As and a habitable climate teeters, it’s understandable to feel despair.

Some of the world’s top climate scientists at the prospect of reaching 3°C by 2100. This hellish scenario, well in excess of the 1.5°C countries agreed to aim for when they signed the 2015 , would indeed spell disaster for much of life on Earth.

As a lecturer in sustainability, I often hear my anxious students bemoan the impossibility of building a way out of ecological collapse. However, the greatest danger is fatalism, and assuming, as claimed, that “there is no alternative”.

There is a vast ocean of possibility for transforming the planet. Increasingly, cities are in the vanguard of forging more sustainable worlds.

Car-free futures

Since the , the car has afforded a sense of freedom while infringing on the freedoms of .

Cars, particularly , are a major source of air pollution and . Motorways and have transformed Earth’s terrain and monopolised public space. For those of us in industrialised societies, it is difficult to .

Global sales of electric vehicles are projected to . Yet even these supposed solutions to an unsustainable transport sector require a lot of space and materials to make and maintain.

With cities set to host nearly by 2050, space and livability are key concerns. As such, and are beginning to reclaim their streets.

Between 2019 and 2022, the number of low-emissions zones, areas that regulate the most polluting vehicles in order to improve air quality and help to protect public health, in European cities. Research suggests that policies to such as congestion charges and raised parking fees can further discourage their use. However, providing viable and accessible alternatives is also crucial: as such, many cities are also widening walkways, building bike lanes and making public transport cheaper and easier to access.

An estimated 80,000 cars used to pass daily through the centre of , a city in north-west Spain. Mayor Miguel Anxo Fernandez Lores instituted a ban on cars in 1999 and removed on-street parking spaces. The city has since drastically reduced air pollution and hasn’t had a vehicular death in over a decade.

Living cities

Cement and concrete are to make major infrastructure such as roads, bridges, buildings and dams. The cement industry accounts for up to . Moreover, the open-pit quarrying of limestone, a key ingredient in cement, involves removing topsoil and vegetation which and increases flooding risks.

A burgeoning “” movement originated in in 2008 and has removed concrete and asphalt from cities including , and several cities , replacing it with plants and soil.

Depaving is an example of the wider movement which aims to restore natural habitats and expand green spaces in cities for social and ecological wellbeing.

Multispecies coexistence

A new by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) has documented in the abundance of monitored wildlife populations globally since 1970. Despite such unfathomable losses, many cities are being transformed into .

Prized for their fur, beavers were hunted to extinction in the UK by the 16th century. Their create homes for other species such as birds and invertebrates and help prevent flooding. Eurasian beavers have been since their reintroduction in the 1920s and 1960s, respectively.

In 2022, beavers were designated a in England. , London saw its first baby beaver in over 400 years.

Melbourne has launched a project to create in the city by 2028, with at least 20 local plant species for each square metre. An 8-kilometre long is also being created to allow wildlife to travel between 200 interconnected gardens and further help local pollinators flourish.

Living alongside larger predators brings unique challenges. However, as with any functional relationship, respect is key for coexistence. Los Angeles and Mumbai are two major cities that are mountain lions and leopards. Local officials have launched public education initiatives urging people to, for instance, maintain a safe distance from the animals and not walk alone outside at night. In cases where wildlife conflicts occur, such as who have lost livestock, non-lethal methods such as wolf-proof fences and guard dogs have been found to be than culls.

Environmental justice now

Cities, particularly in wealthy countries, are only a small part of the story.

At just over 500 years old, the modern capitalist system, imposed globally through , is a relatively recent development. Despite its influence, the visionary author Ursula K. Le Guin that “any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings”.

numbering 476 million across 90 countries represent thousands of distinct cultures that persist as living proof of the enduring possibilities of radically different ways of living.

tracks 4,189 worldwide. From keeping illegal miners at bay, to countless local communities and resisting the construction of new fossil fuel infrastructure. Over the last few years, these place-based struggles have either stopped, stalled or forced the suspension of at least .

These examples demonstrate hope in action, and suggest that the radical changes required to avert climate and ecological breakdown are often a simple question of will and collective resolve.

Reality, like the future, is never fixed. Whether the world is depends on actions taken today. The terrain ahead will be full of challenges. But, glimmers of a better world are already here.

, Lecturer in Sustainability,
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

The festival is a key element of the Economic and Social Research Council’s () commitment to promote awareness of UK social sciences to new audiences.

The events shaping our world, from climate change to geopolitical tensions and civic protests, reveal how social science is more important than ever to understanding the world.  From big ideas to the most detailed observations, social science affects us all every day – at work, in school, when raising children, within our communities, from the personal and the local, to the national and global level.  

The ESRC Festival of Social Science offers a fascinating insight into some of the country’s leading social science research and how it influences or social, economic and political lives – both now and in the future.  Discover how it shapes public policy and contributes to making the economy more competitive, as well as giving people a better understanding of 21^st-century society.

Attendees at this year's festival will be invited to dive into ‘Our Digital Lives’ by exploring the fascinating intersection of social sciences and technology as we unravel the complexity of human-digital interactions.  Our carefully curated programme offers a compelling look at how social sciences illuminate our evolving relationship with the digital world.

Stian Westlake, ESRC Executive Chair, said: “The ESRC Festival of Social Science offers a unique insight into UK social science research and its relevance to individuals, society and economy.  There are hundreds of free events taking place across the UK and online, including Swagֱ��, Swagֱ�� Metropolitan University and University of Salford.  We hope you enjoy the events and finding out more about social scientists’ work.”

Join us to explore the work of social science from 19 October to 9 November.  Take a look at our range of free events for all ages and tastes!

For a complete calendar of events and details on how to register, we invite you to visit the .   

This festival was made possible thanks to funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), which is part of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

The Scholarship is aimed at first-year undergraduate students nominated by participating universities for the Scheme, and seeks to address the disproportionate under-representation of Black men from less socially mobile backgrounds in large commercial law firms and other careers in the City of London.

It is provided by global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, and was launched in 2013 with support from Doreen Lawrence, Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, OBE.

Benefits include a 15-month development programme, mentorship, commercial familiarisation though work-shadowing and £5,000 towards study-related costs. For those who wish it, there is an alternative pathway to an interview for a trainee associate programme at the firm.

Annette Byron, Freshfields’ Partner for Social Mobility, commented: “I am delighted to welcome the new cohort to the twelfth year of the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship Scheme. This year, we had the honour of considering 78 outstanding candidates, all showing exceptional potential. We look forward to support our 12 new scholars as they begin their professional paths and continue to contribute to the enduring impact of the Scheme."

Arthur, who is looking forward to starting the development programme, said: “Being selected for the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship is an honour. I’m excited to learn and grow alongside such a talented group of scholars, and I hope this experience will not only advance my own ambitions but also inspire others to pursue their goals.”

"I also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding efforts of all our candidates who participated in the assessment centres in London," Emma added. “Each of them demonstrated exceptional skill and professionalism, representing both themselves and the University with great distinction throughout the process.”

The Moon, like the Earth, has been bombarded by asteroids and comets since its formation, leaving behind craters and basins. However, the exact timing and intensity of most of these events, notably the oldest and largest basin on the Moon, have remained unclear to scientists—until now.

By analysing a lunar meteorite known as Northwest Africa 2995, a team led by scientists at Swagֱ�� have investigated the age of the formation of the massive South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin – the Moon’s oldest confirmed impact site, which is located on the far side of the Moon and stretches more than 2,000 kilometres.

The proposed date is around 120 million years earlier than what is believed to be the most intense period of impact bombardment on the Moon.

The finding, published today in , provides a clearer picture of the Moon’s early impact history.

, Royal Society University Research Fellow at Swagֱ��, said: “Over many years scientists across the globe have been studying rocks collected during the Apollo, Luna, and Chang’e 5 missions, as well as lunar meteorites, and have built up a picture of when these impact events occurred.

“For several decades there has been general agreement that the most intense period of impact bombardment was concentrated between 4.2-3.8 billion years ago - in the first half a billion years of the Moon’s history.  But now, constraining the age of the South-Pole Aitken basin to 120 million years earlier weakens the argument for this narrow period of impact bombardment on the Moon and instead indicates there was a more gradual process of impacts over a longer period.”

The Northwest Africa 2995 meteorite was found in Algeria in 2005 and is what geologists refer to as a regolith breccia, which means it contains fragments of different rock types that were once a lunar soil and have been fused together by the heat and pressure involved in an impact event.

By analysing the amount of uranium and lead found in a range of mineral and rock fragments within the meteorite, the researchers were able to determine the materials dated back to between 4.32 and 4.33 billion years ago.

The team, which included Swagֱ��, the Institute of Geology and Geophysics – Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm, and the University of Portsmouth, then compared these results to data collected by NASA’s Lunar Prospector mission, which orbited the Moon studying its surface composition between 1998 and 1999. The comparison revealed many chemical similarities between the meteorite and the rocks within the SPA basin, confirming their link and enabling the new age estimate.

, Senior Lecturer at Swagֱ��, said: “The implications of our findings reach far beyond the Moon. We know that the Earth and the Moon likely experienced similar impacts during their early history, but rock records from the Earth have been lost. We can use what we have learnt about the Moon to provide us with clues about the conditions on Earth during the same period of time.”

This new understanding opens new avenues for future lunar exploration.

from Swagֱ��, said: “The proposed ancient 4.32 billion year old age of the South Pole-Aiken basin now needs to be tested by sample return missions collecting rocks from known localities within the crater itself.”

While on campus, DPM Heng and his delegation explored opportunities for future collaboration, particularly in the space of R&D and innovation. The visit to Swagֱ�� was the only non-London element of the DPM’s UK visit, alongside Cambridge; they visited the city due to its effective innovation ecosystem evident in the relationship between the university, businesses and local government.

DPM Heng observed a briefing by the and the before having dinner with President and Vice-Chancellor, Duncan Ivison. He also visited the Swagֱ�� Fuel Cell Innovation Centre and met with the UK Biobank.

As part of his visit to the city, DPM Heng met with Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Swagֱ��, to discuss views on how government, academia, finance, industry and talent can come together to grow vibrant and integrated innovation ecosystems.

Swagֱ�� has a longstanding relationship with Singapore, welcoming many Singaporean students each year. Undergraduate exchange agreements are in place with the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University.

The International Development Division at Swagֱ�� maintains good relationships with the various institutions across Singapore and arranges several visits to Singapore each year for colleagues from Faculties and Schools.

The International Development Division also has close links with the Singapore Students’ Society of Swagֱ�� who act as ambassadors at events, and there are also close ties with the active University of Swagֱ�� Alumni Group.

The Alliance Swagֱ�� Business School (AMBS) has had a presence in Singapore since 1992 and opened the , in Singapore, in 1999; with 400 active students and 1,500 alumni, the Centre offers MBA course and Masters Degrees.

The South East Asia Centre participated in the University’s bicentenary event, Light Up, in January 2024, by gathering current students and esteemed alumni for a jubilant reception.

This - made possible by the collaboration of experts including Dr Joanna Taylor from Swagֱ�� and the work of thousands of volunteers - highlights Davy's immense contributions to science, and even reveals that two common chemical elements could have had different names.

The platform, funded by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council, allows the public to explore Davy's notebooks and gain insight into his groundbreaking discoveries, such as the isolation of potassium and sodium – which his notes reveal were almost labelled "potarchium" and "sodarchium."

In addition to scientific insights, the platform includes fascinating details of Davy’s experiments with nitrous oxide, including his personal experience as the first person to inhale the gas and recognise its pain-relieving properties. The notebooks also reveal Davy's frustrations over the lack of recognition for his inventions, such as his miner’s safety lamp which saved tens of thousands of lives.

Led by Professor Sharon Ruston of Lancaster University, the project is the result of a major international effort involving , the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, University College London, and .

The platform, which launches officially on Saturday 19 October, was made possible through the work of 3,841 volunteers who transcribed more than 13,000 pages of Davy’s notes, creating a valuable resource for researchers and the general public alike. The collection is now publicly available on Lancaster University Library’s digital platform.

Dr Taylor’s expertise in understanding how Davy’s scientific work intertwined with his personal reflections on nature and poetry was pivotal in interpreting the notebooks in a way that reveals Davy’s deep intellectual engagement with the world around him.

“The publication of these notebooks, images of the pages, their transcription and explicatory notes is a beginning rather than the end of a project,” said Professor Ruston. “Now everyone can read what Davy wrote 200 years ago and, I hope, will make full use of this new resource.”

Simon Johnson - who studied Economics at Swagֱ�� in the 1980s, and is now a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - won the prize alongside Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson in recognition of their work to analyse how institutions and the rule of law shape national prosperity.

Professor Johnson was born in Sheffield, and completed his undergraduate studies at Oxford University, before doing a master's degree at Swagֱ�� and a doctorate at MIT.

His career has included prominent roles at the Washington-based Peterson Institute and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), where he served as chief economist from 2007 to 2008 during the global financial crisis. He eventually returned to MIT as a professor, focusing on global economic inequality and policy.

Through their research, Professor Johnson and his colleagues have shaped global debates by demonstrating that democracies, which hold to the rule of law and provide individual rights, have spurred greater economic activity over the last 500 years. Their insights - derived from studying colonialism’s enduring effects on global development - have broad implications for economic strategies today.

Professor Johnson’s academic achievements have established him as a leading voice on global economic policy, which has now been further cemented by this honour. He becomes the 26^th Nobel laureate associated with Swagֱ��, either as staff or alumni.

“It is a surprise and a delight to win the Nobel Prize in Economics,” said Professor Johnson. “Getting my master’s degree at Swagֱ�� helped launch my professional career – and I will always be grateful to my teachers and fellow students in those years. Their guidance and inspiration (and many late-night conversations) helped push me down the road towards careful empirical work, bringing history to bear, and understanding the importance of building institutions that support inclusive prosperity.”

“This year’s laureates have pioneered new approaches, both empirical and theoretical, that have significantly advanced our understanding of global inequality,” said Nobel committee member Jakob Svensson. “Reducing the huge differences in income between countries is one of our times’ greatest challenges, and their insights show that democracies are - on average - better for promoting growth in the long run.”

The report, a collaboration between Bupa Global, India & UK (BGIUK), Swagֱ�� and The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, aims to tackle the issues faced by the healthcare sector, currently responsible for almost

The report explores the financial, operational and logistical challenges of reducing organisations’ environmental footprints, plus opportunities to reduce emissions, update clinical practices to reduce environmental impact, engage employees and work with supply-chains.

Included is a showcase of best practice from hospital and technology providers, NHS trusts, insurers and industry and sustainability associations. It adds to a growing body of work and pulls together best practice examples with practical actions for healthcare providers.

The report also features a practical scorecard that allows organisations to measure progress against carbon reduction best practice and take forward practical actions in five key action areas:

• Supply chain – the largest proportion of a healthcare organisation’s carbon impact
• Healthcare estates – which make up 18% of all healthcare provision emissions
• Travel and transport – which makes up 4% of an organisation’s emissions footprint
• Clinical practice – including reassessing clinical pathways to provide care that’s best for patients and the planet
• Governance and staff – the importance of high quality governance and engagement when making change

The launch took place in central London at an event attended by over 100 healthcare leaders, providers and industry partners who had a chance to hear in depth about the recommendations of the report and see the scorecard in action.

Also in attendance were suppliers and collaborators Bupa is working with as part of its aims to become a net zero business by 2040, including Upcycled Medical (medical uniforms made from recycled plastic and wood pulp), Sagetech Medical (anaesthetics gases capture and recycling system) and Naked Energy (solar energy providers).

The report is available to download .

Anna Russell, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Director for BGIUK said: “At Bupa, we believe that the health of people and the health of our planet are inextricably linked, and this means we have a big responsibility to make a better world for the generations to come.

“Across the healthcare sector we share a responsibility to reduce the environmental impact of healthcare while upholding high standards of patient care. We hope that this report will serve as a useful roadmap for organisations and that we can work together on common challenges to reach our environmental goals.”

Lou Cordwell, Professor of Innovation and Special Advisor to the President & Vice-Chancellor at Swagֱ�� said: “We're delighted to launch this first project as part of the University's strategic innovation collaboration with Bupa. This report leverages the incredible sustainability expertise of the Tyndall team to create a valuable tool that we're confident will be hugely impactful across the Bupa business and partner network as well as the wider industry.”

The ‘Zero Carbon Without a Net’ initiative is part of the University’s Environmental Sustainability strategy which was launched last July, and subsequently won the 2023 . Now, the University is being honoured for its dedication to sustainability on an international scale.

The awards featured 95 finalists from 28 countries, with the University coming first in the ‘’ category, which focuses on assessing the steps that institutions are taking - or are planning to take - to reach their sustainability targets.

Recognising the innovative and pioneering initiatives in sustainability, the celebrate the projects undertaken by further and higher education institutions who are striving for a sustainable future.

The University’s initiative focuses on decarbonising its operations to secure a zero-carbon future by 2038. Progress already made includes:

• The landmark deal signed in May 2024 that will see up to 65% of the University’s electricity demand supplied through a brand-new renewables project.
• Completion of the first phase of building decarbonisation projects including the newly refurbished building which now has the infrastructure to support zero emissions.
• A further £25m pledged to decarbonise the University, taking the zero-carbon budget to £175m.

The Green Gown Award judges commented: “Swagֱ��’s “Zero Carbon Without a Net” initiative is candid and ambitious. The approach of clearly assessing reality in relation to ambitions is very important and ensures that the approach taken is sincere, going beyond intentions to focus on transformation. Its scientific approach, detailed planning. And substantial internal funding demonstrates a deep institutional commitment to sustainability.”

Swagֱ��’s Environmental Sustainability strategy builds on the University’s core goals of Teaching and Learning, Research and Discovery and Social Responsibility and stresses the need to embed sustainable practises into all University plans, policies and processes.

The strategy also highlights six priority operational areas, all linking back to the United Nations Sustainability Goals: Construction and Refurbishment; Risk and Climate Resilience; Responsible Procurement; Resource Management; Valuing Nature; Travel and Transport. 

“We are incredibly delighted to be recognised internationally for our decarbonisation plans, which are firmly grounded in science, with our zero-carbon target set in collaboration with experts from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research” said Julia Durkan, Swagֱ��’s Head of Environmental Sustainability. “This award not only acknowledges our ambitious plans but also celebrates the collective efforts of our colleagues who have made this initiative a reality.  We’re proud to be part of the international effort to tackle climate change, and we know achieving these goals requires continuous, urgent action and global collaboration.”

The announcement has been made as part of a collaboration agreed between Lilly and UK Government today, unveiled at the Government’s International Investment Summit. 

The study will evaluate the real-world effectiveness of tirzepatide in weight loss, diabetes prevention, and prevention of obesity-related complications for adults with obesity. 

The evidence generated will seek to increase the global evidence base on the long-term impacts of weight loss medicines and potentially inform the UK's care pathway approach to the treatment of obesity. Significantly, the five-year study will also aim to collect data on healthcare resource utilisation, health-related quality of life and changes in participants’ employment status and sick days from work. 

Health Innovation Swagֱ�� has worked with the University of Swagֱ�� and local digital trials company NorthWest EHealth to develop the study approach.

Mayor of Greater Swagֱ��, Andy Burnham, said: “Greater Swagֱ�� is worldrenowned as a hub for innovation in health and life sciences. The results of the trial announced today could have a far-reaching impact on how we treat obesity globally, and our city-region is ready to make a significant contribution through our outstanding health data assets, R&D expertise, and the strong partnerships between industry, universities and public sector organisations.

“The International Investment Summit will provide an opportunity to showcase our local strengths in health innovation to an audience of global business leaders and investors. This partnership could be the first of many and give Greater Swagֱ�� residents access to other innovative treatments.”

Professor Rachel Batterham, Senior Vice President for International Medical Affairs at Lilly, said: “At Lilly, we are deeply committed to improving lives by partnering across the health system to address complex health challenges like obesity. We’re delighted to partner with Health Innovation Swagֱ�� on our plans for the SURMOUNT-REAL UK study. This collaboration will add to the evidence base on the real world impact of obesity treatments on the health of people with obesity, and will explore a broad range of outcomes including health-related quality of life and impact on individuals’ employment status.”

Martin Rutter, Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine, University of Swagֱ��, and principal investigator for the Greater Swagֱ�� study, said: “This five-year real-world study aims to demonstrate the long-term efficacy and safety profile of tirzepatide in a primary care setting compared to usual care. It will specifically quantify the medicine’s long-term effects on obesity, diabetes incidence, and obesity-related complications, as well as its impacts on employment and health economic outcomes.” 

Ben Bridgewater, CEO at Health Innovation Swagֱ��, commented: “Greater Swagֱ�� (GM) is well placed to deliver novel trials and real-world evidence studies to develop a deeper understanding of the impact that industry-led innovation can have on population health. Through this landmark partnership with Lilly we will show how a medicine impacts people’s long-term health outcomes. This will help us understand its effects people with obesity in GM as well as inform national strategies and pave the way for further research and development in this critical area.”

Mark Britnell, Chair of Health Innovation Swagֱ��, said: “Owing to our strengths in life sciences, academia and digital, Greater Swagֱ�� has all the ingredients to be truly world-leading in health innovation. This is demonstrated through our partnership with Lilly, which will help to propel our sector strengths even further forward for the benefit of local patients.”

Mark Fisher, CEO of the NHS Greater Swagֱ�� Integrated Care Board, said: “Around 600,000 adults in Greater Swagֱ�� live with obesity, many of whom also suffer with other obesity-related illnesses which reduces their quality of life and puts additional pressure on the health and care system. Working collaboratively with industry to solve these problems is paramount, and I am delighted to support the study coming to the Greater Swagֱ�� integrated care system.” 

Jonathan Wogel, Chief Executive Officer, NorthWest EHealth, said: “We are excited to be partnering with our colleagues at Health Innovation Swagֱ�� to deliver this new study which is aimed at generating data to support patients with obesity. It is not only a milestone for NWEH and Greater Swagֱ�� (GM), but a significant moment for the UK clinical trials industry. By combining GM’s well established health system with our innovative technology, we are demonstrating the future of clinical trials, where technology and health data integrate to make research more efficient, helping develop and deliver better care for patients.”

Launched on 11 October 2024 in Swagֱ��, academics from partner institutions gathered in person and online to mark the beginning of this collaborative effort at an inaugural meeting. Academics from the member institutions joined a panel discussion on sustainability and climate change – one of the key focus areas of the Alliance.

GHA members include: Swagֱ��, Ashoka University in India, Mahidol University in Thailand, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universitas Gadjah Mada in Indonesia, The University of Melbourne in Australia, University of Nairobi in Kenya and University of Toronto in Canada.

The mission of the GHA is to raise the social and political impact of the humanities and social sciences through an emphasis on a programme of research and teaching that takes up global issues, incorporates diverse global perspectives and brings scholars and students together for critical conversations.

Underpinning the Alliance is a core value that by combining complementary and distinctive strengths, it can better address key global challenges and showcase the difference humanities, social sciences and the liberal arts makes to the world.

Professor Angelia Wilson, Faculty of Humanities Associate Dean for Internationalisation at Swagֱ��, commented: “The Global Humanities Alliance brings together academics and higher education institutions from around the world to celebrate and to enrich the important contribution made by humanities and social science research to understanding and navigating the challenges we face in our local communities and in wider society. The member institutions are firmly committed to working together to ensure our students are fit to be engaged, value-driven, and knowledgeable citizens of the world.”

The GHA brings together thousands of humanities and social scientists from around the globe. Alliance collaborations will centre initially around four core themes: public humanities, sustainability and climate change, decolonising knowledge and digital transformations.

The GHA is working towards a range of joint research initiatives and enhanced staff mobility between Alliance member institutions through a programme of visiting fellowships.

And for students, the GHA expands opportunities for an international learning experience with Global Classrooms. Offering virtual guest lectures and international discussion boards, students will get a more diverse learning experience and options to learn from their peers around the world.

Professor Fiona Devine, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, said: “The Global Humanities Alliance will greatly enhance the staff and student experience, not just here at Swagֱ�� but for all our partner institutions across the globe. Working with our partners in the Alliance will facilitate the co-production of knowledge, new ways of innovating teaching, and research collaboration to tackle global challenges.”

City of Trees is an independent charity that plant, look after and promote a culture of trees across Greater Swagֱ��. They work with volunteers across the region, as part of their ‘Citizen Forester’ programme to enhance green skills, boost health and wellbeing, and to help tackle the climate and biodiversity emergency.

Aligned closely with the University’s values and social responsibility agenda, both City of Trees and Swagֱ�� are passionate about making the region even better, one tree at a time.

In the University's special bicentenary year, it is partnering with City of Trees on several initiatives:

• The University's International Relations team signed the first agreement City of Trees earlier this year, kicking off the partnership which has been growing throughout the bicentenary year. The new agreement and initiative is a positive step in looking at the small changes with big impact that we can make as an institution
• The new agreement and initiative was officially launched at the International Friends of Swagֱ�� Day on 10 October, whereby the University made a donation on behalf of each international delegate to City of Trees. City of Trees will then plant a tree in Greater Swagֱ�� to represent each international delegate who attended the event - signifying that international colleagues continue to be a crucial part of the growth and development of both the University and the city.
• For our 200th year specifically, the University is working with City of Trees to plant 200 trees across new woodland sites in Greater Swagֱ��.
• From 7-9 October the University hosted the THE World Academic Summit and chose to make a charitable donation to City of Trees on behalf of each delegate attending, to the total of £1,500.

Swagֱ�� is truly excited to be supporting City of Trees and partnering with them on these activities, which will foster into the future.

The analysis shows that regionally, Yorkshire and the Humber and the North East had the lowest resilience scores, while London and the South East had the highest.

In addition, rural and coastal areas showed significantly lower resilience compared to urban and inland areas of the country.

Led by academics from Health Equity North (HEN), the University of Swagֱ�� and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Greater Swagֱ�� (ARC-GM), the study examined local authority data to identify geographical patterns in different communities’ ability to navigate and thrive in the face of prolonged challenges.

The research, which has been published in the , provides the first detailed assessment of community resilience in England at a local authority level.

The timely findings come off the back of a number of “chronic shocks” in the UK including the global financial crisis, the social and economic impacts of leaving the European Union, the COVID-19 pandemic and an ongoing cost of living crisis.

Researchers developed a Community Resilience Index (CRI) which measures multiple elements, such as employment, education, social and community context and housing, to measure resilience in local authorities, enabling them to be ranked from most to least resilient.

It is hoped the framework will serve as a tool for policymakers to identify priority areas and to guide the equitable allocation of funding to address geographical inequalities.

The study found that:

• The average community resilience index score for local authorities in England was 83.1, ranging from 53.3 in Tendring to 108.9 in Elmbridge.**
• Yorkshire and the Humber and the North East were the least resilient regions, with CRI scores of 75.2 and 77.5, respectively. Comparatively, London and the South East were the most resilient regions, with scores of 95.2 and 87.3 respectively.
• A North-South disparity was evident with the North of England having lower resilience scores (80.6) than the South (including the Midlands) at 83.9.
• Coastal areas featured heavily in the lowest ranking local authority areas with significantly lower resilience scores (76.0) compared to inland areas (84.9).
• Similarly, rural areas were less resilient scoring 79.1 compared to 85.1 in predominantly urban areas.
• When examining the specific social and environmental measures assessed as part of the overall index, there were further geographical disparities found:
• Access and infrastructure: London achieved the highest score followed by the North West and North East. The North of England scored higher in this domain than the rest of the country conversely, coastal and rural areas scored lower.
• Economic wellbeing and opportunity: The South East and London scored highest, indicating robust economic activity and employment opportunities. The North overall and coastal areas had lower scores, suggesting lower economic resilience.
• Social capital and connectivity: London again scored highest. There was no significant North-South divide or difference between coastal and inland areas. However, rural areas scored lower.
• Diversity and inclusion: There were higher scores for the North of England and rural areas, while coastal areas had significantly lower scores.
• Equity and stability: London was the most resilient and the North East was the lowest. Northern and coastal areas scored lower in this domain, but urbanicity did not significantly affect the scores.
• Academics behind the research are now calling on government to prioritise targeted interventions to build resilience where this is most needed.

Christine Camacho, lead author and PhD Fellow at NIHR ARC-GM, said: “Understanding a community’s capacity to cope, adapt and transform in the face of adversity is critically important to create a more resilient country.

“The Community Resilience Index we developed offers an invaluable insight into the social, economic and environmental factors that can hold communities back making them less able to overcome unexpected challenges. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the findings of our research highlight yet further regional inequalities with the North, rural and coastal areas among the least resilient in the country.

“Addressing these challenges requires both bottom-up approaches, such as community empowerment, and top-down strategies from central government to provide the necessary infrastructure and economic opportunities to enable these communities to thrive.”

Dr Luke Munford, Co-Academic Director at Health Equity North, and Senior Lecturer in Health Economics at the University of Swagֱ��, said: “The CRI provides a framework that could be used to explore associations between community resilience and health outcomes. This makes it a potentially valuable tool for examining inequalities in broad aspects of people’s everyday lives, therefore offering a more nuanced understanding of the factors that contribute to health inequalities.

“We hope that policymakers take advantage of this opportunity to enhance understanding of how resilient communities foster better health and well-being, providing insights for targeted public health interventions and policies that are data-driven and effectively targeted.”

A breakdown of Local Authority data can be accessed in an online CRI tool available at:  

The ��ö����ö�� is tangible proof of a mathematical theory, developed by Gábor Domokos and Péter Várkonyi from the Budapest University Technology and Economics, about the stability of solid objects. The ��ö����ö�� is a three-dimensional, homogenous, convex object that has exactly one stable and one unstable equilibrium, or balance point; if you put it down on a flat surface it will reorient itself until it reaches the one stable equilibrium point.

The mathematicians have chosen to gift one of the ��ö����ö�� pieces to the University with the unique serial number 1824, in honour of the University’s 200^th anniversary which is being celebrated throughout 2024. ��ö����ö�� 1824 is sponsored by Mr Ottó Albrecht, who has funded the ��ö����ö�� donation programme for many years. The piece stands at 180mm tall and is made from plexiglass. It will be exhibited in the Mathematics Department located in the Alan Turing Building.

��ö����ö�� 1824 was presented to the University at a ceremony on 10 October, by H.E. Ferenc Kumin, ambassador of Hungary, and was accepted by , Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering and , Head of the Department of Mathematics. The ambassador also had the chance to have lunch with Hungarian staff and students at the University and took a tour of the robotics lab.

Since its discovery in 2007, many ��ö����ö�� pieces have been donated to renowned institutions worldwide, including Harvard University, the Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences, the Pompidou Centre and The University of Tokyo.

There are few ��ö����ö�� pieces in the UK; The University of Oxford, The University of Cambridge, Windsor Castle, The Crown Estate, University College London and Academia Europaea are the only institutions which currently have a ��ö����ö�� on display. Swagֱ��’s ��ö����ö�� 1824 is the first ��ö����ö�� to be gifted to an institution in the North of England.

Professor Andrew Hazel, Head of the Department of Mathematics, said: “It is somewhat unusual to have a mathematical object whose proof of existence can be realised in such a tangible way. The ��ö����ö�� is visually interesting and stimulates discussion between staff, students and visitors.”

Although discovered in Hungary, the ��ö����ö�� has connections to Swagֱ��. Some of the early research on the statics of solid bodies was pioneered by Sir Horace Lamb, who studied Mathematics at Owens College and was a Professor of Physics at the University between 1885 and 1920. Lamb wrote the influential textbook Statics, Including Hydrostatics and the Elements of the Theory of Elasticity, which describes methods that can be adapted to analyse the stability of the ��ö����ö��.

The ��ö����ö�� is also relevant for current research being undertaken at the University. Researchers working on granular flows and particle dynamics used the ��ö����ö�� as a test shape for computer codes, to verify the stability calculations used to analyse piles of grains.

H.E. Ferenc Kumin, ambassador of Hungary, said: “It is with great pride that we present the G1824, a remarkable embodiment of Hungarian ingenuity and problem-solving, in honour of Swagֱ��'s foundation. More than a scientific marvel, for us, Professor Domokos' ��ö����ö�� represents Hungarian thinking and creative problem solving.”

History of the ��ö����ö��

In geometry, a body with a single stable resting position is called monostatic; the term mono-monostatic has been coined to describe a body which additionally has only one unstable point of balance.

The weight of the ��ö����ö�� is distributed evenly; and no simpler homogeneous shape exists with these properties. In fact, it is not possible for a convex, homogenous, solid three-dimensional object to have fewer than two equilibria.

The question of whether it is possible to construct a three-dimensional body which is mono-monostatic, homogenous and convex, was posed by Russian mathematician Vladimir Igorevich Arnold at a conference in 1995, in Hamburg.

In 2007, Gábor Domokos and Péter Várkonyi proved Arnold’s conjecture correct and created the first physical example, which became known as the ��ö����ö��. The discovered mono-monostatic shape is the most sphere-like shape, apart from the sphere itself; its name is a diminutive form of ��ö����, meaning ‘sphere’ in Hungarian.

��ö����ö��-like shapes can be seen in nature. Biological evolution developed a similar shape in the form of the shell of the , which self-rights when turned upside down. Domokos and Várkonyi spent time studying tortoises in Hungary, attempting to explain the shape and function of their shells.

After its creation in 2007, a series of individual ��ö����ö�� models were launched. Each individual ��ö����ö�� carries its own unique serial number, between 1 and the current year, and has only been produced once.

The first individually numbered ��ö����ö�� model (��ö����ö�� 001) was presented by Domokos and Várkonyi as a gift to Vladimir Igorevich Arnold on his 70^th birthday in 2007; Professor Arnold later donated ��ö����ö�� 001 to the Steklov Institute of Mathematics, where it is currently on exhibit.

The report, led by researchers from the Universities of Bristol, New South Wales, Glasgow, and Swagֱ�� and involving an international team of experts, is published today9/10/24).

Self-harm remains neglected worldwide.  There are at least 14 million episodes every year, with the greatest number in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

It is defined as instances of people hurting or injuring themselves intentionally, regardless of the reasons.

However, shame and stigma can often stop people from seeking help. Self-harm can occur at any age but is most common in young people and is increasing in this group.  Self-harming behaviour leads to an elevated risk of death by suicide. People attending health services only represent the ‘tip of the iceberg’ for self-harm. 

The Commission makes a number of recommendations that could change the experience of people who have self-harmed for the better.

They include suggestions for more compassionate and effective delivery of health and social care services as well as whole of government approaches to address the causes of self-harm and reduce stigma.

The commission also highlights the necessity of seeing self-harm through a global lens, responsible handling of the topic of self-harm in all types of media, and the involvement of people with lived experience in designing and delivering care.

Prof Nav Kapur, Professor of Psychiatry and Population Health at the University of Swagֱ�� has helped lead a number of NICE guidelines on self-harm and suicide prevention.  He co-led the Commission with Professors Paul Moran, Helen Christensen and Rory O Connor.  The report includes over 40 authors from around the world. 

Prof Kapur said: “It was great to be part of the team which produced this Commission.  I’ve been working in services for self-harm for 30 years but what was striking for me with this piece of work was the integration of mental health and public health with global, indigenous, and lived experience perspectives”.

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 Swagֱ��’s mercantile class.

The book is written by , Senior Lecture in Geography, , Doctoral Researcher 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 Swagֱ�� are familiar with the Simon name – through the University’s Simon Building, Simonsway in Wythenshawe and the Swagֱ�� 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 Swagֱ�� and the Simons’, focuses on the four Simons as individuals; the four biographical chapters are framed by a study of Swagֱ��’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 Swagֱ��. 

In a later chapter, ‘Burghers and citizens: The Simons and the University of Swagֱ��’ 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 Swagֱ��. 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 Swagֱ��’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 Swagֱ�� .

Mining has a very bad reputation. It is often assumed to be one of the worse land uses – destroying and polluting the environment and creating barren, moon-like landscapes. Where mining occurs in areas of high biodiversity, it is considered a serious threat.

But in the eastern rainforests of Madagascar, over 10,000 people mining for sapphires didn’t cause more damage to the forest than farmers clearing land for agriculture, which remains the most important driver of deforestation in this area.

focuses on quantifying the effects of sapphire mining on the forests of Madagascar. My discoveries challenge some of the preconceptions about the impacts of small-scale mining. I show that, despite being attention-grabbing, some forms of mining can be surprisingly low-impact and less damaging than other land uses.

In October 2016, a valuable deposit of sapphires was discovered by people searching for gold within the protected rainforests of the Ankeniheny-Zahamena corridor in eastern Madagascar. These rainforests are really important for biodiversity as they are home to many unique species , including lemurs such as the indri and black and white ruffed lemur. Word of the sapphire discovery quickly spread. Within weeks from across the island were illegally mining in the Bemainty valley deep within the forest.

Miners used shovels to dig pits between 1m and 3m deep in the valley floor to extract river sediments. They used handmade sieves and water from the stream to sieve the sediment and search for gems. The work was hard, living conditions in the hastily constructed settlements were poor, and the rewards were uncertain.

Unlucky miners left the site poorer than they arrived. Some struck it rich, while others made enough money to survive and perhaps save a little extra to invest in education, land or businesses. This type of mining, termed artisanal and small-scale mining, is not unique to Madagascar. It is widespread, supporting an estimated people around the world.

The mining rush at Bemainty attracted international media attention due to fears over its environmental impacts, with it was causing substantial deforestation and threatening endangered lemur populations. This caused amongst conservationists.

aimed to evaluate the deforestation claims. To properly assess the impact of something, an essential step is to estimate what would have happened without it: the counterfactual. To roughly calculate how much deforestation would have happened at Bemainty without mining, my colleagues and I used the average area of deforestation within a set of control forest areas, chosen to be as similar as possible to Bemainty but crucially, without mining. We then compared deforestation at Bemainty to this counterfactual.

We found that mining at Bemainty did not cause more deforestation than we estimate would have happened anyway from other causes. In this area, the biggest driver of deforestation is shifting agriculture, where people cut and burn patches of forest on slopes to grow rice for a few years in a rotational cycle. We showed that more than 10,000 people mining in the area did not cause more deforestation than several hundred people clearing forest for farming. The impacts of the artisanal gem rush need to be considered within this broader context.

Limited negative effects of mining on deforestation at Bemainty could be for several reasons. First, the sapphires were found within river sediments, confining mining to the valley floor.

Second, much of this area had been cleared for farming decades before when the first settlers arrived. Third, the miners did not use heavy machinery, and sapphire mining does not use toxic chemicals (like the ).

The variability of small-scale mining

More broadly, these results highlight that the environmental impacts of artisanal mining are very variable. They depend on the scale, methods, machinery and chemicals used, and the environmental impact of alternative land uses that people might be doing otherwise, like farming or cutting down trees to make charcoal. Although in some places artisanal and small-scale mining is causing major environmental problems, where mining is small-scale and doesn’t use heavy machinery or chemicals, environmental effects may be similarly limited.

However, in many countries this variability is not considered in policies towards artisanal mining. Policies tend to or otherwise stopping artisanal mining, but often have . I believe that these one-size-fits-all policies are strongly influenced by negative preconceptions about mining and the worst case scenarios, and not necessarily specific evidence, which is lacking for many countries.

Treating all mining as the same needs to stop. Artisanal mining provides income for millions of poor people around the world who, despite the challenges, decide it is their best – and perhaps only – option. Given its importance, policymakers need to rethink their preconceptions. Where mining has a low environmental impact, more open-minded, flexible policies are needed to regulate it in a way which balances the needs of poor communities with biodiversity conservation.

, Postdoctoral Researcher in Sustainable Land Use,
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of the English language and its many forms around the world.

Emerging Englishes: China English in Academic Writing can be purchased at the following link:  

The rankings are developed based on responses to questionnaires sent to the world’s leading academics and take into account these senior figures’ opinions. They assess research-intensive universities across 18 performance indicators, which are divided into five pillars covering their core missions of teaching, research, knowledge transfer and internationalisation.    

The University - one of only twelve UK Universities in the top 100 - fell slightly from 51^st place in 2023. Swagֱ�� is also ranked the 6^th best university in the UK and 52^nd in the world in the Academic Ranking of World Universities, with the University’s social and environmental impact ranked in the top ten globally (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings).  

The last 12 months have seen a raft of major developments and initiatives at Swagֱ��. The University has marked its bicentenary with a huge number of events across campus celebrating 200 years of learning, innovation and research. Unit M, a new capability to drive the University’s approach to innovation, was launched at the World Academic Summit. Staff, students, alumni and partners are currently participating in Swagֱ�� 2035, the University’s bold new strategy for the next decade.  

President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Duncan Ivison said: "Whilst rankings don’t measure everything we value, Swagֱ��’s place among the world’s top universities is testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire community. We excel in pioneering research, outstanding teaching, and social responsibility and it has been exciting to share our campus and city with delegates at this week’s Summit.” 

“However, we recognise there is always room for improvement. Collectively, over the next decade, we need to be more impactful, more engaged, more innovative, and more committed to excellence than we have ever been in our history. This is the vision that is inspiring us as we begin to develop our new Swagֱ�� 2035 strategy over the coming months.”  

Phil Baty, Times Higher Education’s chief global affairs officer, said: “While, overall, the picture of UK higher education in our rankings is positive, the sector is being battered by numerous prevailing winds. Chief amongst them is the extremely stretched finances it is facing and the restrictions on recruiting international students making it harder for them still, making it almost impossible to see how the sector can sustain its position in the coming years without significant help.  

“We have heard positive words from education secretary Bridget Phillipson, which is very encouraging for the sector. We hope this more positive environment will translate for better news for UK HE which has somehow stayed world-leading despite the extremely tough funding environment it finds itself in.”  

contains full list of the 100 universities with the best reputation in the world. 

The (UMHC) was created by Student Minds in partnership with leading higher education bodies and thousands of staff and students. Swagֱ�� was amongst the first group of universities to sign up as members of the , which brings together universities committed to making mental health a university-wide priority, to share practice and create cultural change. 

The is a voluntary accreditation scheme that supports universities to understand their areas of strength and development to inform ongoing improvement in mental health and wellbeing, recognising good practice along the way. 

As part of the assessment process, we conducted a robust, evidenced-based assessment of our whole-university approach against the principles of good practice within the , including any challenges, weaknesses, and areas of improvement. A self-assessment report, a student-led report and a two-day onsite visit from Student Minds which involved over 100 staff and students, were all part of the assessment process.

Overall, Student Minds stated: “in many areas we can be confident that the University is sector-leading” and that they were “encouraged that the University is going in the right direction.” Student Minds felt that “the University is largely doing well to meet the Principles of Good Practice and is doing an incredible job to work towards having a whole university approach to mental health.”   

In awarding the University with the UMHC Award, Student Minds highlighted several examples of excellent practice, including: 

• Within the External Partnerships and Pathways theme, Student Minds “were particularly impressed with the University ’s commitment to the partnership work across the Greater Swagֱ�� Universities Student Mental Health Service. This is widely being acknowledged as novel, innovative and sector leading.” 
• Within the Progression theme, Student Minds “recognised as excellent practice that the University now offers 3.5 years (versus the standard 3 years) of funding to funded PhD students in recognition of the positive impact of this on completion and PGR student wellbeing.” 
• Within the External Partnerships and Pathways theme, Student Minds noted that “the University is part of a sexual violence network across Swagֱ�� that includes the HEI’s, police, council, and NHS. This approach is potentially sector-leading and an example of excellent practice in developing external partnerships.”

Speaking about the UMHC Award, Sarah Littlejohn, Director of Campus Life and UMHC Lead said: “The UMHC Programme has given an additional focus and impetus to our existing institutional priority of student and staff mental health and wellbeing. It has helped to shine a light on our whole-University approach, encouraging us to reflect on our current practice across all the different framework themes. We are proud to have achieved the UMHC Award which marks the latest part of our journey in our commitment to continuous improvement around mental health and wellbeing, and our dedication to its ongoing development.” 

The University will continue as members of the UMHC Programme and will now start to use the Award Outcomes Report to inform and feed into our work in this area. Our priorities for the next 6-12 months will focus on the UMHC Framework themes of Student Voice and Participation, Learning, Teaching and Assessment and Inclusivity and Intersectionality. 

Aisha Akram, Wellbeing and Liberation Officer, University of Swagֱ�� Students’ Union commented: 'I'm really pleased that we have received this award and I particularly appreciate the commitment to including myself and my fellow officers at the Students Union within countless panel discussions, in order to ensure that the University's commitment to the student experience with our support service is driven by student feedback. 

“We will continue to work with the University to ensure that we all stay committed to working in this area and building on the recommendations offered to us. I'm excited to enhance collaboration between the Students’ Union and the University to push for the best possible student experience.”

Head of Colleague Wellbeing, Helen Brewis, said:  “I’m delighted we have achieved the UMHC Award, reflecting the commitment we place on the wellbeing of our students and colleagues and how we have worked as a whole university community on our approach to mental health.

"Over the last two years, we have significantly developed our approach to supporting our colleagues’ mental health and wellbeing. The process of working towards the award has helped us to reflect on what is working well and where we can do more. We look forward to using the recommendations from the Award Outcomes Report to continue developing our approach to promoting and supporting good mental health and wellbeing at work.” 

• For further information about UMHC Award holders, please visit the  
• For further information about the UMHC Programme, please email UniversityMHCharter@manchester.ac.uk.

Swagֱ�� is today launching a new capability, , to rethink how it supports the region’s innovation economy. With a mandate to drive the University’s new approach to innovation, Unit M will connect and catalyse the innovation ecosystem in Swagֱ�� and the wider region to accelerate inclusive growth.

The UK faces a myriad of interlinked urgent economic and social challenges which require faster and more inclusive growth across all parts of the country. Cities like Swagֱ��, as the UK’s second largest city, are critical to rebalancing growth - but lower productivity, R&D spend and startup activity currently hinder the region in achieving its full potential. 

“The transformative potential of fully embracing innovation cannot be understated, both for the region and for the UK more widely” says Duncan Ivison, President and Vice Chancellor of Swagֱ��.  “Unit M lies at the heart of the University’s ambition to power an inclusive economy, positioning Swagֱ�� as a central player on the global stage to accelerate growth for all in society.”

Unit M is designed to address all aspects of the innovation challenge - from R&D through to innovation adoption through to talent and skills - by making the world leading  innovation assets and talents of the University more accessible to all. Unit M will drive a new strategy for the University to create a globally leading innovation ecosystem in the region. This will encompass powering the start up and scale up community, catalysing industry clusters, leading future skills provision, strengthening the University’s partnerships within the region, and telling Swagֱ��’s innovation story.  
 

Examples of some of the activities that Unit M will undertake include:

• Creating accelerator and incubator programmes and building investor networks for the startup and scale up community;
• Developing regional innovation clusters and innovation partnerships to attract new innovation-intensive businesses to the region; 
• A new lifelong approach to skills - from expanding scientific/technological skills provision for students, to training executive leaders on innovation adoption; 
• Rethinking the University’s approach to R&D to be more flexible and responsive to industry demand

Unit M will have the agility to operate dynamically in response to the most impactful opportunities as they emerge - whether that’s connecting students into the ecosystem or drawing on expertise from across the whole University to help solve real world challenges from industry. 

“Swagֱ�� has experienced major change over the past 30 years, but not everyone has benefited from rising prosperity”, said Mayor of Greater Swagֱ��, Andy Burnham. “Now, more than ever, we need to pioneer a new model of regional collaboration that harnesses our industrial strengths and innovation capabilities. Unit M will not only foster inclusive growth throughout Greater Swagֱ��, but contribute to the broader prosperity of the UK.”

Unit M is live from today, and will be rapidly scaling over the coming months. The team is seeking to connect with entrepreneurs, investors, changemakers and business leaders who are interested in partnering with the University.

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Swagֱ�� City Council, said: “Swagֱ�� has always been a hotbed of innovation. Building on our existing strengths is vital to Swagֱ��, and Greater Swagֱ��, accelerating our growth at scale to generate more jobs and investment. With Unit M, Swagֱ�� is doing exactly that - doubling down on innovation while encouraging even more collaboration with our business community. Further strengthening the city's innovation ecosystem will help create jobs, investment and growth that works for everyone.”

Unit M will align with and complement existing capabilities across the University, including the University’s tech transfer office, The Innovation Factory,  The Pankhurst Institute for Health Technology and the Turing Innovation Catalyst and its sector leading business engagement, student entrepreneurship, and flexible learning teams. It will also partner closely with external capabilities, including the Greater Swagֱ�� Combined Authority (GMCA), local councils and other institutions.  

By convening these existing innovation services across the University and its key strategic partners, Unit M will accelerate and drive the development of new opportunities to build a strong innovation economy throughout the region.  

Led by Professor Deborah Greaves at the University of Plymouth, the Supergen ORE Hub includes co-directors from a consortium of ten universities. From Swagֱ��, serves as a Co-Director and is an Early Career Researcher (ECR) Co-Lead.

The report, aimed at researchers, industry, policymakers, and the public, summarises the current impacts of climate change and the UK’s progress in reducing carbon emissions. It outlines offshore renewable energy deployment pathways needed for a just, sustainable and secure energy transition, with 2040 identified as a key milestone towards the UK 2050 Net Zero goals.

Key findings from the report include:

• Achieving 100 GW of offshore wind energy by 2040 is critical, requiring a nearly seven times increase in capacity. Radical innovation is essential to optimise and scale up growth.
• Tidal stream energy has the potential to grow alongside offshore wind and could reach over 11 GW of capacity in UK waters. Rapid progress is required, to deliver the EU SET Plan target of 6 GW deployment of tidal stream by 2050.
• Wave energy has significant potential, with an estimated exploitable resource of 25 GW in the UK. Deployment of 12 GW of wave and tidal stream by 2050 could add £40 billion GVA to the UK economy and reduce energy balancing costs by £1 billion annually. Investment in innovation over the next decade is crucial to achieving this potential.

Professor Tim Stallard said: “The ORE Outlook 2040 report highlights the high potential for Offshore Renewable Energy sources to contribute to the UK meeting its Net Zero goals. The growth required cannot be realised by upscaling current approaches alone and urgent action is needed to accelerate innovation and deployment.”

The report also explores ORE development through lenses of planning and consenting, people, supply chain, and infrastructure and grid. Investment in research and innovation is highlighted as crucial to de-risking new technologies, reducing costs, improving performance and ensuring the UK retains its technological leadership on the global stage.

The Supergen ORE Hub, established by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), aims to deliver strategic and coordinated research on sustainable power generation and supply.

Published by , Swagֱ�� Minds offers readers a rich account of the influential figures who have shaped the University’s legacy, from world-renowned physicist Brian Cox and computing pioneer Alan Turing to economist Arthur Lewis and poet-activist Eva Gore-Booth. It highlights both famous and underappreciated figures, giving fresh insights into the University’s role in global innovation.

Timed to coincide with the University of Swagֱ��’s bicentennial celebrations, Swagֱ�� Minds is the first comprehensive history to cover the full span of the institution’s evolution, from its origins as The Mechanics' Institute to its present status as a major international centre of learning. The book delves into historic controversies and celebrates unsung heroes, offering an engaging and accessible narrative of how Swagֱ��’s intellectual tradition has transformed the world.

Key Highlights:

· The first full history of Swagֱ��, covering its evolution over 200 years.

· Features pioneering figures such as Enriqueta Rylands, Lewis Namier, Arthur Lewis, Alan Turing, and Brian Cox.

· Brings to light the stories of lesser-known but equally important contributors to the University’s intellectual heritage.

· Attractively presented and illustrated, making it a perfect addition to the bicentennial celebrations in 2024.

Book Details:

· Publisher: Swagֱ�� University Press

· Format: Hardcover

· Price: £25.00

· Published Date: September 2024

Swagֱ�� Minds is now available in bookstores and online.

The team of researchers from the Universities of Swagֱ��, Dundee and Aberdeen reviewed the evidence from 157 studies which compared communities that had fluoride added to their water supplies with communities that had no additional fluoride in their water. They found that the benefit of fluoridation has declined since the 1970s, when fluoride toothpaste became more widely available.

The contemporary studies were conducted in high-income countries. The impact of community water fluoridation in low- and middle-income countries is less clear, due to the absence of recent research.

Fluoride, used in many commercially available toothpastes and varnishes, is known to reduce tooth decay. Governments in many countries have added fluoride to the drinking water supply to improve population oral health, although there are polarized views on whether this is the right action to take.

“When interpreting the evidence, it is important to think about the wider context and how society and health have changed over time,” says co-author Anne-Marie Glenny, Professor of Health Sciences Research at the University of Swagֱ��. “Most of the studies on water fluoridation are over 50 years old, before the availability of fluoride toothpaste. Contemporary studies give us a more relevant picture of what the benefits are now.” 

Results from studies conducted after 1975 suggest that the initiation of water fluoridation schemes may lead to slightly less tooth decay in children’s baby teeth. Analysis of these studies, covering a total of 2,908 children in the UK and Australia, estimates that fluoridation may lead to on average 0.24 fewer decayed baby teeth per child. However, the estimate of effect comes with uncertainty, meaning it’s possible that the more recent schemes have no benefit. By comparison, an analysis of studies with 5,708 children conducted in 1975 or earlier estimated that fluoridation reduced the number of decayed baby teeth, on average by 2.1 per child.

The same contemporary studies (conducted after 1975) also looked at the number of children with no decay in their baby teeth. The analysis found that fluoridation may increase the number of children with no tooth decay by 3 percentage points, again with the possibility of no benefit.

The review was only able to draw conclusions about the impact on children’s teeth, with similar findings across both baby and permanent teeth. There were no studies with adults that met the review’s criteria.

“The evidence suggests that water fluoridation may slightly reduce tooth decay in children” says co-author Dr Lucy O’Malley, Senior Lecturer in Health Services Research at the University of Swagֱ��. “Given that the benefit has reduced over time, before introducing a new fluoridation scheme, careful thought needs to be given to costs, acceptability, feasibility and ongoing monitoring.”

Advocates have suggested that one of the key benefits of water fluoridation is that it reduces oral health inequalities. This updated review sought to examine this question and did not find enough evidence to support this claim, although this doesn’t necessarily mean there is no effect.

The review’s findings accord with recent observational studies including the , which compared anonymised dental health records with water fluoridation status for 6.4 million adults and adolescents in England between 2010 and 2020. People in fluoridated areas needed slightly fewer invasive dental treatments with no significant impact on inequalities.

“Contemporary evidence using different research methodologies suggest that the benefits of fluoridating water have declined in recent decades,” says Tanya Walsh, Professor of Healthcare Evaluation at the University of Swagֱ��, co-author on both the Cochrane review and the LOTUS study. “Oral health inequalities are an urgent public health issue that demands action. Water fluoridation is only one option and not necessarily the most appropriate for all populations”.

“Whilst water fluoridation can lead to small improvements in oral health, it does not address the underlying issues such as high sugar consumption and inadequate oral health behaviours” says co-author Janet Clarkson, Professor of Clinical Effectiveness, University of Dundee. “It is likely that any oral health preventive programme needs to take a multi-faceted, multi-agency approach.”

The Astrophysics Centre for Multi-messenger Studies in Europe (ACME), funded by the European Union and coordinated by Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), is an ambitious initiative that is designed to provide seamless access to instruments, data and expertise, focussing on the new science of multi-messenger astrophysics.

Multi-messenger astrophysics is a relatively new but rapidly growing field that uses information from various cosmic signals, such as photons, gravitational waves, neutrinos, and cosmic rays, to study some of the most extreme and mysterious phenomena in the Universe like  black hole mergers, neutron star collisions, and supernova explosions. Combining data from multiple sources – or messengers – offers a more comprehensive understanding than traditional astronomy alone.

The ACME will bring together 40 leading institutions from 15 countries, including Swagֱ��’s and aims to forge a basis for strengthened long-term collaboration between these research infrastructures irrespective of location and level-up access opportunities across Europe and beyond.

The , which Swagֱ�� operates on behalf of the Science and Technology Facilities Council, and expertise from the will play a crucial role in facilitating these goals.

Professor Rob Beswick from Swagֱ��, who co-leads ACME’s transnational access programme, said: “ACME is an incredibly exciting opportunity. This project will bring together a wide range of world-class researchers and astronomical research infrastructure spanning astroparticle and gravitational wave facilities along the entire electromagnetic spectrum, with a common focus to advance multi-messenger astrophysics,” 

The AMCE project will be coordinated by Prof Antoine Kouchner (CNRS/Université Paris Cite) and Paolo D’Avanzo (INAF). A key element of the project is to develop six new multi-messenger Centres of Excellence across Europe, which will serve as hubs of expertise for all researchers in all aspects of direct and multi-messenger science programmes, providing support from proposals to data analysis and science interpretation.

, who leads JBCA’s involvement in these new Centres of Excellence says “The ACME project will bring many infrastructures and groups together across Europe in a unique collaboration to provide the astronomy and astroparticle communities unprecedented access to data, workflows and expertise. ACME will revolutionise how researchers in multi-messenger fields work and collaborate in the future.”

ACME officially launched in September 2024 at a kick-off meeting held in Paris.

Celebrated every October, Foundation Day marks the coming together of the Victoria University of Swagֱ�� and Swagֱ�� Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) in 2004.

This year marks the University’s 200^th anniversary. The bicentenary represents an important milestone for the University, and the chance to both reflect and look ahead. As well as anniversary celebrations, this year’s event is particularly significant as it is President and Vice-Chancellor Duncan Ivison’s first-time celebrating Foundation Day since joining the University in August 2024.

Giving the annual Foundation Day address, President and Vice-Chancellor explored critical questions about our future, the path to achieving our ambitions, and the ways in which we can further our commitment to social responsibility, teaching and research excellence, and civic engagement. These themes are behind Swagֱ�� 2035, the University's new strategic roadmap building on the purpose, vision, and values of Our future, to identify and accelerate Swagֱ��'s ambitions for the next decade.  

Each year Foundation Day sees honorary degrees given to a number of notable names for their achievements.

2024’s Honorary Graduates:

Professor Emeritus John Casken is an established and successful composer; his works range across different genres and are inspired by literature, landscape and visual arts. He was a Professor of Music at the University from 1992 to 2008. His music will be performed at the 20^th anniversary celebrations for the Martin Harris Centre on 25 October.

Sir Clive Lloyd is a former cricketer and was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. He was captain of the West Indies cricket team, and played for the Lancashire cricket team from 1968, before being made captain in 1981.

Professor Emeritus Tony Redmond OBE studied medicine at Swagֱ�� and is a world-leading specialist in emergency medicine. He is the founder of UK-Med, an organisation which coordinates the provision of health workers to international crises, and he was appointed as the medical director of the NHS Nightingale Hospital North West during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dame Sharon White is Chair of the John Lewis Partnership (her term ends at the end of September this year). She previously held a variety of roles in the Civil Service and was the Chief Executive of the British media regulator Ofcom from March 2015 to November 2019. White was Second Permanent Secretary at HM Treasury from 2013 to 2015; she was the first black person and the second woman to occupy this role.

The study published today (2/10/24) in the open-access journal PLOS ONE was led by researchers from Swagֱ�� and University  Alberta, in collaboration with colleagues world-wide.

The study also looked at women’s quality of life in different age groups and found:

• Younger women under 45, reported the poorest health-related quality of life of any age group, and on every domain, although their quality of life was adequate.
• Women over 45, reported that  quality of life in every domain except physical, had improved and was reported as good or very good.
• By 60, older women generally had the best quality of life level in their life. These high levels were sustained up to 75 years of age and beyond, peaking for environmental quality of life. 

Commonly cited measures of quality of life for use in health (such as EQ-5D) have often focussed their assessments on the physical and psychological dimensions.

But that means the environmental, social, and spiritual dimensions of quality of life, internationally agreed to be important, are overlooked, with consequences for how we understand women’s health and wellbeing.

Data from four World Health Organisation (WHO) surveys was collected in 43 countries world-wide and included responses from 17,608 adults, aged15 to 101 years.

A cross-culturally developed measure known as the WHOQOL-100 assessed respondents’ quality of life and health on six key dimensions: physical, psychological, independence, social, environmental, and spiritual.

The researchers found that environmental quality of life explained a substantial 46% of women’s overall quality of life and health, and home environment  was the biggest contributor.

Other important factors included having enough financial resources to meet their needs, perceptions of opportunities for recreation and leisure, access to health and social care, and their physical environment.

Evidence of better spiritual quality of life in some women was derived from spiritual connections and faith. Studies of gender inequalities have tended to report that physical and psychological quality of life is better for men, which the study confirmed.

Co-author Professor Suzanne Skevington from The University Swagֱ�� said: “From our study it is possible to speculate about the  environmental actions by younger women around the issue of climate change and its effects on the environment.

“We speculate these actions may be initiated by their self-awareness that their environmental quality of life is only acceptable rather than good, during the early adult years; hence a desire to improve it.

“Very good environmental quality of life in older women could provide sufficient reason for them to work towards retaining this nourishing feature of their life for their family, and future generations”.

The study data was collected before it was widely appreciated that reducing climate change and biodiversity loss would depend upon changing human behaviour, which, say the authors, could be the topic of future research.

She added: “ These findings underscore the importance of choosing a quality of life measure  in healthcare clinical or research that includes assessments of environmental, social, and spiritual quality of life

“That, will more fully capture knowledge about women’s quality of life and health.

“Many existing surveys have ignored factors more relevant to women, which has meant that our understanding of quality of life has been skewed toward the experiences of men and not women.

“This profile of information could be useful in enhancing the quality of life of women from all age groups.”

DOI of the study is: 

The Nature Genetics communication , published today (02/10/24), has shown that around a year with rare genetic diseases never receive a diagnosis, many dying without the underlying cause being determined.

The researchers also emphasise existing research that calculates the of pursuing lengthy diagnostic journeys rare genetic diseases to the NHS is over £3 billion per decade. 

Hospital geneticists rely on published evidence to make diagnoses, but because of inconsistent variant naming, say the authors, they are often unable to locate relevant information, even if it exists. 

Many geneticists, they say, are using simpler but less accurate nomenclature, preventing databases like ClinVar and the Leiden Open Variation Database (LOVD) from properly identifying and adding literature to their records. 

However, a system called devised by researchers at the University of Leicester and now based at Swagֱ�� is being used by leading medical journals to give each variant a standardized name.  That allows diagnostic evidence to be shared and found. 

In the communication paper the authors urge doctors to use the system to name genetic variants.

Though rare diseases, caused by variations in DNA sequences, affect fewer than 1 in 2,000 people the sheer number of rare genetic disorders at around 8,000 impact about 8%-10% of births worldwide.

Lead author Dr Peter Freeman from Swagֱ��, whose son has an undiagnosed genetic disorder, is lead scientist in the team that devised and develop VariantValidator.

He said: “It’s widely recognized that doctors often describe DNA variants using various outdated or non-standard naming systems.

“But the accurate naming of variants is crucial so that doctors can reference them and provide a diagnosis for patients with a genetic disorder.

“Sadly, many people, including my son, have not received the diagnosis they need which has difficult implications for them.

“For example without a diagnosis it can be very difficult to get a place at an appropriate school, or access desperately needed services.

“It’s galling to know that someone out there might have identified the variant which caused his illness, but may not have named it correctly so there’s no way of finding it.”

He added: “VariantValidator has been around for 7 years and is considered the gold standard in terms of naming genetic variants accurately so other clinicians will be able to find the definition and use them.

“But in a vast number of cases that is just not happening because it’s easier and quicker to cut corners or rely on outdated systems only recognisable in specific clinical disciplines.

“The problem is so widespread I’ve even come across experts responsible for setting clinical standards making these errors when naming variants in genetics focussed policy guidelines”.

“Our work is with the Human genome, but the nomenclature of genetic variants in viruses and other pathogens are also similarly non-standardised - and that’s also a problem which needs to be addressed.

“Nomenclature should accurately describe the changes in DNA sequencing observed when there is a variant when compared to a standard sequence. But in many cases, this is simply not happening and is part of a complex set of problems that is causing miss or missed diagnoses.”

The paper Standardising variant naming in literature with VariantValidator to increase diagnostic rates is available

In the Legal Advice Centre our students - supervised by University staff and volunteer lawyers - offer free advice to the general public. Student Alicia Smith was able to meet the Attorney General as part of the visit. “It was a surreal experience, and I felt very fortunate to be able to discuss my views with the Attorney General,” she said. 

“It was a real honour for the Attorney General to attend the Justice Hub and take an interest in the pro bono activities our students are involved with,” said Phil Drake, Director of the Justice Hub. “The Attorney General particularly engaged with our students to understand their perspective and experiences, which I know has galvanised and inspired them to continue with their passion for access to justice.”

“It was a pleasure to host the Attorney General at the Justice Hub,” said Claire McGourlay, Academic Director of the Swagֱ�� Innocence Project. “Two of our students Roan Goulden and Alicia Smith talked through the work that they do to help the most disadvantaged in our society. We invited the Attorney General to give a lecture in the future, so watch this space.”

Natalie has extensive experience of social responsibility (SR) and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), most recently as Director for SR in the School of Medical Sciences for six years, and since 2022 as Associate Dean for EDI. In this role, Natalie has had many successes, developing and delivering a number of sustained initiatives in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (BMH). She recently brought together a team for a successful Faculty-level Athena Swan application, and has contributed to several recent successful University-level Race Equality Chartermark, Disability Confident and Stonewall applications. Natalie is particularly passionate about patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) and engagement with our communities, and increasing access to, and equity within, higher education.

Her collaborative and collegiate approach is demonstrated through her support and encouragement to staff and students seeking to make a positive change. This is evident in the many nominations for the ‘’ awards for staff and students across this Faculty. Natalie herself was also recognised for her commitment to SR&EDI, through her nomination for an ‘Agent of Change’ Award in 2022 from Northern Power Women, and a ‘Making a Difference’ award for Widening Participation’ in 2018.

This role was previously held by Professor Mahesh Nirmalan, who stepped down in July 2024. Mahesh transformed the way the Faculty viewed social responsibility, seeking to embed it in all aspects of our teaching and research.

Professor Gardiner said: “Mahesh is a hard act to follow. He has had a tremendous impact on the SR agenda in BMH and across the University, and globally.  I am very much looking forward to building on his work and working with you all to further strengthen and embed SR&EDI in everything we do – whether teaching and learning, research and innovation, internationalisation or operations. I am privileged to work with such a fantastic team of people and in a Faculty which already has so much of social responsibility built into its ethos.”

UoMIF has met or exceeded several key performance targets, reinforcing its commitment to fostering innovation in Swagֱ�� and supporting the commercialisation of cutting-edge research to benefit society.

Innovation Factory is Swagֱ��’s commercialisation arm, dedicated to translating research into commercial opportunities while working closely with academics, industry partners and investors to create and support spinout companies and license cutting-edge technologies.

Over the past year, UoMIF successfully launched seven new spinout companies which span a diverse range of sectors, showcasing the breadth of innovative research emerging from Swagֱ��. These include: Haliogen Power Limited, Plant Organelle Technologies Limited, Oncodrug Limited, VariantValidator Limited, CASA Space Technologies Limited, Kavarney Limited – with CGSkin recently acquired by Skin Diary Limited as well.

In addition to success in setting up spinouts, UoMIF secured £2.3million in licensing income. Future growth in this space looks positive too, with ongoing negotiations and potential deals progressing.

UoMIF has also secured £9.2million in first investments for new University spinouts, significantly exceeding its target of £5million. This success reflects the growth of investor confidence in high-potential technologies developed within the University.

Commenting on the year-end results, Catherine Headley, CEO of the University of Swagֱ�� Innovation Factory, said: "This year’s performance is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team and the remarkable talent within Swagֱ��.

“The successful launch of seven new spinouts and the exceptional level of investment secured are clear indicators that our innovation ecosystem is thriving. While there is room for growth in our licensing income, we are confident that the foundations laid this year will lead to significant future opportunities. We remain committed to supporting our researchers in transforming their groundbreaking ideas into impactful, real-world solutions."

Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Swagֱ��, said: “The Innovation Factory plays a crucial role in transforming our academic breakthroughs into tangible societal benefits. The success of this year’s spinouts and the remarkable level of investment secured are clear evidence of the impact the Innovation Factory is having.

“These results demonstrate the University’s continued commitment to driving technology and entrepreneurship and it highlights the vital place that Swagֱ�� has in leading the world’s innovations. I commend the entire team at UoMIF for their outstanding achievements this year ensuring that Swagֱ�� remains at the forefront of research commercialisation.”

The Athena Swan Charter is designed to help institutions achieve gender equality and meet equality legislation requirements. It also identifies areas for positive action, recognises and shares good practices, and supports the promotion of inclusive work environments.

All three Schools (School of Biological Sciences, School of Health Sciences, School of Medical Sciences) were holders of individual Silver Athena Swan awards since the formation of FBMH.

In 2022, the Faculty  consolidated efforts into one Athena Swan Award application, rather than submitting three concurrent School applications. This approach was designed to enable the scaling up of initiatives, whilst showcasing achievements in a more detailed way. It also allowed the Faculty to include a larger number of professional services staff, demonstrating  commitment to equality and career progression for all staff in FBMH.

There are three levels of the Athena Swan award: bronze (for planning), silver (for doing), and gold (for sustaining). The Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health has been awarded the silver award, which is valid until September 2029.

Established in 2005, the Athena Swan Charter was created to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM).

It has since been expanded to include recognition of work undertaken in arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law (AHSSBL), in professional and support roles, and for transgender staff and students. This also includes efforts to combat gender equality more broadly, namely through addressing barriers to progression, irrespective of sex or gender identity.

Professor Natalie Gardiner and Dr Beth Micakovic, Athena Swan Leads of FBMH said: “Creating and maintaining an inclusive and supportive environment where all staff and students thrive is our priority. We have outstanding colleagues driving equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) across FBMH and this award is testament to everyone's hard work. A huge thank you!

“Through the Athena Swan process our EDI leads and self-assessment team were able to take stock of our progress, reflect on successes and where we need to do more. Through critical self-assessment, consultation with key stakeholders, we have co-created an ambitious action plan to tackle inequalities, to promote a positive learning and working environment for staff and students of all genders.

“We hope you will see a number of commitments already coming to fruition, but we look forward to working with the whole FBMH community in delivering on the commitments set out in the Action Plan.”

Advance HE will host a ceremony for all 2024 Athena Swan award recipients in early 2025.

Swagֱ��’s continued commitment to the principles of the Athena Swan Charter, and to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, will ensure a diverse and vibrant working environment for both staff and students.

Feri Anita Wijayanti spoke at the event, ‘Investing in the Future: Unlocking Sustainable Financing for Sexual and Reproductive Health’, which took place in New York last month.

Co-convened by the UNFPA, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the , the summit invited prominent figures across different sectors to promote sustainable investments towards SRH.

Feri was a Young Midwife Leader in a programme organised by the , from 2021 to 2023. She was invited to speak as a representative of frontline SRH workers, particularly midwives, and in recognition of the real-world impact she has in advocating for improvements in SRH.

Feri told the summit: “I live in the fourth most populous country in the world, spanning over seventeen thousand islands. My country is home to diverse communities, with nearly half the population residing in rural areas.  Around 14 % of women in Indonesia faced an unmet need for family planning services.

“In my country, a midwife is the heartbeat of health and well-being of the entire community - our responsibilities extend far beyond delivering babies as we are at the forefront of whatever reproductive health needs a woman might have.”

Wijayanti is now studying for a PhD in Medicine, under the supervision of Professor Alexander Heazell and Dr Kylie Watson at the School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health. Her research focuses on health professionals’ and women’s perceptions of reduced fetal movement in Indonesia.

Throughout the summit, speakers emphasised the life-changing power of SRH. The event raised awareness, as well as promoting financial investment, into the importance of effective and accessible SRH services. Many speakers pledged support via financial investments in SRH services, increasing access to contraceptives and maternal healthcare, and donating resources to family planning organisations.

The commitment demonstrated by Wijayanti and her fellow speakers at the summit illustrates a step forward in closing the considerable financing gap in SRH faced by many countries.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is one of the UK's most common life-limiting inherited diseases, affecting over 11,000 people and nearly 200,000 people worldwide.

The condition causes mucus to build up in the internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system. This can lead to chronic chest infections, lung inflammation and other complications such as digestive problems. For many people, managing their health involves a rigorous daily treatment regime including physiotherapy and antibiotics which can be given orally, through a nebuliser (a device where liquid medicine is turned into a mist that can be inhaled) and occasionally intravenously (through a vein).

Despite recent advances in treatment, there is still no known cure for CF, and the average age of death is just 33.

The multi-million-pound Innovation Hub in Swagֱ�� will be part of a new £15 million Translational Innovation Hub Network, funded by medical research charity LifeArc and leading charity Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Research in Swagֱ�� will take place at Wythenshawe Hospital, part of MFT, focusing on understanding why people develop lung exacerbations (flare-ups) and how to personalise treatments for them. By sharing samples, recording results at home, and measuring their home air pollution levels, people with CF will play an important part in studying what triggers these flare-ups and who is most affected.

The responses of people with CF to intravenous (IV) treatments for exacerbations will also be studied using similar monitoring systems. The results of these studies will be essential in helping researchers to find different ways of preventing and treating exacerbations.

Research space, laboratories and specialist lung function support will be provided by the at Wythenshawe Hospital. Samples will be processed by the NIHR Centre for Precision Approaches to Combatting Antimicrobial Resistance, also at the hospital site.

The Swagֱ�� CF Innovation Hub Director is Professor Alex Horsley, a Consultant at the Swagֱ�� Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre at MFT and Professor of Respiratory Medicine at Swagֱ��.

Professor Horsley, who is also Clinical Director of the NIHR Swagֱ�� CRF at Wythenshawe Hospital and leading researcher in the Respiratory Medicine theme at the NIHR Swagֱ�� Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), said: “This is an amazing opportunity to improve the lung health of people with CF in a way that we’ve never had the opportunity to do before. Together with scientists at Swagֱ�� and clinicians at Wythenshawe Hospital, part of MFT, we’re building on existing partnerships with doctors and scientists in teams around the country. We hope our research will help us understand why people with CF get flare-ups (exacerbations) and how to better prevent and treat these. This will lead to more effective, shorter and tailored or personalised treatment plans that will reduce exacerbations and the disruptions they cause to people’s lives.”

Researchers from the Respiratory Medicine theme, which aims to identify better ways to diagnose lung disease and which factors decide how well people respond to treatments, will act as Principal Investigators for the studies delivered by the Swagֱ�� Hub.

Laura, 35, has Cystic Fibrosis and is Patient Lead for the Innovation Hub in Swagֱ��. She said: "CF has a huge impact on my daily life, it's 24/7. Even if I want to go out for the day, I have to think about getting all my treatment done, have I got enough tablets and how long am I going to be out for. The symptoms change frequently and can change from one day to the next. As soon as I wake up and until I go to bed, it does occupy a lot of my thoughts and impacts how I live my life.

Laura, who receives care at the Swagֱ�� Cystic Fibrosis Centre at MFT, added: "I had an exacerbation when I was 9 or 10, and that really changed the trajectory of my health. Research looking into exacerbations, what the triggers are, and the treatments, is massively needed. I think these Innovation Hubs are a fantastic opportunity to be able to change the way CF is managed."

The Network will be made up of four Innovation Hubs, led by the universities of Swagֱ��, Liverpool, Cambridge and Imperial College London, as well as partners across the UK and overseas. Guided by insights and experiences of people with cystic fibrosis, the Hubs will address areas of unmet medical need and help to overcome some of the barriers that can prevent scientists from turning their discoveries into real outcomes for patients.

Dr Catherine Kettleborough, Head of Chronic Respiratory Infection at LifeArc said: “Even with the development of new treatments like Kaftrio, people with cystic fibrosis still face many challenges which impact their quality of life and life expectancy. The Innovation Hub Network is a unique approach to addressing these problems, using shared knowledge, partnerships and investment to accelerate new tests and treatments for people living with CF.”

Through innovative research, including using AI, sniffer dogs and new home monitoring tests to detect and even predict infections, the Innovation Hubs will aim to transform the way lung infections are managed.

Dr Lucy Allen, Director of Research and Healthcare Data at Cystic Fibrosis Trust, said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with LifeArc and expanding our Innovation Hub programme, combining our expertise and exploring exciting areas of research to maximise the impact for people with CF.

"Those with the condition are particularly susceptible to lung infections, meaning they often have to spend time in hospital having IV antibiotic treatments and this has a huge impact on all areas of their life. These new Innovation Hubs will help transform our understanding and lead the way to new ways to test and treat lung infections.”

Based at Wythenshawe Hospital, the specialist Swagֱ�� Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre at MFT is one of the largest and longest established adult CF centres in the UK, with an international reputation for excellence and innovation.

Images: Laura and Alex Horsley

The rankings are determined by scholars’ H-index, a metric evaluating productivity and citation impact, following examination of over 166,000 profiles across all key scientific disciplines.

, Emeritus Professor of Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Epidemiology at the University, placed 29^th in this year’s list with a H-index score of 122 and 82,294 citations.

Deborah said of the recognition: “I retired and published my last paper in 2016. It is pleasing to find that the cumulative citation of my research leads to this high ranking and I hope that gives encouragement to those who are currently working in the field of musculoskeletal epidemiology.”

, Emeritus Professor of Physiology and former President and Vice-Chancellor of Swagֱ��, placed 37^th on the list with 49,760 citations and a H-index of 119.

In 79^th position in this year’s ranking is , Emeritus Professor of Evidence Based Care, with a H-index of 105 and 46,311 citations.

Helen said of the achievement: “I have spent my career collaborating with, and supporting, many extremely talented female researchers, and I feel that my success has only been enhanced through these positive working relationships. I jointly led Cochrane Oral Health until 2020, developing a team that continues to undertake methodologically rigorous systematic reviews that inform policy in areas of international policy.

“I have also been responsible for the design of several NIHR funded randomised controlled trials in dental primary care. The reviews and trials I have collaborated on frequently challenged orthodox care and impacted on the global understanding of effective oral health interventions and practices.”

This year’s ranking, the third instalment of the list to date, is based on data from a variety of sources including OpenAlex and CrossRef.

Swagֱ��’s new £1.7bn innovation district and neighbourhood opens the doors to its first building, while unveiling its new name as . The district has also announced its first customer, Sustainable Ventures, Europe's leading climate tech hub, which will officially move into the Renold Building in November. 

Previously known as ID Swagֱ��, Sister is a joint venture between Swagֱ�� and . The project will see the transformation of the University’s former North campus into a 4 million sq ft globally competitive innovation district and will help elevate Swagֱ��’s position as a national centre for science and technology.

Sister will specialise in advancing innovation across sectors including digital tech, health innovation, biotechnology, advanced materials and manufacturing. It will provide access to state of the art facilities, connecting early-stage high growth potential businesses with investors, while creating a collaborative ecosystem that enables UK and global businesses to benefit from cutting edge innovation. 

Driving economic growth and creating opportunities for local communities

Sister is primed to be a catalyst for economic growth and prosperity across the North of England, and is projected to contribute around £1.5bn GVA per annum to Swagֱ��. More than just a development project, the district aims to create a positive social impact through the generation of a large portion of high-quality employment opportunities, including over 10,000 on-site full-time equivalent jobs and accessible routes to education, training and apprenticeships for local people. 

Over 1,500 new homes will be delivered, alongside over 2 million sq ft of commercial, innovation, retail and leisure space. Within 9 acres of public realm space, Sister will also create a new civic square for Swagֱ�� and feature a variety of new and enhanced green spaces for local communities to access and enjoy.  

Reinventing a historic educational building for tomorrow's leading businesses

The opening  of the Renold Building marks the first phase of the ambitious 15 year project and is supported by funding through the Greater Swagֱ�� Investment Zone, of which the district is a key initiative supporting the growth of the advanced materials and manufacturing sector.

The 110,000 sq ft newly renovated building has been transformed into an innovation hub, celebrating its history as a purpose-built teaching facility and centre for science and technology excellence. To support the growth and scale-up of early-stage start-ups and spin-outs, the Renold Building will provide a range of low and no-cost coworking facilities, private office suites, as well as a community cafe and flexible event spaces accessible to local businesses and community groups. 

The first customer to move on site this November is Sustainable Ventures, which helps climate start-ups and entrepreneurs scale through investment, workspaces and venture support. Sustainable Ventures will expand its presence outside of its London headquarters, currently Europe’s largest climate tech hub, by occupying three floors of the Renold Building. 

It will be joined by a number of University innovation initiatives at the Renold Building, including the Turing Innovation Catalyst Swagֱ��, accelerating the growth of AI-start-ups;  the Christabel Pankhurst Institute for health technology research and innovation; and the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst, a cross-sector collaboration to empower the growth of biotechnology businesses.

Following the opening of the Renold Building, Sister will soon announce plans for the district’s first major development zone, set to include new commercial workspace, a mix of retail and leisure facilities and new public realm spaces.  

A model for successful public-private collaboration

Sister is leveraging successful cross-industry partnerships to become a major economic enabler for the future of the city. The district is one of the key strengths in the GM Investment Zone, which will invest £160 million in projects that increase growth and innovation in the region over the next 10 years and sees central and local government work closely with businesses, higher education institutions and other local partners. Key to delivering Sister’s long-term economic impact is the city region’s strong local leadership and support from industry investment, including through the Bruntwood SciTech joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General and Greater Swagֱ�� Pension Fund, now the UK’s largest dedicated property platform dedicated to the growth of the knowledge economy.

Why Sister?

The name, Sister, represents the close bond between industry and academia and expresses an ethos of collaboration, openness and the use of knowledge to solve problems. It builds on the heritage of the former academic campus, once home to the University of Swagֱ�� Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), and represents a vision to create an ecosystem of like-minded companies, institutions, districts and cities to drive innovation forward and help tackle some of the world’s greatest challenges.

Bradley Topps, Project Director, Sister and Chief Commercial Officer, Bruntwood SciTech, said: “Sister is founded on the belief that it takes a community to raise an idea and that although ideas may appear in a single mind, they flourish when people come together. This new district marks a new chapter in Swagֱ��’s history of science and innovation. Over the next 15 years, we’re dedicated to developing an inclusive space that connects talent, investment, education and enterprise, providing the perfect conditions for ideas to spark, collaboration to flourish, and world-changing innovations to scale.”

John Holden, Associate Vice-President, Swagֱ�� and Executive Committee Member, Sister said: “The opening of the Renold Building is a major milestone in the development of Sister, capitalising on Swagֱ��’s research, innovation and education capabilities to catalyse the growth of successful science and technology start-ups. Sister will be home to some of the most exciting businesses in the UK developing solutions to help tackle society's biggest challenges. We're excited to open the doors to a vibrant new innovation district that will drive growth for ambitious start-ups and scale-ups, attract new science and technology companies to Swagֱ��, and create new opportunities for our staff, students and local communities.” 

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Swagֱ�� City Council, said: “This is a significant moment for Swagֱ��. The fact that Sister will ultimately create 10,000 jobs and add £1.5 billion a year to the city’s economy underlines its scale and the sheer ambition behind this major new district. This development will add to Swagֱ��’s thriving innovation ecosystem and, true to the heritage of a site from which great ideas and innovations have previously sprung, will help keep the city in the forefront of future innovation.” 

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Swagֱ��, said: “Sister will be a thriving innovation district at the heart of Greater Swagֱ��. With the Renold Building opening and welcoming its first occupier, we’re seeing the first signs of what this area will become – a home for start-ups, innovation-led businesses, universities, researchers and investors, where the clustering effect helps create jobs and opportunities. Sister is also a key site for our Investment Zone, which is supporting the growth of the advanced materials and manufacturing sector. Our city-region has been a centre of scientific and technological innovation for two centuries and places like Sister are where the next chapter of that story is written.”

CEO of Sustainable Ventures, Andrew Wordsworth, said: “We're thrilled to grow Sustainable Ventures' footprint in the UK by establishing a presence in Sister, at the heart of the UK’s second-largest tech ecosystem. This partnership empowers us to supercharge climate tech innovation across The North, bringing workspace, investment and a wealth of expertise to the region’s pioneering startups and entrepreneurs. The climate tech companies we’ve supported to date have already created over 6,000 jobs and we hope to replicate that economic growth within the region over the next few years.”

This milestone represents a significant advancement in demonstrating the ability of graphene-based BCI technology beyond decoding and translating brain signals, to become a reliable tool for use in precision surgery in diseases such as cancer, and in neurotechnology more broadly. The study was sponsored by the University of Swagֱ��, and primarily funded by the European Commission’s project.

The clinical investigation study was conducted at Salford Royal Hospital, part of the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust in Swagֱ��, UK. The study was led by Chief Clinical Investigator Dr. David Coope, a neurosurgeon at the Swagֱ�� Centre for Clinical Neuroscience and Brain Tumours Theme Lead at the Geoffrey Jefferson Brain Research Centre, and Chief Scientific Investigator Kostas Kostarelos, Ph.D., Professor of Nanomedicine at Swagֱ��, the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, and Co-Founder of INBRAIN.

“The world’s first human application of a graphene-based BCI highlights the transformative impact of graphene-based neural technologies in medicine. This clinical milestone opens a new era for BCI technology, paving the way for advancements in both neural decoding and its application as a therapeutic intervention,” said Carolina Aguilar, CEO and Co-Founder of INBRAIN Neuroelectronics.

INBRAIN’s BCI platform leverages the exceptional properties of graphene, a material made of a single layer of carbon atoms. Despite being the thinnest known material to science, graphene is stronger than steel and possesses a unique combination of electronic and mechanical properties that make it ideal for neurotechnology innovation.

“We are capturing brain activity in areas where traditional metals and materials struggle with signal fidelity. Graphene provides ultra-high density for sensing and stimulating, which is critical to conduct high precision resections while preserving the patient’s functional capacities, such as movement, language or cognition,” said Dr. David Coope, the neurosurgeon who performed the procedure.

“After extensive engineering development and pre-clinical trials, INBRAIN’s first-in-human study will involve 8-10 patients, primarily to demonstrate the safety of graphene in direct contact with the human brain,” said Kostas Kostarelos, Ph.D., Co-Founder, INBRAIN Neuroelectronics. “The study will also aim to demonstrate graphene’s superiority over other materials in decoding brain functionality in both awake and asleep states.”

“The integration of graphene and AI with advanced semiconductor technology has allowed INBRAIN to pioneer a new generation of minimally-invasive BCI therapeutics designed for the personalized treatment of neurological disorders,” said Jose A. Garrido, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of INBRAIN and ICREA Professor at the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.

Professor Sir Kostya Novoselov, Ph.D., Nobel Laureate and Vision Board member of INBRAIN, who first isolated stable graphene at Swagֱ�� in 2004, and now at the National University of Singapore, said: “Witnessing graphene's exceptional properties unlock new frontiers in medical technology is truly rewarding. This breakthrough, a result of a decade-long development under the Graphene Flagship program, can now start to unravel its transformative societal impact.”

The study is powered by INBRAIN’s graphene-based Intelligent Network Decoding & Modulation (BCI-Tx) Platform, which has received Breakthrough Device Designation for Parkinson’s disease from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. INBRAIN’s BCI-Tx platform leverages graphene’s unique properties to deliver ultra-high signal resolution and adaptive neuroelectronic therapy, enabling real-time decoding of biomarkers and precise modulation of cortical and subcortical structures at the micrometer scale for neural network rebalancing.

According to Carolina Aguilar, “INBRAIN is at the forefront of precision neurology, integrating BCI decoding with high-precision neuromodulation to restore function and alleviate symptoms, delivering continuous, personalized treatment to maximize benefits while minimizing side effects.”

The Albany M4 project, led by Professor Christophe Gaudin and Dr. Hugh Wolgamot, and coordinated by Dr. Wiebke Eberling of the University of Western Australia, aims to explore the potential of wave energy to support local decarbonisation efforts along Australia’s Great Southern coast. The launch is a quarter-scale demonstration model designed specifically for this application and will absorb 1-10kW in the target sea-states. Sensors on the model will provide real-time data on energy production and performance.

The M4 project is fully open-access with all data collected during the device’s deployment being made available to scientists, developers, and the public. By making the performance data accessible to all, the project aims to drive further innovation in renewable energy.

The M4, or Moored Multi-Mode Multibody, is an innovative surface-riding wave energy converter consisting of multiple floats, connected by beams, in a 1-2-1 float arrangement for the Albany tests. The middle floats each support a hinge, and relative rotation between the bow and stern floats, due to the movement of the waves, creates power in a generator. It uses a single mooring point that allows the M4 to naturally turn and face the waves for better energy capture.

The M4 highlights Swagֱ��’s leading role in renewable energy innovation and has been developed over the past decade with support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the European Union. British Maritime Technology (BMT) was responsible for the structural and mooring design for Albany, while the power take-off (PTO) design was led by Dr Judith Apsley from Swagֱ��’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and further developed with the support of Dr Nuwantha Fernando at RMIT University, Melbourne.

The launch, funded with 4.8 million AUD from the WA state government and the Blue Economy Cooporative Research Centre, with similar in-kind contributions, also showcases the wider benefits of emerging renewable technologies, with six local contractors and manufacturers contributing to the building, assembling, deploying, and decommissioning of the device in Albany.

Swagֱ��’s Hydrodynamics Lab played a key role in the development of the M4. Located in the heart of Swagֱ��, this state-of-the-art facility allows researchers to simulate ocean conditions and test renewable energy designs. 

Professor Peter Stansby highlighted its importance, stating: “The Hydrodynamics Lab is vital for advancing renewable energy research. While computational modelling provides valuable predictions, experimental validation is essential for understanding and optimising complex systems.”

For more information about Swagֱ��’s contributions to offshore renewable energy systems visit our webpage.

This strategic partnership marks a significant milestone for the brands in their pursuit of dermatological research advancement and skincare innovation.  will be launching the first of the CGSkin products, Night Repair Therapy on 25 October 2024. Night Repair Therapy is a true innovation designed to regenerate and rebuild collagen and elastin in prematurely aged skin without irritation.

Founded in 2023 by leading researchers in skin ageing, The Skin Diary is modernising skincare through its innovative product Chapters. The Skin Diary offers prescription-grade skincare routines that leverage skin cycling to deliver optimal outcomes to patients while minimising irritation. 

CGSkin, a University of Swagֱ�� spinout, is built on a decade of rigorous research and collaboration between the University and eminent dermatologists Dr Tamara Griffiths and Professor Chris Griffiths. Their suite of anti-ageing products has undergone exhaustive testing to the highest standards, including unprecedented human skin biopsy studies. 

With the acquisition of CGSkin, The Skin Diary is set apart from other skincare brands due to its academic lineage and the expertise of its founders. Professor Chris Griffiths is a distinguished figure in skin research; his seminal research on topical retinoids has made a huge impact on the field of skin ageing. Dr Tamara Griffiths brings invaluable aesthetic science expertise to the partnership.

Only 8.6% of the skincare market is dispensed by physicians, and Chapters provides patients with a fully personalised profile with continuous access to dermatologists through their Skin Diary portal.

Catherine Headley, CEO of the said: “This acquisition exemplifies the spirit of innovation, something that is part of the foundation of Swagֱ��.  Impact like this doesn’t happen overnight; it can be many years in the making. Everyone at the Innovation Factory is proud to see Professor and Dr Griffiths and their research welcomed into The Skin Diary family and we are honoured to have been able to support them on their journey.”

“The acquisition of CGSkin by The Skin Diary is a testament to our dedication to providing patients with the most effective and innovative skincare solutions,” said Dr Clare Kiely, Chief Medical Officer of the Skin Diary.  “We are excited to integrate CGSkin’s ground-breaking products into our portfolio, furthering our mission to empower individuals with access to advanced anti-ageing treatments.”

Skincare is the leading sector in a thriving beauty market, accounting for 40% in .  Growing awareness of physician-dispensed cosmeceuticals means there is increasing demand for prescription-grade skincare options too.

To find out more about The Skin Diary, visit .

The ChUSE[1] trial, led by Dr Sarah Parry, strategic research lead at Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust’s young people's mental health research centre, Professor Filippo Varese of the University of Swagֱ�� and in collaboration with Greater Swagֱ�� Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, follows six-years of research with children and parents.

Dr Sarah Parry explains: “Distressing sensory experiences are a common development phenomenon, although these experiences can be frightening and confusing, especially for children already struggling with their mental health.

“Very few children who have distressing sensory experiences will ever receive a diagnosis of early-onset psychosis; but the associations between voice hearing and psychosis in our culture can cause great anxiety for families of children who hear voices.”

The new talking therapy, the ChUSE intervention, has received over £260,000 in funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and will provide much-needed support for parents and children.

Anxiety and stress about distressing sensory experiences can adversely impact the ability of young people and families to cope, which is why it is so important children and families can access timely and tailored support.

Many mental health practitioners feel ill-equipped to offer psychological therapies for distressing sensory experiences for younger children due to a lack of child-centred research to inform national clinical guidelines.

Delayed access to support often increases anxiety further, exacerbates family stress, and often worsens the original symptoms.

Professor Filippo Varese from Swagֱ��, adds: “In the UK, we have made great progress in offering psychological support to people who begin to struggle with hearing voices and other unusual and distressing perceptions for the first time.

“These treatments, however, are only available to young people that are at serious risk of future severe mental health problems. The ChUSE trial represents an important step forward in extending psychological support to a much wider group of children and young people and their families.”

The trial will work with 60 children aged 8 to 15 years old and their parents in Greater Swagֱ�� over the next 12 months. They will take part in the ChUSE talking-therapy intervention and parent support sessions, to develop new skills for coping and space to talk about.

The results will then be used to develop future therapeutic approaches for young people in in children and young people’s mental health services with distressing sensory experiences across England.

You can find out more about the trial at .

[1] ChUSE - Children and young people with unusual sensory experiences

The recognition follows on from the publication of the in November 2023, which highlighted the pivotal role UK universities play in driving economic growth and societal impact through the commercialisation of intellectual property developed from university-based research.

The 2023 review outlined recommendations for building a world-leading innovation ecosystem in the UK. In response, Swagֱ�� has committed to aligning its spinout practices with these recommendations, reinforcing its dedication to supporting innovation.

Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Swagֱ��, and the institution’s lead for innovation, said: "Swagֱ�� has been and remains committed to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within our faculties and among our students. By adopting the recommendations from the Independent Review, we are aligning our practices with national goals to create a world-class innovation ecosystem.”

The is the commercialisation arm of Swagֱ��, dedicated to transforming world-class research into commercial ventures that have a positive impact on society.

The Innovation Factory collaborates with academics, industry partners, and investors to develop and support spinout companies, license cutting-edge technologies and drive innovation across various sectors.

The UKRI announcement is available .

Since joining the University in 2003 as a clinical academic, Paul built an impressive career and, in addition to his substantive role as Chair of Clinical Medicine within the Faculty, Paul is also an honorary Consultant in Critical Care Medicine with the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust and an honorary NHS Research Consultant at the Swagֱ�� University NHS Foundation Trust.  

Alongside these roles, Paul has also held national and international positions. This included being seconded to the UK Chief Medical Officers’ Urgent Public Health pandemic research advisory committee during Covid and, most recently, holding the position of National Deputy Medical Director for the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). 

Professor Allan Pacey, Interim Dean for the Faculty said "Paul’s knowledge of the healthcare sector and experience in engaging with a broad and complex range of stakeholders will be instrumental in continuing to foster those critical partnerships integral to achieving our institutional and common goals across the region" 

Professor Dark said: "I am thrilled to be taking on this new role and look forward to working closely with Faculty colleagues and our health and care partners as we develop and align our strategic responses to key challenges and opportunities presented by changes in legislation, technology or government policy"

The new study, published in today, reveals that under specific conditions, where waves meet each other from different directions, waves can reach heights four times steeper than what was once thought possible.

It has often been assumed that waves are two-dimensional and understanding of wave breaking to-date has been based on these assumptions. Yet in the ocean, waves can travel in many directions and rarely fit this simplified model.

New insights by a team of researchers, including Dr Samuel Draycott from Swagֱ�� and Dr Mark McAllister from the University of Oxford, reveal that three-dimensional waves, which have more complex, multidirectional movements, can be twice as steep before breaking compared to conventional two-dimensional waves, and even more surprisingly, continue to grow even steeper even after breaking has occurred.

The findings could have implications for how offshore structures are designed, weather forecasting and climate modelling, while also affecting our fundamental understanding of several ocean processes.

Professor Ton van den Bremer, a researcher from TU Delft, says the phenomenon is unprecedented: “Once a conventional wave breaks, it forms a white cap, and there is no way back. But when a wave with a high directional spreading breaks, it can keep growing.”

Three-dimensional waves occur due to waves propagating in different directions. The extreme form of this is when wave systems are “crossing”, which occurs in situations where wave system meet or where winds suddenly change direction, such as during a hurricane. The more spread out the directions of these waves, the larger the resulting wave can become.

,  Senior Lecturer in Ocean Engineering at Swagֱ��, said: “We show that in these directional conditions, waves can far exceed the commonly assumed upper limit before they break. Unlike unidirectional (2D) waves, multidirectional waves can become twice as large before they break.”

Professor Frederic Dias of University College Dublin and ENS Paris-Saclay, added: “Whether we want it or not, water waves are more often three-dimensional than two-dimensional in the real world. In 3D, there are more ways in which waves can break.”

Current design and safety features of marine structures are based on a standard 2D wave model and the findings could suggest a review of these structures to account for the more complex and extreme behaviour of 3D waves.

Dr Mark McAllister from the University of Oxford and Wood Thilsted Partners said: “The three-dimensionality of waves is often overlooked in the design of offshore wind turbines and other marine structures in general, our findings suggest that this could lead to underestimation of extreme wave heights and potentially designs that are less reliable.”

The findings could also impact our fundamental understanding of several ocean processes.

Dr Draycott said: “Wave breaking plays a pivotal role in air-sea exchange including the absorption of C0₂, whilst also affecting the transport of particulate matter in the oceans including phytoplankton and microplastics.”

The project follows on previous research, , to fully for the first time ever at the the at the University of Edinburgh. Now, the team have developed a new 3D wave measurement technique to study breaking waves more closely.

The FloWave wave basin is a circular multidirectional wave and current simulation tank, which is uniquely suited to the generation of waves from multiple directions.  

Dr Thomas Davey, Principal Experimental Officer of FloWave, at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Creating the complexities of real-world sea states at laboratory scale is central to the mission of FloWave. This work takes this to a new level by using the multi-directional capabilities of the wave basin to isolate these important wave breaking behaviours.”

Dr Ross Calvert from the University of Edinburgh added: “This is the first time we've been able to measure wave heights at such high spatial resolution over such a big area, giving us a much more detailed understanding of complex wave breaking behaviour."

The study was conducted by a research consortium including experts from Swagֱ��, University of Oxford, University of Edinburgh, University College Dublin, ENS Paris-Saclay and TU Delft.

The company has been selected from 30 international contenders to showcase its Direct Lithium Extraction and Crystallisation (DLEC™) technology by Chile’s state-owned mining body, the Empresa Nacional de Minería (‘ENAMI’). This selection follows a Request for Information issued by the state-owned company for innovative technologies that meet the economic, social, and environmental requirements for the sustainable development of Chile’s extensive lithium reserves.

This project will enable ENAMI to assess the technical and economic feasibility of Watercycle’s technology for lithium exploration in the northeastern Atacama Region. This represents a unique opportunity for Watercycle to showcase the capabilities of its technology alongside major competitors in the mining sector.

Watercycle Technologies is based at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) and focuses on sustainable and circular critical mineral recovery, including Direct Lithium Extraction and Crystallisation (DLEC™), essential to creating a circular economy for the global energy transition.

Watercycle Co-founder and CEO, Dr Seb Leaper, said: “It’s great to be representing UK technology on the world stage and we are very grateful to ENAMI for giving us the opportunity to do so. Demand for lithium is set to outstrip supply in the coming years as the global transport sector decarbonises. ENAMI is key to filling this supply gap and we couldn’t be more excited to be working with them in this endeavour.”

Professor James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Swagֱ��, commented: "We are proud to see Watercycle Technologies, a University of Swagֱ�� spinout, being selected by ENAMI for this great opportunity. It is a testament to the world-class innovation emerging from our partnership at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC). This project demonstrates how advanced materials  technologies can play a pivotal role in addressing global challenges like sustainable lithium extraction."

With over 60% of the world’s lithium supply found in South America, Chile is the leading commercial provider in the region. Watercycle is among eight companies selected by ENAMI, which include industry giants Rio Tinto and Eramet. 

To mark World Alzheimer’s Day, Saturday 21 September, Professor Douglas Field is announcing the release of a new book, Walking in the dark: James Baldwin, my father and me, a moving literary exploration of the disease.

Douglas Field was introduced to Baldwin's essays and novels by his father, who witnessed the writer's debate with William F. Buckley Jr. at Cambridge University in 1965. Professor Field rediscovered Baldwin’s works when his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and turning to Baldwin for answers about his father’s condition inspired Field to write his book.  

Set for publication by in November 2024, Walking in the dark blends biography with memoir. By interweaving his personal experiences with Baldwin’s iconic works, Field demonstrates the power of literature to inspire and illuminate new understandings of both our personal experiences, and the universal mysteries of everyday life.

Douglas Field is a writer, academic and Professor of American Literature. He has published two books on James Baldwin, the most recent of which is All Those Strangers: The Art and Lives of James Baldwin (2015). His work has been published in Beat Scene, The Big Issue, the Guardian and the Times Literary Supplement, where he has been a regular contributor for twenty years. He is a founding editor of James Baldwin Review.

Led by , World Alzheimer’s Day takes place on 21 September, during World Alzheimer’s Month. The 2024 campaign and World Alzheimer Report, which will be launched on 20 September, will centre on challenging why people still wrongly believe that dementia is a part of normal ageing.

Leading up to 21 September, Alzheimer’s organisations and individuals affected by the condition share stories to raise awareness and address the stigma that exists around Alzheimer’s and dementia. Public awareness campaigns, like World Alzheimer's Day, are of great importance for changing perceptions and increasing existing public knowledge around Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

This year’s campaign will centre around the tagline: ‘Time to act on dementia, Time to act on Alzheimer’s’, focusing on changing attitudes towards the condition, while highlighting the positive steps being undertaken by organisations and governments globally to develop a more dementia friendly society.

Professor Douglas Field is holding a free public book launch for Walking in the dark, taking place at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation and hosted by Professor David Olusoga OBE. 

• Details of the book launch are available .
• For more information about Walking in the dark, visit Swagֱ�� University Press .
• Find out more about World Alzheimer’s day .

The researchers are now developing a new framework that will help architects assess their design choices more thoroughly. They plan to test this framework by working with architects to see how it can improve their decision-making in future.

The KEF provides information about the broad ranging knowledge exchange activities of English HE Providers, such as the way universities work with external partners, from businesses to community groups, for the benefit of the economy and society. 

Swagֱ�� supports the full range of knowledge exchange activities through public engagement, supporting businesses and commercialising research towards next generation technologies. Students, staff, partners and local communities all play a key role in ensuring that the University makes a positive societal and economic impact. 

The KEF allows universities to better understand their own performance and fosters a culture of continuous improvement. HE Providers are placed into a cluster of peers, grouping together universities of similar types, with Swagֱ�� placed in a group of 18 large, research-intensive universities including Oxford and Imperial. 

Swagֱ��’s performance in continuous professional development and Graduate Startups, which is supported by the work of the and , received an enhanced rating of high engagement in KEF4, and Swagֱ�� now sits above the cluster group average.  

Swagֱ�� also continues to receive the highest rating for Research Partnerships, where the University is placed above the cluster group average. This recognises the work of the University’s Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange team.  

The excellent performance of the in licensing, IP income, investment and turnover of spinouts continues to be recognised with the highest rating in IP and Commercialisation. 

The University also received the highest rating for Public Engagement, and includes our achievements in volunteering, festivals, citizen science, and engagement with communities through our cultural institutions, , , , and the . 

Professor Luke Georghiou, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, said: “Knowledge exchange is a core priority for Swagֱ��. We shall continue to ensure that our research, teaching and social responsibility activities benefit the economy and society at local, national and global levels.”  

• You can view each university’s performances on the . 

Nobel prize winning physicist Professor Sir Andre Geim will also be delivering a keynote speech at the flagship event in England on Tuesday 8 October in an interview talk titled ‘How graphene has been changing science and technology frontiers.’

Brian Cox is professor of particle physics at Swagֱ�� and is speaking at the opening, in conversation style, keynote. He actively promotes science and is well-known for the science programmes he hosts on the BBC. He received an OBE for services to science in 2010, the President’s Medal from the Institute of Physics in 2012 and the Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize in 2012.

Sir Andre Geim is regius professor and Royal Society research professor at Swagֱ��. He has received many international awards and distinctions, including the John Carty Prize from the US National Academy of Sciences and the Copley Medal from the Royal Society. Most notably, he was awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics for his ground-breaking work on graphene.

THE’s flagship annual higher education summit will feature more than 140 speakers and 450 guests, bringing together thought leaders from across academia, policy, industry and civil society. The agenda will consist of a mixture of keynote talks, panel discussions, seminars, case study conversations, practical workshops, best practice sharing and networking events.

2024 marks the 20th anniversary of graphene being isolated for the first time by professors Sir Andre Geim and Sir Kostya Novoselov at Swagֱ��, for which they won the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics. Graphene is the thinnest material in the world, as well as one of the strongest and hardest. This session will discuss a range of topics including Professor Geim's experiences of isolating graphene and its almost limitless potential.

The event, which takes place at Swagֱ��, will focus on the theme: ‘Making a difference: The role of universities in a rapidly changing world.’ It is the key place to discuss how institutions can make a difference, both internally across departments and externally with industry, government and civil society, to advance transformative research and its practical implementation.

Phil Baty, THE’s chief global affairs officer, said: "We are extremely excited to be welcoming, as keynote speakers, Professor Brian Cox and Professor Sir Andre Geim. They are two individuals who have had a massive impact on our world which fits in perfectly with the theme of Times Higher Education’s flagship World Academic Summit – making a difference.

“We are also absolutely thrilled to be hosting our World Academic Summit in partnership with one the world’s most prestigious higher education institutions – Swagֱ��, on the momentous occasion of their 200th anniversary.

“The summit is about making a difference and we are delighted to have the leaders of the world’s higher education community, as well as some of the leading political, business and civil society figures working in higher education come join and collaborate with us in one of the world’s greatest cities – Swagֱ��.”

The summit will feature the exclusive reveal of the world’s most widely recognised, authoritative and prestigious ranking, THE’s World University Rankings 2025, at a gala dinner. This will be followed by an in-depth masterclass from THE’s data team, providing analysis and insight into the key findings, trends and stories from the rankings data.

Tickets are available for representatives of a university, association, public sector or NGO for £1,695 and are £2,299 for those in a corporate organisation.

Swagֱ�� is proud to share that Dr Bovinille Anye Cho has been announced as a recipient of the prestigious (CDF), a programme aimed at developing underrepresentation in UK STEM academia.

Dr Anye Cho is one of eight outstanding researchers selected in the first cohort of CDFs, who are undertaking groundbreaking research that can benefit society and further human understanding.

His research centres on revolutionising bioenergy processes to become more environmentally sustainable, in particular, anaerobic digestion (AD), which is a process that transforms agricultural and food waste into a clean energy source known as biomethane.

Although an effective way to manage waste, this process also creates a significant amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and impurities, which contributes to global warming.

Dr Anye Cho is exploring the use of microalgae, which can be used to convert CO₂ into valuable food supplements and healthcare products through photosynthesis. In the UK, where tons of agricultural and food waste are generated, incorporating algae technology into the exiting AD facilities could increase the production of clean energy, while yielding high-value bio renewables that are currently heavily dependent on imports.

Dr Anye Cho’s project aims to employ advanced mathematical modelling and Artificial Intelligence methods to ensure that facilities of various sizes can operate effectively for long durations, enabling stability and boosting the production of clean energy and valuable products. His fellowship will be based in the Department of Chemical Engineering, where he has served as a Research Associate since March 2023. He earned his PhD from the same department in January 2023, completing it in an impressive three years while publishing over 11 original scientific papers.

The Career Development Fellowships are currently running as a pilot programme with researchers from Black and Mixed Black heritage. The CDFs offer four years of funding (up to £690,000), mentoring and support to kickstart the careers of researchers from underrepresented groups.

The scheme was launched in response to 11 years of higher education data which showed Black heritage researchers leave academia at higher rates than those from other groups. The impact of this higher attrition rate is pronounced at senior levels of academic careers.

Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society, said: “We need an academic system where talented researchers can build a career, whatever their background. But we know that is not the case in the UK today – particularly for researchers of Black heritage.

“The variety and quality of research being undertaken by this first cohort of Royal Society Career Development Fellows suggests a bright future ahead if we can ensure more outstanding researchers develop their talents and follow their research passions.

“I hope this pilot and the support it offers can be a launchpad to achieve that.”

In addition to their fellowship funding and support from the Royal Society, the award holders will have access to networking and mentoring opportunities supported by the (BBSTEM) network.

If the pilot is shown to be effective, the CDF programme could be expanded to include researchers from other groups, where the data shows there is persistent underrepresentation.

Dr Mark Richards, Senior Teaching Fellow at Imperial College London and a member of the Royal Society’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee who participated in the shortlisting and assessment panels for the CDFs, said:

“There are many reasons scientists from marginalised groups may leave academia, often it’s because they’re looking ahead and not seeing themselves reflected in those spaces.

“This scheme, which offers funding, mentoring and recognition from a body like the Royal Society can be the endorsement to propel these eight excellent academics to go on and grow their own research groups.

Overtime I hope it can become self-sustaining, creating a network of scientists in universities, and beyond, who can help raise aspirations and open doors.”

• Applications for the second year of Career Development Fellowships are due to open on 24 September 2024.
• Find out more about the Royal Society Career Development Fellowships .
• Read the Royal Society’s CDFs press release .