Manchester and partners expand scope to deliver energy innovation
23 Apr 2026
The International Centre for Advanced Materials (ICAM) broadens scope of its research in renewed collaboration agreement, focusing on technologies that support bp’s ambition to deliver energy to the world, today and tomorrow.
The International Centre for Advanced Materials (ICAM) has extended its well-established academic–industry collaboration agreement to include a wider range of topics and strengthen its focus on technologies to deliver global energy.
The ICAM – a successful partnership between bp, our University, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – will now include materials, chemistry, catalysis, biosciences and subsurface, with a focus on enabling technologies that support bp’s ambition to deliver energy to the world, today and tomorrow.
Since its launch in 2012, the ICAM has supported research ranging from PhD-led exploratory projects to large-scale strategic initiatives involving multiple teams. The Centre has strengthened research capabilities, fostered interdisciplinary collaboration and provided students and early career researchers with valuable experience working alongside bp experts. Its model embeds bp Mentors within project teams, ensuring research remains industrially relevant and accelerates translation from laboratory to application.
“We are excited to build on more than a decade of impactful research and take things to the next level,” commented Professor Sarah Haigh, ICAM Director and Professor of Materials Characterisation.
“With renewed commitment from ICAM’s partners, we can tackle current and future energy challenges with greater agility while strengthening academic–industry collaborations and empowering the next generation of researchers to drive real-world innovation.
“I am confident this phase will deliver the advances needed to achieve a sustainable energy ecosystem.”
Professor Colette Fagan, our Vice-President for Research, agreed: “The University of Manchester’s involvement in ICAM has delivered significant benefits for our researchers, students, and the wider city region. It has helped us grow our research activities across the University and strengthen our innovation ecosystem. Its success contributed to Manchester securing major initiatives such as the Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials.
“The renewal of this collaboration enables us to build on that momentum and continue delivering research with real-world impact.”
]
The ICAM’s next chapter
Building on more than a decade of interdisciplinary research in materials science, the ICAM will continue to make a difference in today’s energy systems and help build tomorrow’s, while aligning with bp’s strategic interests and technology roadmaps.
The ICAM’s research supports bp’s ambition to be a net zero company and to help get the world to net zero by 2050 or sooner by improving understanding of materials, processes and energy systems that can lower emissions and enhance performance. Recent examples include research on sustainable catalysts for CO₂ conversion through the ICAM's EPSRC Prosperity Partnership on Sustainable Catalysis for Clean Growth, and work to develop better modelling tools for sustainable aviation fuel.
In recent years, the ICAM has welcomed additional expertise from associate members including Cardiff University and Johnson Matthey, both central to its previously mentioned Prosperity Partnership as well as University College London, University of Edinburgh, University of Leeds, University of Sheffield and University of Texas at Austin.
In its next chapter, the ICAM will continue to exemplify what can be achieved when industry and academia work together to address energy challenges.