Research & Impact @ Manchester (October 2026)
05 Oct 2026
A message from Colette Fagan, Vice-President for Research
Dear colleagues,
Welcome to this special edition of Research & Impact @ Manchester, focusing on our new Research Delivery Plan, which sets out our part in delivering the University’s strategy, From Manchester for the world and how we will turn ambition into action.
By 2035, we will be known for outstanding research and recognised as the university that turns great research into public good by integrating research, innovation and civic partnership – faster, bolder and at greater scale. We will be easier to engage with, built to deliver ambitious research, and better connected beyond academia.
Ours is one of several delivery plans working towards 2035, including the International Delivery Plan and Innovation Delivery Plan. The Teaching and Learning Delivery Plan will launch at a later date.
The integration of our delivery plans will ensure there’s no trade-off between excellence in teaching, research and innovation; the best universities are those that are committed to excellence across all three. That is one of the most exciting aspects of the strategy – we will all be working together, across disciplines and roles across the University, to achieve our ambitious 2035 goals.
Working together requires a two-way conversation, so we'd appreciate your comments, ideas and responses on the Viewpoint blogs that go along with the delivery plans. So far, we have From Manchester, For the World: turning our research ambition into action and From Manchester, For the World: turning our international ambition into action.
From Manchester for the world sets our ambitions and direction. The Accountability Framework explains who is contributing and leading each area: how we will work together to make things happen. The Delivery Handbook sets the framework for our approach: defining success from the start, tracking benefits and collecting feedback that will help shape future phases.
Building on great foundations
The Research Delivery Plan (RDP) outlines what our community will achieve in the first phase of the ten-year strategy and how we will achieve it.
We are building on already great foundations. Our commitment is to continue to provide our research community with the conditions to create ambitious research with faster impact, to build and sustain inclusive teams, and to organise beyond disciplines for curiosity-driven or challenge-led research.
This includes new investment, including our new curiosity-driven research fund and Ideas with Impact Awards, as well as our redesigned approach to seed funding, the University of Manchester Global Fund. Our PhD with Enterprise will provide exciting new opportunities for talented students. Our innovation centres, the UoM Innovation Factory, Unit M and Sister, are developing your ideas at pace. Colleagues continue to work together to ensure our Research culture and environment framework remains a robust and vital support for researchers, from PGRs and ECRs to those well into their careers, and that our world-class research facilities continue to meet the needs of our global network of colleagues, students and partners.
Playing our part, together
This is an exciting time for our research community; our opportunity to define what a great university looks like for the 21st century. By working together, we can become the University we want and need to be.
Please take time to read the plan, consider what it means for your area, and share any questions or feedback through the accompanying Viewpoint blog.
For full details of the plan, area leaders and how we can all play our part, visit:
Colette