Building a better research environment: funding winners announced
05 Aug 2025
Seven teams secure funding to test solutions to research culture challenges.
Following the launch of the University’s Research Culture and Environment framework we are pleased to announce the outcome of the recent open funding call for projects to enhance our research culture.
The University’s research culture is defined as the way that we collaborate, communicate, and interact with each other; the behaviours, attitudes, and values that shape how our research is developed, conducted, and used; and the mechanisms by which we support research and recognise and reward that work.
Applicants and teams from across the University, in any job role, were invited to apply for funding of £50,000-£80,000 to develop and test potential solutions, or increase the scale of already proven practices, to address research culture challenges. Seven teams were successful with projects aligned to one of the University’s four research culture themes: Supporting diverse and rewarding careers; Enabling open and impactful research; Upholding the highest levels of responsible and ethical research; and Building collaboration and interdisciplinarity.
Associate Vice-President for Research, Professor Melissa Westwood said: “The applications received in response to this call showed a real breadth and diversity of ideas to help shape our research culture and demonstrated the passion and innovation of colleagues across our University.
“These seven projects address a range of challenges, and we are excited to see the impact they will have in such important areas of our research culture.”
The successful projects
In this month’s President’s vlog, Duncan Ivison will talk to two of the successful teams about their projects, and the University’s research culture and environment now and in the future.
Here you can read a summary of each project:
Realising Disability Inclusion for University of Manchester PGRs and Early Career Researchers
Led by Professor Jackie Carter, in collaboration with colleagues from all three faculties and external partners, this project seeks to address barriers that disabled PGRs and ECRs face in research, professionalisation and networking. It will look at developing a targeted intervention programme in specific areas and create a collaborative network via channels such as Doctoral Academies, the New Academics Programme (NAP) and the Disability Advice and Support Service (DASS).
A pilot programme to support the career and professional development for global majority researchers at the University of Manchester
Dr Sayema Rahman Khan and colleagues in the Researcher Development team aim to develop a tailored and sustainable in-house programme to improve access to, and satisfaction with, career development provision for global majority researchers; deliver targeted training for their PIs; provide advocacy-based sponsorship; and enable diverse representation in research and support equitable research culture.
Open Research Fellowship Programme
Scott Taylor, Lucinda May, and Michael Stevenson from the Office for Open Research seek to build our community of Open Research advocates; and support the move to a more open and transparent research culture through the creation of project outputs, case studies and training materials. It will further support the career development and networks of researchers within the Open Research movement.
Embedding Sustainable Practices in Non-Laboratory-Based Research
Led by Dr Nia Coupe, with collaborators across our three faculties and the Sustainable Futures platform, this project will look at a range of solutions to embed sustainable research practices in non-laboratory research, including co-developing a typology of research practices across disciplines to increase sustainability. It will apply behavioural science principles to develop and pilot a toolkit to enable researchers to embed sustainability in their research design and practice, while minimising the burden on individual researchers.
Beyond the ethics board: Strengthening continued ethical practice in qualitative Humanities and Social Science research
Dr Birte Vogel is working with colleagues across the Faculty of Humanities and external collaborators from universities in Serbia and Columbia to enhance responsible research practice beyond regulatory frameworks by promoting consistent, ethically sound practice across social science and humanities disciplines. Its work will include equipping researchers with solutions to address common ethical dilemmas; improving the institutional support structure around our research ethics process more broadly; and deliver evidence-informed tools and training for qualitative researchers conducting fieldwork.
Breaking Barriers by Fostering Interdisciplinary Research Amongst Black Female Academics
Charlene Gallery and Dr Omodunni Adenyi are planning to establish a visible network of Black female academics, foster collaboration across diverse research pathways; deliver targeted development sessions; allocate microgrants to help overcome funding barriers staff may face; and catalyse interdisciplinary projects, helping to build grant pipeline capacity.
Creating interdisciplinary soft infrastructure for research and impact in partnership with UoM’s Cultural Institutions
Led by Professor John McAuliffe and colleagues from Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, John Rylands Research Institute and Library, Manchester Museum and The Whitworth Art Gallery, this project aims to develop and test models that will strengthen the ‘soft’ infrastructure and support for interdisciplinary research involving our cultural institutions, developing training materials and creating a ‘decision tree’ tool to enable colleagues to progress joint projects more easily.
More information
Look out for more information on these projects as they develop on StaffNet and in Research & Impact @ Manchester.
In the meantime, for information, guidance and support, you can visit: