University of Manchester Statement of Social Responsibility in our Research
Context and purpose
The University of Manchester Statement of Social Responsibility in our Research has been approved by the University Executive and endorsed by Senate. It provides a transparent statement of what social responsibility in research means, particularly in respect of academic freedom, to support the M2035 strategy. A request for this statement was made as part of the workshop consultations with staff and students during the development of our M2035 strategy.
1. Introduction
The University of Manchester aims to be a great civic university for the 21st century, creating knowledge for the public good, locally and globally. Social responsibility sits at the heart of what we do as a university and is one of our five foundations in From Manchester for the world strategy. As a civic institution, we exist to serve the public good through our teaching and learning, research and innovation, public and civic engagement, partnerships and day-to-day operations. This commitment includes
- fostering critical thinking and respectful dialogue
- producing and disseminating knowledge and innovation that benefits society by addressing local, national and global challenges and priorities and
- conducting our operations not only in responsible way but ensuring where we can, we create societal benefit or add social value.
University social responsibility is not the same as corporate social responsibility. It is driven and bound by academic values and public accountability, and embraces knowledge creation and dissemination, academic freedom and freedom of expression.
This statement of The University of Manchester’s commitment to Social Responsibility in our research and innovation explains how this commitment is considered across this aspect of our core mission and its context with the principle and value of academic freedom.
2. Social Responsibility and Academic Freedom
Academic freedom within the law is the single most important foundational value of a university. It sits at the heart of everything we do and provides a cornerstone for our purpose and integrity.
Academic freedom protects diversity of thought and debate without fear of censorship, political interference, or institutional reprisal. It is essential in allowing academics to pursue ideas and evidence within the law wherever these lead, to produce independent, rigorously tested knowledge even if this challenges conventional wisdom or norms. It is also vital in helping our students to learn to think critically and to engage constructively with different and difficult perspectives.
Significantly, reflecting the importance of academic freedom to the purpose and integrity of universities, it is a legal right established by the 1988 Education Reform Act, and endorsed and supported by the University and College Union (UCU). It is also one of our University’s core values.
Recognising the critical importance and value of academic freedom to university’s core purpose and mission, the university provides a home to a diversity of views and dialogue but does not adopt institutional positions on matters outside its core business.
Social responsibility in a university context must include enabling and protecting expression and practice of academic freedom within the law, even when academic activity may be unpopular, disruptive or even morally unacceptable to some.
3. Social Responsibility and Research
Social responsibility in research has a relevant bearing on the following key points: what is researched, how is research conducted, the integrity of the knowledge created, who has access to the knowledge generated and who we partner with in furtherance of knowledge and innovation.
What is researched
Social responsibility can help drive conscious choices on research priorities so that they actively address local, regional, national or global priorities and challenges and help deliver tangible societal benefits. These will include addressing the major global challenges such as climate change but also significant national priorities such as defence and managed transition to a ‘zero carbon’ society.
As described above (2), academic freedom is integral to social responsibility in a university context. It can encourage and prioritise research that addresses societal priorities and challenges and delivery of tangible public benefit; however, it cannot limit academic inquiry within the law or enforce ideological conformity.
In determining whether research is permissible and how it is conducted, we observe all relevant statutory or regulatory requirements and restrictions (including international sanctions agreed by the UK government), any nationally or internationally agreed ethics frameworks (research involving human participants and animals) and any relevant professional standards (e.g. clinical, teaching etc). Beyond this, our academics are free to pursue knowledge and enquiry wherever it leads consistent with academic freedom within the law. Equally, our academics have a right to not participate in any specific area of academic inquiry on grounds of conscientious objection.
This provides for a consistent, objective approach that avoids compromising academic freedom within the law.
How is research conducted
Social responsibility means embedding the highest ethical standards, rigour, and inclusivity throughout the research lifecycle – from research questions, design and data collection to analysis and dissemination. Further details can be found here.
Social responsibility means minimising any adverse impact on the environment from our research activity. We encourage responsible travel, and are signatories to the sector’s Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation, which commits us to continue delivering cutting-edge research in a more environmentally responsible and sustainable manner.
Social responsibility also means, where relevant to the research questions at hand, that our knowledge can be enriched through active public involvement and engagement, ensuring that the perspectives, experiences and needs of diverse communities help shape research priorities, methods and outcomes. By working in partnership with the public, patients and diverse partners and communities, participatory and co-produced forms of research can help create more meaningful, inclusive and impactful research that addresses real-world challenges and delivers tangible benefits to society.
Integrity of knowledge generated
Integrity of academic knowledge is critical as research outputs can influence policy, practice, actions, and further research and development. Poorly conducted, unreliable, or unreproducible research can have serious and far-reaching negative consequences for science, society, and trust in institutions.
We are committed to highest standards of research integrity in a pioneering research culture. To ensure responsible research practice at the university, we have clear codes of conduct and policies and process to support all aspects of responsible research practice and for investigating misconduct.
We are also committed to ensuring that our research is transparent and independently verifiable through open research practices.
Access to research findings
We encourage and support ‘open research’ with the sharing of data, methods, and tools where possible, and widest dissemination of our research findings. This is an essential pillar of socially responsible research. It democratises knowledge, enhances impact, improves transparency and trust, fulfils the principle that publicly funded research should serve public good and supports collaboration.
Public engagement is also an essential part of this and is supported by our Public Engagement Framework. We will endeavour to share our knowledge so that it actively contributes to public awareness, economic, social, scientific and technological progress, and democratic dialogue.
Engagement with policymakers is also vitally important in effecting or enhancing impact. Robust research outputs can shape policy agendas, ensure public policies are grounded in robust evidence and flawed policies are challenged. Engagement also strengthens policy making ecosystems and ensure better capability in this area across the sector. Further details can be found at Policy Manchester.
Who we partner with in research
Scholarship is a universal endeavour that transcends national borders, cultural boundaries, political systems, and ideological divides for the furtherance of knowledge, innovation and societal good. Advancement of human understanding depends on wide, inclusive participation and diverse perspectives, and builds on knowledge created by people across the world.
Partnerships that transcend borders and disciplines are essential in addressing global challenges such as climate change, inequality, major diseases and technological disruption. Partnerships also allow development of common standards of practice that support integrity of knowledge generated.
University social responsibility is a powerful driver of collaboration at all levels, motivating institutions to work together not only for academic excellence but also for delivery of a shared societal benefit.
Socially responsible partnerships go beyond extractive models of research partnerships, enabling long term skill and research capacity building, shared leadership and mutual learning and benefit.
The University’s research partnerships, irrespective of the level of partnership (individual, group or institutional) or where the partners are based, are founded on shared academic goals and the principle of academic freedom.
As described above, academic freedom is integral to social responsibility in a university context. It can encourage and prioritise research that addresses societal priorities and challenges and delivery of tangible public benefit; however, it cannot limit academic inquiry within the law or enforce ideological conformity or a particular moral or geopolitical stance. It is for this reason that we, along with other UK universities and The Royal Society, oppose academic boycotts.
In determining whether a research partnership is possible we, in addition to the specific research assessment as described above:
- observe all relevant statutory or regulatory requirements and restrictions (including export controls and international sanctions agreed by the UK government);
- perform due diligence on potential partnerships with organisations from certain countries highlighted by National Protective Security Authority or because they exceed certain financial thresholds.
Beyond this, our academics are free to pursue academic partnerships within the law consistent with our Policy on Responsible International Research Activities and Collaborations. Equally, our academics have a right to not participate in any academic partnership because of conscientious objection. This provides for a consistent, objective approach that avoids compromising academic freedom within the law.
4. Social Responsibility and Supporting Students and Scholars
Talent and potential exist everywhere, but opportunities do not because of economic disadvantage and systemic inequalities, or through disruption by war, persecution and natural disasters. The right to education and academic freedom are fundamental rights and the university will, as part of its social responsibility commitment, play a role in supporting students and scholars who need assistance.
We offer a large number of national and international scholarships and bursaries supporting students from underrepresented (e.g., ASEAN-UK SAGE Women in STEM Scholarships) and disadvantaged backgrounds including Global Scholarships (£4.5m program supporting scholarships from 22 countries) and Equity and Merit Scholarships.
Our Humanitarian Scholarships support individuals at immediate risk who have been forced to flee their homes as a direct result of armed conflict or persecution. We also support academics from any country in the world who are being forced to flee by the risk of imminent imprisonment, injury or death through the Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA).
Our Article 26 Scholarships provide financial assistance to students who are not eligible for UK government student financial support because of their immigration status as Sanctuary Seekers in the UK.
Executive Sponsors: Vice-President for Social Responsibility and Vice-President for Research and International.
Version approved: April 2026