant to use them. This also means that marginalised groups may be less likely to access public health information and help through dating apps.

Some dating apps operate with opaque policies. For example, and can terminate any user’s account, for any reason and without any notice. Some who had been using apps to disseminate information have had their profiles blocked on some apps.

Future collaborations with apps should prioritise the benefit of users over those of the app businesses, develop transparent data policies that prevent users’ data from being shared for profit, ensure the apps’ commitment to anti-discrimination and anti-harrassment, and provide links to health and wellbeing services beyond the apps.

Dating apps have the potential to be powerful allies in public health, especially in reaching populations that have often been ignored. However, their use must be carefully managed to avoid compromising user privacy, safety and marginalisation.

Attend free research methods event focused on futures

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 17:13:34 +0100

��Ӱ��ers are being invited to attend a free event in Manchester that will explore AI, the environment and other issues that are likely to have significant impacts on society.

MethodsCon: Futures, on 12-13 September 2024, will be part conference, part learning opportunity and part innovation forum.

It is being organised by the (NCRM), which is a partnership between The University of Manchester, the University of Southampton and the University of Edinburgh.

The event will provide a unique opportunity for attendees to engage with, explore and develop futures, with more than 30 sessions scheduled over two days.

Attendees will be able to take part in workshops and interactive seminars, hear from a variety of experts and collaborate with researchers and professionals from different sectors and disciplines.

Topics will include:

futures methodologies;
inclusive and equitable futures;
health technologies;
socio-environmental change;
AI;
society and social science concerns.

Those interested in attending must complete an application form by Wednesday, 31 July 2024.

NCRM's review panel will assess applications and notify applicants if they have a place.

Exploring the North West's Path to Productivity by 2035

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 16:33:36 +0100

partnered with the of the Productivity Institute and Deloitte to host a one-day conference for business leaders on the North West’s prospects as a leading region for growth and productivity by 2035.

Hosted at the Alliance Manchester Business School, Jo Ahmed, Senior Partner in Deloitte’s NW practice, kicked off with an engaging panel discussion featuring Ken McPhail, Lou Cordwell OBE, and Deloitte’s Chief Economist, Ian Stewart.

We were also honoured to have discussions with former Chancellor George Osborne and former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, followed by a keynote address from GM Mayor Andy Burnham.

The afternoon sessions included insightful breakout discussions on various themes, culminating in a final plenary wrap-up with input from Richard Jones.

Our audience comprised leaders from key North West and global businesses, diplomats from the consulates of Spain, Italy, and Ireland, and honorary consuls from Iceland, Japan, Switzerland, and Brazil.

It was also fantastic to see participation from several MIOIR PhD students and MSc. IME students.

Celebrating Manchester’s past, present and future as winners of 2024 Micropoetry competition unveiled

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 10:17:00 +0100

Our panel of judges gathered to deliberate this year’s entries, enjoying the variety of work covering 200 years of creativity in Manchester.

This year, the competition celebrates the University of Manchester’s bicentennial year and challenged entrants to pen their work in no more than 280 characters, focusing on Manchester’s past, present or future.

Former University Chancellor and poet Lemn Sissay OBE returned to the judging panel alongside last year’s judges, Creative Manchester Director and Professor of Poetry John McAuliffe and Manchester-based poet and critic Maryam Hessavi.

We welcomed a new judge to the panel for 2024 as Rebecca Hurst, a writer, opera-maker and illustrator, joined the judges in choosing the winner. Rebecca has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Manchester and was recently commissioned to write a poem celebrating the University’s 2024 bicentenary year called ‘Mast Year'.

Faced with a shortlist of the top entries, the four panel members discussed and eventually selected Chris Grey’s entry as our 2024 winner.

Read our judges’ comments below:

Professor of Poetry and Director of Creative Manchester added:

Joining the panel for the first time was Rebecca Hurst who commented:

Finally, Manchester-based poet and critic Maryam Hessavi said:

This year’s poetry competition launched at our Light Up event on Wednesday, 17 January 2024 that signified the start of our 200th year. The entries closed on Wednesday, 10 April 2024.

The prize for the winning poem this year was £500, with £250 in prize money going to two runners-up. Each of the Under 18 category prize entrants received a £10 voucher for submitting an entry into this year’s competition.

The runner up prizes were awarded to entries from Hilary J Goodall and Ellie Grant.

John McAuliffe said:

You can join us in celebrating the winners at a special literary event as part of Universally Manchester Festival.

For more information, read more on our .

Elys Roberts Scholarship deadline extended to Friday, 28 June 2024

Tue, 28 May 2024 17:00:00 +0100

Scholarships for the postgraduate certificate in Global Health.

For September 2024, a scholarship is available to help fund the first year of study in MSc Global Health by distance learning.

The purpose of the scholarship is to equip those who want to make an impact in Global Health and to support international humanitarian work.

The scholarship is available to support those pursuing a career in Global Health, from or working in low/middle-income countries who might not otherwise have the means to study for a postgraduate qualification.

Amount:

UK students (per annum): £4,500 p.a. (one year)
International, including EU, students (per annum): £9,000 p.a. (one year)

The closing date for applications is Friday, 28 June 2024 at 11.59pm (GMT). The course will commence in September 2024.

Criteria

We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate:

professional experience related to Global Health;
a clear idea of how the MSc in Global Health and studying at HCRI will benefit their career;
a clear passion around the subject of global health;
applicants are encouraged from the Global South and particularly Low- or Middle-Income Country (LMIC);
applicants are encouraged from the those working in LMIC contexts.

Eligibility

Applicants who already have a masters level qualification are ineligible to apply.
Students who have already accepted full scholarships or bursaries for September 2024 entry are ineligible to apply.

How to apply

To apply for the scholarship, you will need to complete the following by Friday, 28 June 2024 at 11.59pm (GMT):

submit the University of Manchester postgraduate admissions form, providing all necessary supporting material (including transcript and two references); and
submit a 500-word case for support of how you meet the bursary criteria by email to hcri@manchester.ac.uk. Please include your full name and application ID number.

Conditions of any Scholarship Award

Scholarship Award Holders have a commitment to:

provide blog entries throughout their study;
engage with requests for video testimonials if possible during their course;
write a testimonial at the end of their course.