Newsroom University of �εδ��app

Creating a meaningful fellowship community in Humanities

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:06:43 +0100

Want to know more about the benefits the Humanities Fellowship Academy brings? Listen to a video interview featuring , Events Lead, alongside Dr and Dr , Simon Research Fellows in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, as they reflect on the impact of the Academy's first year.

Since its launch in autumn 2025, The Fellowship Academy has offered Fellows dedicated time, space, and support to pursue ambitious research. It has also fostered new collaborations and innovative thinking about their future work.

The programme has brought together researchers from different parts of the Faculty, forming a dynamic community committed to sharing ideas, expertise, and experiences across disciplines.

reveal how the Academy has facilitated both professional growth and personal development, enabling Fellows to undertake pioneering research, broaden their networks, and gain new insights from colleagues. A key recurring theme is the importance of community, bringing talented individuals together to learn, address common challenges, and achieve excellence within the Humanities.

Recorded at the Humanities Fellowship Academy Conference in June 2026, the video captures the enthusiasm, teamwork, and optimism that marked the inaugural year of the Humanities Fellowship Academy.

Rutherford descendants donate historic barony scroll to The University of �εδ��app

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 11:40:23 +0100

The descendants of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Lord Ernest Rutherford have donated the historic Barony of Rutherford scroll to The University of �εδ��app.

The scroll was formally presented to the University during a visit by two of Rutherford’s great grand-daughters. The historic Rutherford gift has also inspired new named physics chair at �εδ��app

The gift strengthens the University's connection with one of the most influential scientists in history and the continuing leadership in the fields he helped create.

To mark the gift, the University has established the Ernest Rutherford Chair in Physics, a new named professorship within the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The chair will recognise leading researchers working in fields closely associated with Rutherford's scientific achievements, including nuclear, particle and accelerator physics. The new chair joins a distinguished group of named professorships in Physics at �εδ��app, including the Langworthy Chair, one of the oldest physics chairs in the world, the Regius chair in Physics established by royal patronage, and the Lovell Chair in Astrophysics.

Rutherford is widely regarded as the “father of nuclear physics”. During his time at �εδ��app between 1907 and 1919, he transformed the University's Physics Laboratory into one of the world's leading centres of scientific discovery.

Among the breakthroughs achieved in �εδ��app were the discovery of the atomic nucleus, the identification of the proton and the first artificial nuclear reaction, which is often referred to as “splitting the atom”. These achievements laid the foundations of our modern world, gave rise to the fields of nuclear and particle physics and led to innumerable technological, industrial and societal impacts

Professor Chris Parkes, Head of The University of �εδ��app Physics and Astronomy Department, said: "Rutherford's years in �εδ��app changed our understanding of the physical world forever, shaping our understanding of atoms. The discoveries made here have shaped our world today and continue to influence scientific research more than a century later.

"We are delighted that Lord Rutherford's descendants have chosen �εδ��app as the home for this important historical document. It is a powerful recognition of the University's role in preserving and celebrating Rutherford's remarkable legacy and our continuing world leadership in research in the fields of nuclear and particle physics"

Jenny Joy and Caroline Roberts descendants of Rutherford, added: “We wanted this scroll to be seen and used as part of his legacy as it has hardly ever seen the light of day, and it is a valuable stunning historical document in its own right”

During their visit, members of Rutherford's family took a tour of the Physics department, including seeing his original desk and visiting modern facilities that continue the �εδ��app tradition of cutting-edge research in his areas of interest.

It was in the University's former Physics Laboratory – now known as the Rutherford Building – that Rutherford led a team of pioneering scientists whose work revolutionised our understanding of the atom.

His influence extended far beyond his own discoveries. Rutherford’s work established �εδ��app as an international centre of scientific excellence, allowing the University to attract many renowned scientists to continue his legacy. He is also well known for mentoring many of the leading physicists of the twentieth century. The historic scroll will be preserved within the University's collections, ensuring that future generations can continue to learn about the scientist whose discoveries in �εδ��app changed the world.

�εδ��app Geography research informs OECD toolkit for adopting ideas from other cities

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 11:00:36 +0100

Cristina Temenos, Professor of Human Geography in the School of Environment, Education and Development, has contributed her expertise in policy mobilities and policy transfer research to the .

The toolkit is part of an OECD-Bloomberg Philanthropies project that supports city governments to identify, assess, adapt and implement policy innovations developed elsewhere. Professor Temenos was invited to contribute to a high-level workshop on “Adopting Ideas from Other Cities” at the OECD headquarters in Paris, bringing academic insight into how ideas, policies and practices travel between urban contexts.

Drawing on research in policy mobilities, urban governance and policy learning, her contribution helped shape discussions about how cities can make informed, place-based and context-sensitive decisions when adopting ideas from elsewhere. This included considering the conditions that support effective policy learning, how to assess whether an idea is suitable for a new setting, and the practical challenges involved in adapting and sustaining adopted policies.

Professor Temenos’ involvement highlights the international relevance of Geography research at �εδ��app and the value of critical urban scholarship for organisations working with city governments. Her contribution to the toolkit helped inform a practical resource designed to encourage more reflective and context-aware approaches to urban policy adoption.

Family courts must do more to hear children's voices, study says

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:56:17 +0100

Researchers say children's rights and wellbeing must be placed at the heart of family court proceedings

Children involved in private family law proceedings in England can experience serious harm to their mental and physical health because their voices are too often ignored or dismissed, according to new research led by the University of �εδ��app in partnership with members and .

The study argues that children are frequently treated as passive participants in family court proceedings, with their accounts of abuse, distress and fear often minimised or interpreted through adult assumptions rather than being given meaningful weight in decisions that affect their lives.

Researchers analysed the experiences of 77 children involved in private family law cases, based on interviews with 45 mothers. Using the concept of "childism" – prejudice and discrimination that devalues children's perspectives and how to challenge these prejudices – they found evidence of systemic failures that can leave children feeling unheard and exposed to further harm.

Serious impacts on children's health

The study found children experienced a wide range of psychological, emotional and physical impacts during family law proceedings.

These included anxiety, depression, trauma responses, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, social withdrawal, disrupted schooling, developmental regression and other health problems.

Researchers found many children who expressed fear or reluctance to have contact with an abusive parent were viewed as unreliable or as having been influenced by their mother. Meanwhile, children who appeared outwardly compliant were often assumed to be safe, even though silence may itself have reflected fear or trauma.

The research also found some children became "aged" by the court process, taking on inappropriate caring responsibilities or feeling responsible for the consequences of court decisions, with some facing threats that their mothers would go to prison if they did not comply.

Children's voices often overlooked

The study identified examples of what researchers describe as "institutional silencing", where children's wishes were reportedly summarised in some cases without professionals speaking to them directly, or where children's views carried little influence over final court decisions.

The researchers argue that children's rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child are not consistently reflected in current family court practice and that children's participation is often more symbolic than meaningful.

The study also raises concerns that coercive control can continue after parental separation through the misuse of technology. Some participants described abusive fathers allegedly using access to children's medical information to monitor or intimidate them, which the authors describe as a form of technology-facilitated abuse that requires recognition by both legal and healthcare professionals.

Child-centred support can make a difference

Despite the challenges identified, the research also found examples of good practice.

Trauma-informed counselling, play therapy and healthcare professionals who prioritised children's privacy and wellbeing were all reported to help children recover, build resilience and regain confidence.

The researchers say these examples demonstrate that child-led approaches can improve both children's wellbeing and their ability to participate meaningfully in decisions affecting them.

What the researcher says

"Our findings suggest that children are often the least powerful people in proceedings that determine the course of their lives,” said Dr Elizabeth Dalgarno from The University of �εδ��app. “Too often, their experiences of abuse, fear and trauma are filtered through adult assumptions rather than being heard on their own terms."

She added: "While I welcome the child-focused courts that the government has introduced, the family justice system has an opportunity to move from seeing children as passive recipients of adult decisions to recognising them as active participants. If children's voices are consistently heard, respected and acted upon, family courts will be better protect their safety, wellbeing and long-term health."

Recommendations

The researchers are calling for major reforms to private family law proceedings, including:

Ensuring children's voices are routinely and meaningfully heard throughout family court proceedings.
Embedding the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child more fully into domestic law.
Reforming family court practice so children's views genuinely influence decisions affecting them.
Providing specialist training for judges, legal professionals and safeguarding practitioners on children's rights, trauma, coercive control and child sexual abuse.
Introducing stronger safeguards against technology-facilitated abuse, including the misuse of children's medical information.
Expanding access to child-centred, trauma-informed interventions such as play therapy and specialist counselling.

The authors conclude that meaningful reform will require not only legislative change but also a cultural shift across the family justice system towards recognising children as equal rights holders whose lived experiences should guide judicial decision-making.

Publication details

The paper was published in the Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law.

This study was supported by a grant from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Participatory Research Fund to Dr Elizabeth Dalgarno, Principal Investigator. The findings remain the responsibility of the research team.

DOI:

Trusting me, trusting you: how researchers are redesigning relationships between humans and intelligent machines

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 08:00:00 +0100

When �εδ��app’s researchers wanted to program their new Ferranti Mark I computer in 1951, they had to think like the machine. This meant memorising a set of 32 symbols used to translate instructions into a form the machine could understand – symbols so different from language that they were like a secret code.

Today, instead of thinking about how we communicate with machines, scientists are trying to improve how machines communicate with us. How they might read our intentions, notice when there’s a change in our demeanour and earn our trust.

This isn’t just a question about technology, it’s also about psychology, ethics and what we need from the intelligent systems that increasingly share our workplaces, hospitals and homes.

The problem of trust

People build trust instinctively, often without noticing; it could be the way someone listens, remembers what matters to us, responds at the right moment, or handles a mistake. Now, researchers at �εδ��app's are studying how these same dynamics might play out with machines.

They’ve found that our trust in robots often depends on two things: whether a robot can do what it claims, and whether it responds to situations – especially failures – in ways that feel recognisably human. A robot that completes a job but ignores typical social cues may be accurate, but it’s often not trusted as much as a robot that fails a task but acknowledges its mistakes in a human-like way.

also found that the voice a robot uses is important. During this exercise, people showed greater confidence in working with a machine when it spoke in an AI-generated voice designed to sound more human, even though when asked afterwards they claimed to have preferred a standard robotic version instead. It suggests that what people believe they want from robots and how they actually behave around them, are not always the same.

When the robot is watching you

However, trust doesn’t only run one way, and that’s why �εδ��app researchers have been developing ‘Computational Trust’ – mathematical models which help robots assess the trustworthiness of the humans they work with.

, knowing how much a human partner’s contributions can be relied upon helps a robot to anticipate what its human partner is likely to do next, or where they might go wrong.²

This ties in with the ‘Theory of Mind’ concept, which describes a human ability to understand that other people have their own knowledge, intentions and goals that may differ from your own. Developing an artificial version of this – a robot that can genuinely read the room – is one of the most ambitious targets in the field.

Understanding another mind

To address this, �εδ��app researchers are now exploring what happens when machines begin to develop a basic version of ‘Theory of Mind’. In , a research team gave pairs of autonomous robots different personalities and priorities. Some were designed to be more socially focused, while others were more playful. Each robot had its own needs and goals, but those needs were invisible to its partner. The challenge was learning to work together anyway.

To do this, the robots used their own experiences as a starting point for understanding each other. If a robot observed behaviour that looked familiar, it could begin to infer what its partner might be trying to achieve. Over time, those estimates were refined through interaction. The result was a machine capable of making decisions not solely for itself, but with another agent in mind.

The researchers found that cooperation emerged most successfully when at least one robot was willing to prioritise the needs of another. Simply giving the robot the ability to reason about another's mental state was not enough, what mattered was how it used that knowledge when deciding what to do next.

In human terms, it is the difference between understanding that somebody needs help and choosing to offer it.

Feeling heard

Progress in this field relies on developing a machine that can respond empathetically, not just correctly.

When , they chose to train it on facial expressions as well as text, giving it the ability to recognise emotional states and respond in ways that were more empathetic. When tested against responses from a leading commercial language model, Emma's replies were judged to be more humanlike and appropriate.

As AI becomes increasingly conversational and robots a more familiar presence in our lives, how well these kinds of interactions work for us matters in two ways: for the quality of the experience itself and for whether we can rely on these systems. Trust will be built through transparency, honesty and by machines that understand us well enough to know what we need.

In 1951, the human had to adapt to the machine but in 2026, we are building machines that might, at last, begin to adapt to us.

��

Words: Ben Harwood and Enna Bartlett

Meet the researcher

Letitia Berto is a Research Associate in the Cognitive Robotics Lab at The University of �εδ��app. Her work is inspired by how children learn and develop, and focuses on building robots that can think, learn, and adapt on their own. She aims to design autonomous intelligent systems that are curious, capable of making decisions, understanding others, and acting in trustworthy and ethical ways – ultimately enabling meaningful and effective collaboration between humans and robots in the real world.

If you would like to find out more about the research referenced in this article, you can find the full papers at the links below:

The Effect of Voice and Repair Strategy on Trust Formation and Repair in Human-Robot Interaction - DOI:
Computational Trust in Robotics: Preliminary Investigations and Evidence -
A Theory of Mind Motivational Framework for Social Interaction with Autonomous Cognitive Robots - DOI:
Multimodal Dialogue for Empathetic Human-Robot Interaction - DOI:

The King of the North and the ‘�εδ��app Model’ – a media round-up

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 16:27:47 +0100

Andy Burnham became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom today.

Styled as ‘King of the North’ for his successes as Mayor of Greater �εδ��app between 2017 and 2026, Burnham’s oversight of our region - which has been dubbed ‘�εδ��appism’ - saw it become the fastest growing place in the UK. Now it is up to him to recreate the regional success of Greater �εδ��app on a national scale.

As the eyes of the media continue to analyse the region, many questions remain. What actually is the �εδ��app model of growth? Who is Andy Burnham, really? What is behind his widespread popularity in the North of England and in Westminster? And, perhaps most importantly, can he pull it off again, and reinvigorate Britain in the process?

From early whispers to entering Downing Street, The University of �εδ��app has been providing expert commentary to local, national and international audiences throughout his ascendency. Here’s a round-up:

has covered the new PM extensively: Andy Westwood’s research told us what the data on �εδ��app's success story really shows Philip McCann and Raquel Ortega-Argilés looked at how Greater �εδ��app’s success demonstrates how devolved governance, long-term institutional collaboration and strategic planning can help overcome the UK’s regional productivity challenges and a paper by Jun Du, Xiaocan Yuan and Diane Coyle, about �εδ��app's ability to attract and channel foreign direct investment into productive uses.

President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Duncan Ivison gave an interview to , about the new Prime Minister. Duncan recalls his first chat with Burnham after taking his PVC office, and says that Burnham leant into the city’s collaborative infrastructure as Mayor. Duncan said that “If Andy Burnham becomes prime minister, you’re going to see someone who can connect with people in that sort of grassroots way.”

Duncan spoke to , in an article about what Burnham will want from UK universities if he was to become PM. Duncan told THE that he believes Burnham will want to “reimagine the British state”.

Professor Rob Ford appeared in a article on whether Burnham’s ‘casual style’ will be suitable for Downing Street. Prof Ford writes that male politicians have it easier than their female counterparts, as they can always fall back on the ubiquity of the suit.

Prof Ford also commented in , about the revision of the Green Party strategy under Burnham’s leadership - he suggested that Green Party voters will be swept up by Labour if they can deal with earlier disillusionment.

Professor Charlotte Wildman discussed Burnham’s popularity with working class voters in the North with , exploring his advocacy for victims of the Hillsborough disasters.

Professor Julie Froud appeared in , discussing Burnham’s vision of a council housing boom. Prof Froud stated that private sector developers present local councils with several obstacles to such a vision.

Prof Phil McCann spoke to about the transformation of Greater �εδ��app under Burnham’s leadership, the limitations of the role of mayor and what further changes to the devolution settlement he may introduce as PM.

After Burnham became an expert at using his regional identity as a political tool, Dr Tim Oliver wrote a piece for asking whether Burnham will have appeal beyond Greater �εδ��app once he becomes PM.

Dr Oliver also spoke to Sweden’s Sveriges Radio about what kind of Prime Minister Burnham might make, his popularity in Greater �εδ��app and his hopes for turning Labour’s fortunes around.

Dr Nicole Martin appeared on ITV Granada Reports to talk about Burnham’s potential plans for government, his legacy as Greater �εδ��app mayor and the upcoming byelection.

Dr Jack Newman spoke to Hits Radio �εδ��app about Burnham’s plans to devolve power away from Westminster via the opening of ‘Number 10 North’, and what this could mean for �εδ��app.

Our researchers have also been writing for The Conversation:

�εδ��app academic secures funding to raise profile of arts-based research across Europe

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 13:49:58 +0100

The University��of �εδ��app��and artists and cultural organisations from��across��the city are��playing an integral role in a��new��Europe-wide network which��is advancing��arts-based research��in��migration��and��heritage��studies��across the continent.�� Dr Saskia Warren��(Reader in��Human��Geography) is��a core member��of a cross-continent team of researchers who have��been awarded funding from��to��establish��a transdisciplinary European network of scholars,��artists��and cultural practitioners.��

��Justice, Arts, Memory, Migration��(JAMM): Creating Solidarities across Borders��will bring together��academics,��artists��and��cultural practitioners��to share experience and best practice across universities, cultural��institutions��and��community organisations.��

Dr Warren is a member of JAMM's management committee and is working group co-leader of the 'Urban Space, Creative Sectors & Social Cohesion working group. She is involved alongside��other �εδ��app participants:��postgraduate��researchers��Clare Courtney��and��Haoyue Gul��(University of �εδ��app)��and��Mahboobeh Rajabi,��Founder��and��CEO��of ��an innovative, artist-led platform and cultural café.��

Dr Warren commented:

JAMM brings together 70 researchers from 27 countries and has been awarded €170,000 in the first year with an estimated €680,000 over four years (depending on the number of participating COST member countries). It was one of only 80 projects out of 1,090 applications selected for funding by COST.

Applications to join JAMM Working Groups are now open and academics, students and cultural practitioners are being encouraged to take part:

Researchers challenge evidence behind high-profile parental alienation study

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:29:00 +0100

Paste Researchers from �εδ��app and Canada have shown that the claim by the authors of a published earlier this year, that most of its participants had experienced parental alienating behaviours during childhood, is seriously misleading.

Claims in the study that people affected by parental alienating behaviours showed greater signs of stress, PTSD and depression are also challenged by the team from The University of �εδ��app and the University of New Brunswick.

Lead author doctoral researcher Nic Robson, along with Dr Elizabeth Dalgarno, both from The University of �εδ��app, and Professor Linda Neilson from The University of New Brunswick, have published a in the Journal of Family Trauma, Child Custody and Child Development of February's study led by Professor Ben Hine.

The researchers found a lack of evidence in the Hine study that the behaviours were identified by a dependable sample of the UK public, and a lack of evidence that the identified parenting behaviours were actually connected to parental alienation.

The authors of the rebuttal contend that methodological standards typically associated with academic or scientific research were not met. Other limitations identified by the researchers included:

Reliance on online responses submitted to a marketing agency.
Use of discredited or outdated measures, or selection of items from established psychological scales without validation.
Limited reporting on methodology, sampling and data collection procedures.
Absence of research methods that would enable analysis of cause and effect.
Methodologies that failed to establish that behaviours attributed to parental alienation were not actually connected to family conflict or abuse.the first half of your story here.

The Hine study, covered by calls for policy and legal reforms, including the development of school programmes to teach children how to identify so-called “parental alienating behaviours.”

The study has also been cited within official raising questions about the robustness of the evidence appraisal and guideline development process of the guidance, particularly given the methodological concerns with the Hine study that have since been identified.

"The Hine study states that parental alienating behaviours cause children to become allied strongly with one parent, rejecting the other without justification during a high-conflict separation or divorce," said lead author Nic Robson, a PhD researcher from the University of �εδ��app. “However, the assertion is based on a controversial concept of parental alienation which has been criticised by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and Girls, the Family Justice Council in the UK, and other bodies.”

Previous by Dr Dalgarno showed many parents accused of parental alienation are often female victims of domestic abuse who often report being subjected to biased family court proceedings.

The women in Dr Dalgarno's study said parental alienation claims were raised against them when they attempted to safeguard their children.

"The authors of the Hine study also acknowledged a correlation between the alleged parental alienating behaviours and domestic abuse among parents, yet no investigation appears to have occurred to determine if there was a causal relationship between the two," Robson said.

This points, Robson, Neilson and Dalgarno say, to a flawed report that identifies negative behaviours of parents reported by a group of online respondents that may or may not have been associated with behaviours the Hine study researchers were attempting to measure.

Robson added: “Unfortunately, while the authors presented some selected data, they did not provide adequate information about the scales they used, the survey questions, the complete dataset, or an in-depth analysis of their results.

“Consequently, it is difficult to work out if the omissions were intentional, indicative of selective reporting, or a reflection of the limitations of the survey.”

Dr Neilson said: “We strongly urge professionals and policymakers to base decisions on scientifically validated methods and rigorously tested evidence.

“Anyone reading the report of the Hine study should exercise caution, however especially in connection with policies and practices that shape clinical or legal work.”

Dr Dalgarno added: "The concept of parental alienation remains highly contentious due to its lack of scientific validation and empirical evidence supporting its reliability as both a psychological construct and a measurable phenomenon.

Allegations of parental alienation are frequently employed by fathers with histories of abuse as a legal strategy to dismiss or deflect serious claims of child sexual abuse, domestic violence, and coercive control."

Dalgarno and Robson are both core voluntary members of the , a global research collective exploring the health, social, human rights and economic impacts of domestic abuse and violence on women and children. Linda Neilson is Professor Emerita and a research associate of the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research at the University of New Brunswick, Canada.
The paper Methodologies and Moon Landings: A critical review of parental alienating behaviour research, is published in the , DOI:

Refugee’s amazing journey from war zone to graduation

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0100

A woman who fled Liberia’s brutal civil war as a young adult, lost both parents and spent years living in refugee camps is to graduate from The University of �εδ��app this month with a 2:1 BSc in public health(20/07/26).

In December 1990 Makagbeh Princess Sesay crossed into neighbouring Guinea (Guinea-Conakry ) in a truck with her family after fighting forced them to flee their home during the Liberian civil war.

Her father died in Liberia, not long after the civil war began. After that, she also lost her mother in a small Guinean border town called Koyama, located near the Liberia–Guinea border.

Left to navigate life as a refugee, she grew up in communities hosting thousands of displaced Liberians in the towns of Macenta, Guéckédou and Kissidougou.

She witnessed first-hand the hardships faced by refugee families, including poverty, food shortages, poor sanitation, limited access to healthcare and disrupted education.

In Guéckédou, she witnessed vicious attacks by Liberian rebel forces in 2000 and many people died across the whole town in appalling circumstances.

Yet those experiences would ultimately inspire her future career.

While living in Columba refugee Camp in Guinea Princess (Makagbeh) volunteered with humanitarian organisations helping some of the world’s most vulnerable people.

She worked with Action Against Hunger on health education, hygiene campaigns, nutrition programmes and community surveys.

She also received training through the International Rescue Committee, which supported refugee education and health projects.

Meanwhile, she worked with CARE International, helping coordinate food distributions that provided vital support to thousands of displaced families.

Seeing the difference these organisations made sparked a lifelong interest in improving health and wellbeing.

After over 10 years in Guinea, Princess was resettled to Norway in 2003 through a United Nations refugee programme.

The move offered a fresh start and the chance to continue her education.

Determined to give back, she chose to study public health after seeing how access to clean water, nutrition, healthcare and health education could transform lives.

That journey eventually brought her to �εδ��app College in 2015, where she got a distinction in level three health and social care.

After a few years working as a carer, she started in 2023 at The University of �εδ��app, where she has now graduated with a BSc in Public Health.

Her studies allowed her to connect her personal experiences with academic research into global health inequalities.

She said: “My journey has taken me from fleeing a civil war in Liberia to living in a refugee camp in Guinea and now graduating from The University of �εδ��app.

“Losing both of my parents at a young age was incredibly difficult, but the support I received from humanitarian organisations and the communities around me gave me hope and determination.

“Growing up as a refugee showed me how important healthcare, education, sanitation and nutrition are to people's lives. �εδ��apping Public Health has helped me understand these challenges in greater depth and strengthened my desire to support vulnerable communities and work towards reducing health inequalities around the world.”

Now a University of �εδ��app graduate, Princess hopes to use her education and experiences to improve public health and support disadvantaged communities both in the UK and internationally.

That might include going back to refugee camps in Africa or elsewhere.

Her lecturer and academic advisor Sam Aston from The University of �εδ��app, said: “Princess’s remarkable journey is a testament to her resilience and determination to fulfil her dream at �εδ��app. The passion and compassion that she has shown for public health have driven her to turn her experiences into a purposeful education.

“We are immensely proud of her achievement and excited to see the difference she will make in improving health for vulnerable communities.”

Princess serving meals to children alongside a French representative from the humanitarian organization Action Contre La Faim (Action Against Hunger).
Princess standing beside cooking oil boxes wearing blue cap during a refugee food distribution exercise.
Princess besides a CARE truck

Professor Jackie Stacey elected Fellow of the British Academy

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 17:33:17 +0100

, Professor of Cultural Studies at The University of �εδ��app, has been elected a Fellow of the British Academy, one of the highest honours awarded to scholars in the humanities and social sciences.

Professor Stacey is among 92 distinguished academics��made��Fellows��by��the��in 2026.��The��Fellowship��recognises��her��outstanding contributions to research and scholarship��in the field of gender and sexuality studies for more than four decades��and��reflects both her international influence in the field of cultural studies and The University of �εδ��app's continued excellence in humanities research.��

Since joining �εδ��app in 2007, Professor Stacey has built an internationally recognised body of work across cultural studies, gender and sexuality, film��theory and the visual arts. She��is��currently��Co-Director of the��in��the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures.��

Her academic journey began in the 1980s as a postgraduate student at the University of Kent, where she��studied��for��the UK’s first Women’s Studies MA, and later as a doctoral candidate at the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies, University of Birmingham. During this period, she also co-taught adult education classes for the��Workers’ Educational��Association (WEA), including pioneering lesbian and gay studies courses.��

She has built a body of work influencing cultural, feminist and media��and��film��studies. Her key publications include��(1994),��(1997),��(2000), and��(2010). She has also co-edited important collections in feminism, screen��studies��and queer theory.��

Jackie has worked for��more��than��three decades��to��establish��interdisciplinary research centres and teaching programmes in gender and sexuality, forming��international��academic��collaborations and��partnerships��with��εδ��app’s��civic and arts��organisations. Her research in film and visual culture aims to link aesthetics and politics to social change using feminist and queer frameworks.��

Alongside her research, Professor Stacey has made a significant contribution to academic publishing and scholarly leadership.��She served as co-editor of the journal��from 1994 to 2024 and was co-editor of��between 2006 and 2012.��Having qualified as a Groupwork Practitioner, with Group Analysis North in 2018, she has introduced new pedagogic methods into the classroom and��the postgraduate annual��at �εδ��app, which she has led since 2008.��

Speaking about her fellowship, Professor Stacey said:��

The British Academy is the UK's national academy for the humanities and social sciences. Fellowship is awarded to scholars who have achieved distinction in their field and represents one of the most prestigious accolades available to researchers in these disciplines.

Professor Neil Dixon appointed to UK Government’s DSIT College of Experts as Engineering Biology lead

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:35:34 +0100

, Professor of Sustainable Biotechnology at the University of �εδ��app’s �εδ��app Institute of Biotechnology (MIB), has been appointed to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) College of Experts, a prestigious network of independent specialists providing the UK Government with rapid access to leading scientific and technical expertise.

The College was formally launched on 18 June 2026 at the Royal Society in London and brings together experts from universities, industry and research organisations across the UK. Professor Dixon is one of 71 members selected through a highly competitive process that attracted nearly 1,200 applications. College members volunteer their time to support government decision-making through expert advice, workshops and peer review.

The appointment comes at a time when engineering biology is increasingly recognised as a strategic technology for the UK’s future prosperity. The sector is expected to play a pivotal role in developing new routes to manufacture chemicals, materials and consumer products from renewable resources, strengthening supply-chain resilience while helping industries reduce their reliance on fossil-derived feedstocks.

“The launch of the College of Experts at the Royal Society brought together an extraordinary group of independent specialists from across the UK, spanning AI, quantum, life sciences, cyber security, and far beyond. The experts volunteer their time to support us, reflecting a real commitment from the UK’s research and innovation community to contribute to government policymaking. Seeing DSIT colleagues and world-leading academics and practitioners in the same room was a powerful reminder of what this department can achieve when it draws on the best available expertise.”

— Professor Chris Johnson, DSIT Chief Scientific Adviser and Head of the College of Experts

Engineering biology’s role in UK growth and net zero

Professor Dixon joins the College in recognition of more than two decades of leadership in engineering biology, sustainable biotechnology and industrial biomanufacturing. His research focuses on developing advanced biological systems that enable renewable and waste-derived carbon feedstocks to be transformed into valuable chemicals, materials and products, supporting the transition towards a more sustainable manufacturing economy.

His work aligns closely with the UK’s science and industrial priorities: engineering biology has been identified as a critical technology for future growth, while sustainable manufacturing, resource efficiency and net zero are central to the UK’s long-term economic resilience.

From �εδ��app for the UK

�εδ��app has long been at the forefront of engineering biology and sustainable biotechnology, bringing together the scientific expertise, facilities and industry partnerships needed to turn discovery into practical solutions. As the UK looks to strengthen its industrial base, build resilience and meet its net zero commitments, engineering biology will have a significant role to play – from cleaner routes to chemicals, fuels and materials, to new ways of reducing waste and using resources more sustainably. We are pleased to be part of this national conversation and to contribute evidence, insight and innovation that can help shape a more sustainable and competitive future for UK industry.

University honours seven outstanding individuals with honorary degrees

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:42:42 +0100

The University of �εδ��app has awarded honorary degrees to seven distinguished individuals in recognition of their exceptional contributions to society, their professions and the communities they serve.

The awards were presented during this summer’s graduation celebrations in Whitworth Hall, bringing together students, staff, alumni and civic leaders to celebrate achievement, leadership and service.

Honorary degrees are the University's highest awards, recognising individuals whose work reflects our values and creates meaningful impact locally, nationally and globally. This year's honorary graduands have made significant contributions across fields including journalism, music, higher education, business leadership, social justice and international development.

As a global-civic university, The University of �εδ��app is committed to advancing social responsibility, inclusive growth, equality and innovation. This year's honorary graduates exemplify those ambitions through their leadership, creativity and dedication to improving lives and communities.

Honorary graduates 2026
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Tim Booth

Tim Booth is an acclaimed singer-songwriter, performer and author best known as the frontman of the band James. Over a career spanning more than four decades, James has sold more than 25 million records worldwide and earned recognition as one of Britain's most successful and enduring bands, receiving the Ivor Novello Legendary Award for songwriting. A former drama student in �εδ��app, Booth has also worked as an actor and novelist. His creative work across music, literature and performance has inspired audiences around the world.

Nick Robinson

Nick Robinson is one of Britain's best-known political journalists and broadcasters. A presenter of BBC Radio 4's Today programme since 2015, he previously served as Political Editor for BBC News and ITV News. Over a distinguished career spanning several decades, he has become renowned for his political analysis and incisive interviewing. Beyond journalism, Robinson has made a significant contribution to charitable causes in the North West through his support for East Cheshire Hospice, helping to raise millions of pounds for services supporting patients, families and carers.

Michelle Cox MBE

Michelle Cox MBE is a nationally recognised healthcare leader, race equality consultant and former community nurse who has spent more than 30 years improving patient outcomes and tackling health inequalities across the NHS. Awarded an MBE in 2026 for services to nursing, she is a Queen's Nurse and Fellow of both the Queen's Institute of Community Nursing and the Royal College of Nursing. Through her consultancy work, she supports organisations to embed inclusive leadership, address systemic inequalities and strengthen workplace culture. Her influence extends internationally through nursing development initiatives in Africa and she continues to be a powerful advocate for equity in healthcare.

Dr John Cater CBE

Dr John Cater CBE is one of the most influential figures in UK higher education. As Vice-Chancellor of Edge Hill University for more than 30 years, he led its transformation into one of the country's most successful modern universities, overseeing significant academic growth and investment. A respected national voice on higher education and teacher training, he has played a leading role in shaping sector policy and governance. He was appointed CBE in 2015 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to higher education and public service.

Sarfraz Manzoor

Sarfraz Manzoor is an award-winning journalist, author, broadcaster and screenwriter whose work has explored identity, belonging and contemporary Britain for more than three decades. A graduate of The University of �εδ��app, he has written for leading national media organisations including the BBC, The Guardian and The Times. His memoir Greetings from Bury Park inspired the internationally acclaimed film Blinded by the Light, which he co-wrote. Through his writing and broadcasting, he has helped foster understanding across cultures and communities and is widely recognised as one of Britain's leading contemporary commentators.

H.E. Bineta Diop

H.E. Bineta Diop is a globally respected advocate for women's rights, peace and security whose work has influenced policy and practice across Africa and beyond. Founder and President of Femmes Africa Solidarité, she has spent more than four decades championing women's participation in peacebuilding, conflict prevention and leadership. A former Special Envoy of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace and Security, she has helped shape landmark agreements and frameworks promoting gender equality. Her achievements have earned international recognition, including being named among TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People.

Sue Sanders

Sue Sanders is a pioneering educator and equality campaigner whose work has transformed LGBT+ inclusion and education in the UK. As CEO of Schools OUT UK, she has spent decades promoting inclusive curricula and challenging prejudice. In 2004, she co-founded LGBT History Month, which is now recognised nationally and internationally. She has also developed educational resources, advised government and policing bodies on hate crime and co-founded the international OUTing the Past festival. Her contribution to equality, diversity and education has been recognised through numerous national awards.

A shared commitment to impact

Together, this year's honorary graduates demonstrate the power of leadership, creativity, scholarship and service to create positive change. Their achievements reflect many of the values that underpin �εδ��app 2035, including social responsibility, inclusive growth, global engagement and the pursuit of knowledge for public benefit.

Call for older people’s voices to be heard in major urban regeneration of North �εδ��app

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 08:36:03 +0100

A range of regeneration projects are underway in North �εδ��app, with over £6bn to be spent over the next 15-20 years. As the area starts to be transformed, researchers from the University of �εδ��app’s Urban Ageing Research Group have been working with older residents and community groups across North �εδ��app to understand their thoughts and experiences of regeneration.

The ‘Ageing, inequality and urban regeneration: Collaborative research with older people living in North �εδ��app’ report is being launched at a community celebration in Cheetham Hill next week. Findings from the research highlight the importance of major regeneration projects, like those in North �εδ��app, being designed in collaboration with the area’s older population.

Dr Camilla Lewis, Senior Lecturer in Architectural Studies, who co-led the research explains:

As well as sharing first-person perspectives from over 40 older residents and a variety of community organisations, Ageing, inequality and urban regeneration has six overarching aims for policy makers to ensure the urban regeneration is inclusive for all ages and communities. The report will be shared widely with local and national decision-makers.

Read the full Ageing, inequality and urban regeneration: Collaborative research with older people living in North �εδ��app report and the executive summary .

Delivering �εδ��app 2035 – Interdisciplinary Pump Priming Awards Projects Announced

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 08:34:01 +0100

University Research Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of the , established to support new collaborations that advance the ambitions of �εδ��app 2035.

Following a highly competitive call, which attracted 89 applications from across the University, eight projects have been selected for funding. The awarded projects align with the priority areas of the University’s Platforms.

The funded projects reflect the strength and diversity of interdisciplinary research at �εδ��app, with teams working across areas including health inequalities, sustainable futures, artificial intelligence, creative practice and social resilience. The awards will support research teams to develop bold new ideas, build cross-disciplinary partnerships and lay the foundations for future external funding, impact and innovation.

Congratulations to the lead applicants and their teams.

· (School of Medical Sciences) Unlocking �εδ��app’s computing heritage: harnessing AI methods to catalogue and improve public access to local computer history archives.

· (School of Social Sciences) Visualising Care: Creative Storytelling and Mapping with Older People amidst Disasters

· (School of Arts, Languages and Cultures) The Arts and AI: Mapping Visual Political Expression through graffiti.

· (School of Health Sciences) Challenging sensory spaces: AI-driven approaches to maintaining comfort and functional performance.

· (School of Engineering) Engineering Out Inequity: Mechanism-Driven Laser Manufacturing of Orthopaedic Implants for Robust Performance Across Biological Diversity.

· (School of Health Sciences) Supply of adult social care services and health inequalities among carers and care recipients

· (School of Engineering) From Net Zero to Fair Zero: Targeting Discretionary Emissions in UK Climate Policy.

· (School of Engineering) Is there a JET in international shipping? Exploring a “Just and Equitable Transition.”

Thank you to all who collaborated across disciplines and submitted applications.

Researchers can access a wide range of support across the University, including faculty-specific research development teams, professional development opportunities, research culture resources, and examples of previous award-winning initiatives:

‘Toxic waste’ build-up in the brain may be driving dementia and ALS

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:28:00 +0100

University of �εδ��app scientists have uncovered evidence that a build-up of a common body waste product in the brain could be helping to drive two of our most devastating neurological diseases.

In a new , researchers found unusually high levels of urea — a waste chemical normally flushed out in urine — in the brains of people with frontotemporal dementia�� (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The study, published in this month’s edition of the journal Molecular Omics and mainly funded by the Lee Trust in New Zealand, raises fresh questions about how the brain clears harmful substances.

Previous work by the same group had already shown this ‘toxic waste’ build-up in five other dementias, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s-related dementia, but this is the first time it has been confirmed in FTD and ALS.

Frontotemporal dementia typically affects people under 65 at a rate of around 15.1 cases per 100,000 each year, while ALS is rarer at about 2.1 new cases per 100,000, yet both conditions are incurable and often fatal.

FTD is the second most common form of early-onset dementia and affects areas of the brain linked to behaviour and personality, while ALS attacks the nerve cells that control movement, leading to progressive muscle weakness.

Despite their differences, the two diseases are closely linked, with studies suggesting up to 15 per cent of ALS patients also develop FTD and around half show some level of cognitive problems.

Scientists also know the diseases share key biological features, but exactly what drives them remains unclear and there are still no effective treatments. the first half of your story here.

Using highly sensitive lab techniques, the team measured urea levels in different parts of the brain and compared people with the diseases to those without in people who had donated their bodies to scientific research after death.

They discovered that in people with FTD, this ‘toxic waste’ was not just in the most damaged areas but spread in both damaged areas and relatively sparred areas, while in ALS it was mainly concentrated in regions controlling movement.

The scientists say the findings suggest the brain may struggle to get rid of waste properly, potentially poisoning nerve cells over time and worsening disease.

The results add to growing evidence that the same problem has already been seen in several other conditions, hinting at a shared weakness in how the brain handles waste.

“This is exciting because it suggests we might be looking at a common problem underlying several different brain diseases, rather than separate conditions with completely different causes,” said the study’s lead author from The University of �εδ��app.

He added: “If we can work out why this waste is building up and how to clear it, we may be able to slow or even stop these diseases, opening the door to new treatments for conditions that currently have very few options.”

The paper Elevated urea levels in human frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis post-mortem brain tissue: evidence of a multi-dementia pathogenic mechanism is published in ,

New research addressing the paramilitary-organised crime nexus in war-to-peace transitions

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:23:23 +0100

In this new of publications, (HCRI, University of �εδ��app) and (SOAS) explore policy approaches and responses to paramilitaries and organised crime in war-to-peace transitions. The research offers policymakers, practitioners and others working in or on contexts affected by the paramilitary-organised crime nexus insights and tools to better understand the phenomenon and to move beyond template-based responses towards context-specific, politically informed strategies. Such strategies recognise paramilitaries as durable political actors, take account of their ‘holding power’, prioritise harm reduction, and remain attentive to the distributional consequences of policy choices.

The publications draw on extensive fieldwork, and insights generated by the Policy Lab, ‘Addressing paramilitary violence and organised crime in war-to-peace transitions’, convened by the Centre for the �εδ��app of Illicit Economies, Violence and Development () at SOAS University of London and supported by though the overarching research project, ‘’. The Lab brought together senior practitioners and policymakers explore new approaches to addressing the nexus and how better to integrate responses.

In many post-war transitions, the end of large-scale conflict does not signal the end of violence. Paramilitary groups - armed actors separate from, but often connected to, the State – can often be a key source of post war violence and instability linked to battles over control of illicit economies and organised crime. The research discusses policy responses and trade-offs found in four primary approaches used by actors to address the nexus; 1) Avoidance - Prioritising short-term stability by ignoring the paramilitary-organised crime nexus, 2) Co-option - Integrating paramilitaries into official state structures, 3) Criminalisation - Treating groups primarily as criminal actors through law enforcement, and 4) Transformation - Addressing the structural drivers, such as inequality and exclusion, that sustain these groups.

There are tensions and trade-offs between these approaches, which are often pursued simultaneously in post war transitions. Though transformation offers the most promise in bringing about a more inclusive peace, often the structural conditions are not in place to pursue such a strategy.

The full series of publications provides in depth specialised analyses across different policy sectors and offers resources to help policymakers manage the difficult trade-offs between immediate security and long-term stability, prioritising harm reduction where the immediate dismantling of these networks is not feasible, whilst remaining attentive to distributional consequences of policy choice.

The Addressing the Paramilitary-Organised Crime Nexus in War-to-Peace Transitions publication series includes:

SOC ACE Research Paper 42: , offers a foundational synthesis exploring global trends and the "fragmentation of violence" in the 21st century.
SOC ACE Briefing Notes 43: , provides guiding questions that can be integrated into conflict analysis to better understand the paramilitary-organised crime nexus, and sets out starting points for engaging with it.
SOC ACE Briefing Note 44: recognises that peace emerges through iterative bargains and offers insights on how paramilitaries should be included in processes.
SOC ACE Briefing Note 45: offers insights on how DDR/SSR in paramilitary affected contexts required tailored strategies, improved intelligence and analysis, conditionality for inclusion and cross-government coordination.
SOC ACE Briefing Note 46: offers five insights for consideration when designing and delivery development programming in contexts affected by the paramilitary-organised nexus.
SOC ACE Briefing Note 47: demonstrates how organised crime analysis needs to be integrated into conflict and governance assessments to improve understanding of political-criminal networks and support responses to extend beyond national borders to target transnational dynamics.
SOC ACE Briefing Note 48: provides a diagnostic tool for practitioners to conduct political economy analysis of the nexus.
SOC ACE Briefing Note 51: , shows that militias are central components of the Myanmar military’s borderland governance system, highlighting the need for responses that address their structural role in organised crime, counterinsurgency, and transnational illicit economies.

For more on the project, visit:

For more on research at HCRI, visit:

Drug hope for people with common heart thickening disease

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 15:59:00 +0100

A new drug offers hope for people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the world’s most common inherited heart disease.

The TEMPEST trial led by University of �εδ��app researchers tested the drug – called trientine - in 154 adults with the condition in a year‑long, placebo‑controlled .

The trial was funded by a partnership between the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR �εδ��app Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) supported the trial.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - which affects around 1 in 500 people worldwide- causes thickening and scarring of the heart muscle.

The condition is sometimes asymptomatic, but other patients suffer from breathlessness, fatigue, chest pain and blackouts.

A small minority of people have an increased risk of developing a dangerous heart rhythm, which can lead to sudden death.

In the trial, treatment with trientine led to a reduction in heart muscle thickening. The effect was greater in patients with greater heart muscle thickening at the beginning of the trial.

It is a potentially new way of treating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and potentially heart muscle thickening caused by other conditions.

However, the researchers say, larger studies are required to confirm how well it works and whether it improves how people feel and function.

from The University of �εδ��app said: “This trial suggests trientine may be a promising option for people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

“People with more advanced disease seemed to benefit the most, but larger studies are needed to confirm this.

“There were few side effects, and the drug was generally well tolerated.”

Copper is an essential mineral involved in key processes in the heart muscle, including energy production, protection cells from damage, and controlling scarring.

When copper levels are low in cells, the heart struggles to make energy and the heart muscle can thicken. At the same time, loose copper outside cells can cause harmful stress on the cells and trigger scar tissue to form.

Trientine has been used for more than 50 years to treat a rare inherited condition that affects how the body handles copper. It improves the availability of copper within cells and binds and removes copper outside cells.

This study follows earlier research in animals showing that trientine improves the heart’s energy production, reduces harmful stress on cells and reduces heart muscle thickening and scarring.

In a previous small study in people with diabetes related heart problems, trientine led to a reduction in heart muscle thickening.

First author and PhD student, from The University of �εδ��app added: “These findings provide the first evidence that targeting copper could open a new chapter in treating all patients with this condition.”

The trial is part of the NIHR �εδ��app Biomedical Research Centre’s (BRC) , which aims to develop new ways to diagnose and treat heart disease.

Professor Danny McAuley, Scientific Director of NIHR Programmes, said:
"These promising results offer hope to patients, demonstrating how Trientine - a drug targeting copper metabolism - can treat this potentially fatal inherited heart condition.

“Once again this shows how MRC and NIHR's key partnership can drive life-changing research. Together we are addressing complex clinical challenges and translating cutting-edge ideas into evidence-based treatments as part of the government’s mission for fewer lives to be lost to the biggest killers."

The paper Trientine for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: a phase 2 trial, published in European Heart Journal is published in the .

New Faculty of Humanities Vice-Dean for Research and Innovation appointed at The University of �εδ��app

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 14:03:00 +0100

Professor James Evans has been appointed as the new Faculty of Humanities Vice-Dean for Research and Innovation at The University of �εδ��app. He will move from his current role as the Faculty’s Associate Dean for Research to take up the Vice-Dean position on 1 August 2026.

James is Professor of Human Geography in the School of Environment, Education and Development. His research explores how cities can become smarter and more sustainable through urban experimentation, helping governments and communities learn, innovate and respond to complex societal challenges.

In addition to being Associate Dean for Research, he has held a number of leadership roles across the University, including Head of the Department of Geography, Director of the �εδ��app Urban Institute and Academic Lead for Sustainability.

Professor Fiona Devine, Vice-President and Dean, said:

James said:

James will take up the Vice-Dean for Research role from Professor Maggie Gale, who will become the new Head of the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures in the Faculty of Humanities on 1 August.

The University of �εδ��app launches inaugural Innovation Festival

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:27:57 +0100

The University of �εδ��app will bring together researchers, students, entrepreneurs, industry partners,��investors��and civic leaders for its first Innovation Festival, taking place from 5–9 October 2026. ��

The week-long Festival will celebrate and��showcase��the people, partnerships and ideas that are helping to shape the future through research,��enterprise��and collaboration. ��

Through hands-on workshops, live demonstrations, awards, talks and networking opportunities, attendees will have the chance to explore �εδ��app’s vibrant and globally connected innovation ecosystem and discover how ideas are translated into real-world impact. ��

Professor Aline Miller, Associate Vice-President for Enterprise at The University of �εδ��app said: “Innovation happens when brilliant people, ideas and partnerships come together. The University of �εδ��app Innovation Festival is an opportunity to��showcase��the extraordinary innovation taking place across our��University��and to connect our researchers, students, entrepreneurs,��partners��and investors with new opportunities to collaborate. ��

“Aligned with our �εδ��app 2035 strategy - From �εδ��app, for the World - the��Festival��reflects our ambition to turn world-leading ideas into real-world impact that delivers benefits for people, places and communities locally and globally." ��

Whether developing a new idea, looking for collaborators, exploring investment opportunities or simply curious about innovation, attendees will be able to connect with experts, innovators, students, funders��and partners from across the University and beyond. ��

Registration details,��speakers��and the full programme will be announced in the coming months. ��

Home visits could cut hospital trips by a third

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:31:00 +0100

Getting patients seen by community health teams within a day of leaving hospital could slash emergency readmissions and A&E visits, a new study by University of �εδ��app researchers suggests.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded study found people who received a prompt visit or contact from community health services after discharge were far less likely to end up back in hospital within a month.

The findings offer fresh evidence that early support at home can ease pressure on overstretched hospitals while helping patients recover safely.

Community health teams can help patients manage medication, monitor symptoms, identify complications early and provide reassurance during the vulnerable period immediately after discharge.

Around one in seven NHS patients are readmitted to hospital within 30 days of discharge, are thought to be preventable.

However, the researchers say faster follow-up care at home could help tackle the problem.

Despite community health services providing millions of patient contacts each year, evidence on their impact remains limited – until now.

The study analysed records from 63,019 patients referred to 11 NHS Community Trusts in England after leaving hospital between April and December 2019.

Patients were aged 72 on average, had multiple health conditions, and represented a group at high risk of needing further hospital care.

More than half received support from community health services within one day of discharge.

A further one in five were contacted within two to seven days.

However, more than a quarter had no contact at all within the first month after leaving hospital.

The researchers compared the outcomes of the groups to see whether speed of follow-up made a difference.

Patients contacted within 24 hours had 33 per cent lower odds of attending A&E within 30 days than those who received no support.

They also had 38 per cent lower odds of being readmitted to hospital as an emergency.

Even when contact occurred between two and seven days after discharge, patients had 20 per cent lower odds of attending A&E and 22 per cent lower odds of emergency readmission compared with patients who received no follow-up care.

The research suggests the sooner support is provided, the greater the impact.

Lead author , a research fellow from The University of �εδ��app said: “Our findings show that the period immediately after patients leave hospital is a critical window for preventing avoidable emergency care.

“We found that people who received contact from community health services within one day of discharge were significantly less likely to attend A&E or be readmitted to hospital in the following month.

“While support delivered within a week was still associated with meaningful benefits, the greatest reductions were consistently seen when care was provided within 24 hours.

“These results highlight the important role community health teams play in supporting recovery, improving patient outcomes and reducing pressure on busy hospitals.”

She added: “Community health services are central to NHS plans to move more care out of hospitals and into people's homes.

“Faster follow-up after discharge could cut avoidable A&E visits and readmissions for thousands of patients. But delivering these benefits may require extra funding and staff to tackle longstanding workforce shortages in community care services.”

The paper The impact of timely community health services contact following hospital discharge on subsequent hospital use in England: retrospective observational study is available here https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-026-05015-3

Thinking like a machine: how �εδ��app is shaping the next era of brain-inspired computing

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:13:13 +0100

In 1951, engineers at The University of �εδ��app and Ferranti Ltd. reframed how they thought about computers, approaching the problem of stored memory in a new and revolutionary way. Their research and innovative collaboration resulted in the Ferranti Mark I which helped move computing from the laboratory into the wider world.

Since then, computer engineers have been able to rely on a simple assumption: the next generation of chips would be faster, cheaper and more powerful than the last. But as we reach the limits of conventional computing, some researchers have started asking a more fundamental question. What if the problem is not how quickly computers process information, but how they process it in the first place?

Building a brain

Biological brains are among the most energy-efficient information-processing systems known; running on about 20 watts of power – barely enough to power a dim LED light bulb – and only “spiking” when needed, they can process vast amounts of information very quickly. It is perhaps unsurprising that researchers have looked to biology for inspiration. Now, a previously niche area of research is coming to the fore; neuromorphic (literally, “brain-like”) computing is a way of designing computer systems that use technologies such as spiking neural networks, event-driven sensors and specialised low-power hardware to process information more efficiently and in ways that more closely resemble natural intelligence.

Neuro-:��derived from neuron, meaning “nerve”, “tendon”, or “cord”
-morphic:��derived from morphē, meaning “form”, “shape”, or “structure”

Spiking neural network:��a computer model inspired by how neurons in the brain communicate. Instead of processing information as a steady stream of numbers, its “neurons” send short bursts of signals – or spikes – only when needed.

With the rapid proliferation of AI (and the associated environmental challenges facing the data centres that support it), and the limitations of current computer hardware, researchers exploring neuromorphic computing believe biology may start to solve some of these problems. One of the most ambitious attempts to test that idea is .

Developed over decades by researchers led by Professor Steve Furber, SpiNNaker is the world's largest neuromorphic computing platform, incorporating more than one million ARM processors and capable of modelling spiking neural networks at the scale of a mouse brain in biological real time. It is a platform that allows researchers to study everything from neuroscience to artificial intelligence, while also helping to investigate new approaches to energy-efficient computing and brain-inspired AI.

A new thought for computing

So, while SpiNNaker was designed to explore a deceptively simple question (what happens when a computer is built to work more like a brain?), new projects emerging from �εδ��app’s , are expanding that thought to explore how brain-inspired computing might be used in practical systems beyond the laboratory.

to analyse information directly at the sensor, allowing devices to respond without sending vast quantities of data elsewhere for processing. Another that could help monitor foetal and maternal health. Other projects point to more tangible settings: that process information as events unfold, .

The applications of neuromorphic computing are varied, and they may seem far removed from the room-sized computers of the 1950s, but they return to a familiar �εδ��app habit: questioning accepted assumptions and asking whether we can do things differently.

From Ferranti to the future of brain-inspired systems

So, while neuromorphic computing may still be in its nascent stages, researchers believe it offers a promising way to rethink how information is sensed, processed and interpreted and allows us to rethink the relationship between machines, memory and intelligence.

Seventy-five years ago, Alan Turing posed the question “can machines think?” and an industrial-academic collaboration saw the Ferranti Mark I transform the computer from an experimental machine into a practical technology. Today, through SpiNNaker and the International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems, �εδ��app's researchers are pursuing a familiar idea: that progress begins when accepted assumptions are challenged.

Meet the researchers

– linking neuromorphic engineering with intelligent sensors and computational neuroscience.
– vision chips, integrated circuits and brain-inspired sensing systems.
– exploring the processor and interconnection architectures needed to support efficient neuromorphic hardware.
– wearable and flexible electronics for health monitoring.
and – low-energy computing, spiking neural networks and the architectures needed to run them.

��

New collections: Expanding the range of our digital archives

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:00:00 +0100

The Library has recently enhanced its digital archive collections,��increasing��access to primary source content across the social sciences and humanities. These new and expanded resources provide valuable material for teaching, learning and research,��supporting��students and researchers��to��explore people, cultures, histories and lived experiences across different periods and places.��

Mass Observation Project Online Archive IV (2010–2019)��

��extended access��now includes material from the 2010s, capturing��perspectives��on social media, immigration, human rights, climate change, Brexit and US Presidential Elections. The archive also supports comparison with earlier Mass Observation studies, including the 1938 and 2013 directives on��What Makes You Happy?��

Cambridge Companions Online ��

��offers extended access to its full collection of more than 900 volumes��published between 1986 and 2025.��Complementing��, the collection provides authoritative introductions to��key��topics, authors and themes��across the arts, humanities and social sciences.��

ProQuest One Anthropology��

��brings together field notes, draft manuscripts, published ethnographies, video ethnographies and ethnographic films, providing rich primary source material for the study of cultures and societies worldwide. Representing more than 1,000 cultural groups, it supports teaching and research across anthropology and related disciplines.��

National Theatre Collections Volume IV��

��adds six productions to the Library's��existing access��to the��National Theatre Collection:��Ballet Shoes,��Kin,��Nye,��The Boy With Two Hearts,��The Importance of Being Earnest��and��Blues��for an Alabama Sky. The collection explores themes including politics, family, immigration and identity, supported by learning resources and behind-the-scenes content��to��enhance teaching, study and research.��

Radicalism and Popular Protest in Georgian Britain (c.1714–1832)��

��features��more than 90,000 primary source images documenting political dissent, activism and unrest from the Jacobite rebellions through to the 1832 Reform Act.��The collection supports research into protest and reform��and complements our��Special Collections��material on the��.��

Perdita Manuscripts��

��provides digitised access to manuscripts written or compiled by women in the British Isles during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The collection includes poetry, religious writing, autobiographical works, household accounts, recipes and remedies, helping to uncover voices and perspectives that have often been overlooked in the historical record. Detailed catalogue descriptions, contextual essays and biographical resources support further exploration and research.��

Discover Our Collections��

These��collections span a wide range of subjects and may be particularly useful for research and teaching in anthropology, history, literature, drama and performance, politics and gender studies.��Access via��or explore our relevant��

�εδ��app air quality data helps reveal growing health and energy risks from Saharan dust

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 16:00:00 +0100

Data collected at The University of �εδ��app's has contributed to a major international study showing that increasing amounts of desert dust from North Africa are reaching Europe, with implications for public health and solar energy generation.

The study, published in and led by the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland, found that concentrations of airborne desert dust have increased across Europe over the past decade.

Researchers combined measurements from more than 100 monitoring stations across Europe with artificial intelligence to create what is believed to be the most comprehensive assessment of desert dust pollution on the continent.

The University of �εδ��app contributed data from the Air Quality Supersite at The Firs, which forms part of a Europe-wide network of atmospheric monitoring stations.

The study found that average desert dust concentrations are highest in southern Europe, where levels are more than twice those measured in central and northern Europe. Overall, the amount of dust increased by around 10–25% over the study period.

, Professor of Air Pollution Measurement at The University of �εδ��app, said: "This study demonstrates the value of the long-term and detailed monitoring of air quality across Europe. Data from The University of �εδ��app's Air Quality Supersite at The Firs contributed to a unique dataset that has helped researchers build a clearer picture of how desert dust pollution is changing over time.

"While air pollution from many human activities has declined in recent decades, this research highlights how natural sources of particulate matter can also affect air quality, public health and energy infrastructure. Continued monitoring will be essential to understanding these trends and their impacts in the years ahead."

Using aluminium as a chemical marker of desert dust, the researchers were able to distinguish airborne particles originating from the Sahara from other sources of particulate matter, such as transport, industry and construction activities.

The team suggests the increase is linked to growing dryness in the Sahara and changing atmospheric circulation patterns that transport dust towards Europe. The researchers say climate change may be contributing to these trends by creating drier conditions and supporting desert expansion.

Alongside environmental impacts, the study highlights potential health concerns. Previous research has linked days with elevated desert dust concentrations to increased deaths from heart and respiratory conditions. Desert dust can also reduce the efficiency of solar panels by blocking sunlight and accumulating on their surfaces.

The findings provide an important new dataset for understanding how natural sources of particulate matter are changing across Europe and how they may affect health, energy systems and air quality in the future.

Greater �εδ��app partners launch blueprint for skills development

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:19:12 +0100

A shared approach to developing the skills, education and training needed to support the city region's future workforce has been set out today (Wednesday 15 July) by further and higher education institutions, Greater �εδ��app Combined Authority (GMCA), Greater �εδ��app Civic Universities Board, GMColleges and Greater �εδ��app Chamber of Commerce.

outlines how partners can work more closely together to better understand local skills needs, create clearer routes into employment, and ensure learners can access the opportunities that are right for them. It has been developed alongside Greater �εδ��app's Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) and coincides with the United Nation’s World Youth Skills Day.

Drawing on the first combined analysis of further education, higher education and employer demand data across Greater �εδ��app, the report provides a detailed, evidence-based picture of current and future skills needs across the city-region.

Professor John Holden, The University of �εδ��app’s Vice-President for Civil Engagement and Innovation said: "This report is an important step forward in developing a more connected skills system for Greater �εδ��app. It is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when universities, colleges, employers and public sector partners work together.

“At The University of �εδ��app, developing the skills and talent our city region needs is central to delivering our �εδ��app 2035 strategy. By working with partners to strengthen pathways into learning and employment, we can play our part in creating a more inclusive and prosperous Greater �εδ��app, ensuring that more people and businesses can benefit from the opportunities being created in our city region.

“We look forward to continuing to work with our partners across Greater �εδ��app to turn the report's recommendations into action."

Andy Dainty, �εδ��app Metropolitan University's Vice Provost and Pro-Vice Chancellor Education, who co-led the project, said: “Our new report sets out practical recommendations to help ensure that post-16 education and training provision is shaped by local demand, supports priority sectors and responds to the changing needs of employers and learners.

“At its heart, this work is about increasing options at Level 4 and 5 (advanced vocational qualifications that build specialist skills), strengthening pathways into skilled employment, and ensuring people can access learning that is right for them.

“Grounded in evidence and developed alongside the Local Skills Improvement Plan, this collaboration brings post-16 providers together around a common goal – to deliver skills provision that is rooted in local need, responsive to employer demand, and focused on improving outcomes for learners and communities.”

Julia Heap, Chair of GMColleges, said: “This report is an important step towards creating a more joined-up skills system for Greater �εδ��app. By bringing together partners from across education, employers and the public sector, it sets out a shared approach to developing the skills our economy needs.

“GMColleges is proud to have supported this work, which recognises that collaboration is key to creating clearer pathways into skilled employment and supporting inclusive growth across the city region.”

The report’s recommendations are centred on four priorities:

1. A single, integrated data system: Creating a shared, Greater �εδ��app-wide view of learner journeys from education into employment, to enable better planning and accountability.

2. A coordinated approach to careers and pathways: Providing a single source of truth for learners, improving understanding of both academic and technical routes and supporting informed choices.

3. Employer voice embedded throughout the system: Moving to a more systematic, region-wide approach to employer involvement in curriculum design, delivery and progression.

4. Flexible, modular pathways across institutions: Enabling learners to move between colleges and universities, build skills over time, and access short, industry-aligned learning.

The recommendations are designed to support Greater �εδ��app's ambitions for good growth by helping learners access opportunities in key sectors while ensuring employers can recruit and retain the talent they need.

They are closely aligned with the overarching priorities of the LSIP, ensuring that post-16 education and training provision responds effectively to local skills needs. In particular, the recommendations address employer-identified challenges around increasing employer engagement with the skills system and training uptake, and enhancing careers education, information, advice and guidance (IAG).

As set out in the report, learners currently face disjointed pathways and unclear progression routes, particularly for non-traditional Level 6 options; curriculum can struggle to keep pace with rapidly changing employer skills needs; data is inconsistent and disconnected, limiting system-wide insight; and alternative pathways at Levels 4 and 5 remain small in scale.

At the same time, analysis shows strong foundations to build on. University enrolments in priority sectors have grown 29% since 2019/20 and an average of 40% of graduates remain in city region – retaining more Greater �εδ��app graduates than any other region attracts. These graduates go on to secure full-time employment within 15 months of graduation.

Nicola McLeod, Director of Education, Work and Skills at Greater �εδ��app Combined Authority, said:��“Greater �εδ��app has a clear ambition: we want residents to gain the skills they need to move into good jobs, while supporting employers��to build the workforce they need to grow.��

“This report reflects��Greater �εδ��app��at its best, bringing together employers, colleges,��universities��and partners behind a shared vision for how we develop the skills, education and training our city region needs.��

“By��listening to what businesses need��and acting on the same evidence, we can align learning with��real jobs, give residents clearer routes into��good careers and ensure��even��more people��benefit��from the opportunities being created across our city region.”��

Emma Holt, President and in-coming CEO of Greater �εδ��app Chamber of Commerce said: “Greater �εδ��app Chamber of Commerce is delighted to be a partner in this important piece of work. As the Employer Representative Body for the region’s Local Skills Improvement Plan, we are acutely aware of the skills challenges businesses and employers face, and the need for continued action to solve these issues, which is fundamental to the prosperity of the city region.

“This report is another example of collaboration between key stakeholders, and, aligning with the Local Skills Improvement Plan, includes the systematic embedding of the employer voice as a core recommendation.”

University hosts launch of DCMS research agenda

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:13:12 +0100

The University of �εδ��app has hosted the launch of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Areas of Research Interest (ARIs).

The ARIs set out the key policy challenges where new research, evidence and analysis can help inform government decision-making and improve outcomes for people and communities across the UK.

The event, organised by , brought together policymakers and researchers to explore how evidence can address the most pressing issues facing culture, media and sport. Alongside an introduction to the ARIs, academics shared examples of impactful policy engagement from their own research, demonstrating the value of evidence-informed policymaking.

Curated roundtable discussions provided an opportunity for researchers and DCMS colleagues to identify areas for future collaboration, before a networking reception enabled conversations to continue and new partnerships to emerge.

Professor Dave O’Brien, Professor of Culture and Creative Industries and Academic Fellow at DCMS, said:

“It is vital that universities are places where government can access the expertise, evidence and insight needed to tackle the complex challenges facing society.

“The University of �εδ��app is proud to bring together researchers and policymakers to explore how research can help inform future policy for the culture, media and sport sectors. We are a city and University with a vibrant cultural and creative offer, so it's great to bring the conversation to �εδ��app and continue our meaningful and enduring partnership with DCMS."

Professor Tom Crick, Chief Scientific Adviser at DCMS, said: "It’s fantastic to launch DCMS’s new Areas of Research Interest here in �εδ��app. The challenges and opportunities facing the sectors we support - from culture, heritage and the creative industries to sport, media and civil society - require strong partnerships between government and the research community.

"These ARIs highlight where new evidence and insights can help drive growth, strengthen communities and improve outcomes across the UK. I look forward to working with researchers and partners to build the evidence base that will shape the next generation of policy."

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