The power of diversity in research
07 Oct 2025
How working with communities to come up with their own solutions brings lived experience and insights you might not have had – this and more information on our Engaged Research Hub.
Our Engaged Research Hub – launched by the Research Impact Team earlier this year – gives colleagues information, guidance and support, along with inspiring case studies, to help you improve your work’s relevance and impact.
Collaborating with stakeholders, such as the public, community groups, and policymakers enhances research quality, fosters trust between researchers and the public, builds skills and capacity, and empowers communities to address their own challenges and influence decisions that affect them.
The hub, part of our research culture and environment here at Manchester, includes an overview of ongoing work to improve support for engaged research practices at our University, links to resources, details about related projects, and a series of case study films.
This includes Uncertain Futures, an art and research collaboration that highlighted and analysed the intersectional inequalities facing women over 50 around work. The project included interviews with100 women, an exhibition on the methods of participatory research, a short film and a Manifesto of Rights for Older Women.
The manifesto cited what needs to happen for equality for women over 50 – recognition of unpaid labour, good work and involvement in decision making. This would avoid, for example, older women living on a lower pension due to their paid work being fragmented by their unpaid work, such as childcare.
Co-lead researcher, Dr Elaine Dewhurst noted how powerful it was to give the women a voice, to learn from their lived experience and gain insights you may not have had – and to work with communities to come up with their own solutions.
This case study also shows how researchers can sustain projects by seeking out different funding streams and supporting participants to stay involved.
Join our engaged research community
The hub, which aims to build a picture of the participatory research ecosystem here at Manchester, so we could enhance and improve the support we provide, is just a starting point. Over the next five years and beyond we will be working together across the University to build capacity for engaged research, create opportunities for shared learning, and cultivate more sustainable and reciprocal relationships with those we research with.
You can read more about what we’re doing on our Engaged Research projects page.
If you have any suggestions for resources that we should share, please send them to:
Colleagues can also join the Engaged Research Community Microsoft Teams group and find further details of our wider support for research impact on the Research Impact homepage.
Research culture and environment
Enabling open and impactful research is one of the four themes of our research culture and environment campaign. Find out more at: