A new international multi-institutional alliance for research on Global Challenges
Edge Hill University has launched a new international multi-institutional alliance that will enhance and enrich ‘people, cultures and environments’ for undertaking and delivering world-leading research and impact.
Edge Hill University has linked with Innovate UK (Business Connect), Libelium (Spain) and several other institutions, including euro Academy of Active Learning (Greece), Università della Calabria (Italy), Hesso Valais – ConExLab (Switzerland), Università degli studi di Salerno (Italy), Kaunas Technology University (Lithuania), Ulster University (United Kingdom), and Shandong University (China) to expand and extend their research capacities.
Professor George Talbot, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research & Knowledge Exchange said: “I really welcome this ground-up initiative. Since 2006, we have made significant steps in transforming research excellence at the University.
In the last Research Excellence Framework in 2021 (REF-2021), Edge Hill University improved its position in the Universities research ranking tables. For example, our Computing Unit of Assessment in REF-2021 was the most improved Unit of Assessment nationally. We now want to improve further.”
Dr Leon Culbertson, Dean of Edge Hill’s Graduate School, highlighted the Alliance’s importance to postgraduate research: “The Alliance initiative demonstrates our strong commitment to preparing and developing doctoral research students and their supervisors in a key area, which is commonly known as Global Challenges (United Nation Sustainable Development Goals)”.
Director of the Research Office, Christopher Hughes, emphasised how “The Alliance will provide a number of opportunities geared towards people development, including student and staff mobility, joint co-supervision, dual PhD awards, joint research projects bidding, joint summer schools, CPD, conferences and other events”.
Professor Nik Bessis, former Head of Department Computer Science (2014-21) and now Senior Advisor (Research) in the Graduate School, and the Alliance’s project leader, was particularly pleased and honoured to see the alliance concept become a reality. “I find it really rewarding to gather people together to agree on the support, plans and targets needed for developing multi-institutional people and supporting them in undertaking and delivering word-leading research and impact. Together, we have greater potential to advance the Alliance’s response to the GC (Global Challenges) agenda much more effectively.”
The Alliance’s first research grant has been received from the British Academy, to support its development in preparing consortia to bid for Horizon Europe funding.