On Wednesday, 6 May, the University’s annual Making a Difference Awards ceremony took place, recognising and celebrating the inspiring social responsibility achievements of our colleagues, students, alumni and external partners. Our social responsibility activity spans right across the University from our research, teaching, to our public engagement activities and our University operations.

The Awards highlight the extensive range of social responsibility initiatives across the University community, spanning research, teaching, public engagement activities and University operations.

Over 140 entries were submitted this year, with judges recognising 14 winners and 20 highly commended nominees. Many of those celebrated work in and across our Faculty – congratulations to everyone recognised!

Read on to discover the full list of Faculty winners and highly commended nominees.

Outstanding benefit to society through research

Emerging impact winner

Intergenerational movement-building for more just urban futures

A participatory action research project co-producing knowledge with young people in informal settlements to strengthen urban social movements tackling inequality.

Daniela Cocco Beltrame (SEED) and 25 co-researchers from the Slum Dwellers International (SDI) Network

Outstanding contribution to social and environmental impact through entrepreneurship

Winner

Green Careers Mission

A mission developed through the Greater Manchester Civic University Agreement that brings together Greater Manchester’s students, universities, employers and regional partners to address real-world environmental challenges.

Greater Manchester Civic Universities Green Skills Working Group (cross-Faculty/University)

Highly commended

EGSTradeHub.org: Global platform for inclusive, climate-aligned trade

A global open-access platform that supports inclusive, climate-aligned trade policymaking, bringing together previously scattered evidence on Environmental Goods and Services into a single, accessible resource.

Dr Nicolette Butler (SoSS)

Outstanding public engagement initiative: local/national/international engagement

Winner

Hulme Nannas: (in)visibility, community and urban change

A collaborative project with older residents in Hopton Court, a high‑rise social housing block in Hulme, to co‑produce the UK’s first ‘Naturally Occurring Retirement Community’.

Dr Niamh Kavanagh (SEED) and local activist Tina Cribbin

Highly commended

Rewilding Our Industrial Past: The Lower Medlock Valley

An ambitious rewilding initiative in the Lower Medlock Valley, transforming a former industrial landscape into a thriving green space with new walking trails, community workshops and enhanced biodiversity.

Sarah Cundy and Dr David Bailey (SALC) with Dr Cecilia Medupin (FSE) and Friends of the Medlock Valley

University of Manchester EHE Family Science: Curiosity Catalyst

A partnership between the University and Elective Home Education (EHE) families to improve access to science learning through the Curiosity Catalyst initiative.

Dr Amanda Banks Gatenby and Dr Sara Jackson (SEED)

Outstanding public engagement initiative: contribution by our community partners (public contributors)

Highly commended

Promoting Student Safety & Healthy Relationships: An ACN-SoSS project Community

A partnership between SoSS and the Active Communities Network to embed consent education and student safety into the first‑year experience, promoting wellbeing, gender equality and a culture of respect across the School.

SoSS and the Active Communities Network

Outstanding contribution to equality, diversity and inclusion

Highly commended

Decolonial Praxis

A project which seeks to reshape research and teaching collaboration across borders by centring on Global Majority expertise, challenging extractive partnerships and co‑creating equitable approaches to knowledge production.

Professor Toni Haastrup, Dr Meghan Tinsley and Professor Andreja Zevnik (SoSS)

Outstanding professional services for social responsibility

Winner

Martin Harris Centre Breaking Barriers

A dementia-friendly project in the Martin Harris Centre which has developed into a wide-ranging programme to improve accessibility, inclusion and community engagement.

Alex Shaw (SALC)

Highly commended

School of Social Sciences Menospace: Supporting a Menopause-Friendly workplace

An initiative to support staff and postgraduate students in the School who are navigating menopause and perimenopause.

Sarah Tiffany-Dodman, Noemie Rouault, Holly Wright, Stephanie Jones (SoSS)

Outstanding contribution to widening access and student success

Winner

Transforming the Commuter Student Experience at Manchester

An initiative to reframe commuter students as a widening participation cohort and deliver institution-wide, student co-created support to address structural disadvantage.

The Commuter Student Engagement Team (cross-Faculty/University)

Highly commended

The Very Local Maths Project

A project to support young people from disadvantaged communities who are disengaged from school mathematics, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The Very Local Maths Team (cross-Faculty/University)

Supporting the UCAS personal statement reform to widen participation

A project to support UCAS’s reform of the personal statement to strengthen fairer admissions practices and contribute to widening participation across the system.

Dr Tom Fryer (SEED)