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  1. Moving Together: How Research Can Transform Physical Activity and Leadership

    March 20, 2026

    By Dr. Kate Marks, Post Doctoral Research Associate at Durham University Physical activity is about more than fitness. It shapes, and is shaped by: identity, health and society. Yet for many people, particularly those who experience marginalisation, accessing meaningful and sustainable physical activities, is constrained by structural inequalities. Across my research, I examine how intersecting systems of power, identity, and social structures sh…

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  2. Transforming justice through research: reforming maternal care for pregnant prisoners and new mothers

    October 29, 2025

    In this blog, Professor Laura Abbott from the University of Hertfordshire describes how a decade of qualitative research into pregnancy and maternal separation in prison led to landmark sentencing reforms earlier this year. “Pregnancy and early motherhood in prison constitutes a complex intersection of health and justice systems that presents considerable challenges for effective, compassionate care. Over the past decade, my research has sought t…

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    Professor Laura Abbott

  3. Designing for Energy Transitions: Lessons from Solar E-Cooking in Rwanda 

    October 13, 2025

    “Winning the Global Impact Award at this year’s Alliance Awards for our Solar Energy Transitions (SET): Inclusive e-cooking in sub-Saharan Africa project was a genuine privilege, not least because of the strength of the other shortlisted nominees. Each project was delivering excellent examples of challenge-led research that had both global relevance and local impact.  Funded by Innovate UK through the Energy Catalyst programme our own interventio…

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    Dr Alison Halford, Dr Jonathan Nixon

  4. The University of Hertfordshire’s holistic approach to research-led innovation and entrepreneurship

    April 12, 2024

    In our latest ‘Innovators’ blog, Yanina Aubrey-Gimenez writes about how the University of Hertfordshire is providing dedicated (and multi-faceted) support to businesses and entrepreneurs. “Starting and scaling up innovation can be an uphill battle for entrepreneurs. The journey is fraught with challenges – particularly in the beginning – and statistically, the odds are against even the most promising start-ups. Entrepreneurs face a daunting array…

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  5. Teesside’s Net Zero Ambitions

    March 1, 2024

    Alliance Universities are anchor institutions as well as innovators – benefitting regional economies through vital collaborative research. For instance, since opening in July 2023, Teesside University’s Net Zero Industry Innovation Centre (NZIIC) is playing a key role in the decarbonisation efforts of the Tees Valley and beyond. In the latest instalment of the ‘Innovators Blog’, The NZIIC’s Director Dr Gari Harris explains how the centre is helpi…

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  6. How Coventry University Group are driving ‘challenge-led innovation’

    February 23, 2024

    Alliance universities are defined by their ethos of continuous innovation and collaboration. In the latest instalment of UA’s ‘Innovators’ blog, Paul Fairburn explains how Coventry University are delivering ‘challenge-led innovation’, supporting businesses and commercialising research to benefit regional economic growth “The pace of technological change and the disruptive nature of technology is continuing to transform our world. There is no hidi…

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  7. Placed-based innovation at RGU Orkney

    November 29, 2023

    “Orkney is a unique archipelago of islands, regularly ranked as one of the best places to live in the UK. But its appeal is much greater than this. Orkney has an entrepreneurial and innovative culture which lends itself to testing new and varied ideas. As an island group, it offers variety through its mix of towns, rural mainland areas and outer islands, each with differing demographics, service requirements and landscape. Orkney is large enough …

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    Elsa Cox

  8. Collaboration and the social dimension at the heart of innovation

    July 10, 2023

    Professional and technical universities like those across the Alliance have great links to the creative industries – but creative graduates often find the transition to employment difficult. Dr Edward McCaffrey, Senior Lecturer in Film Production at Middlesex University writes about how he worked collaboratively to boost employability prospects for creative arts graduates. “When I started thinking about this blog, an old business adage sprung to …

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    Dr Eddie McCaffrey

  9. Reflections on the DTA programme, fellows and new videos

    September 28, 2022

    “It is hard to believe that the final year of the DTA3 COFUND programme is fast approaching. The past four years have been a whirlwind of activity from undertaking student recruitment to welcoming and inducting our new recruits, and then delivering a wide range of training and networking activities. It has been exciting to see candidate names written on application forms become PhD Fellows who we have got to know as they have developed in their s…

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  10. Doctoral Training Alliance (DTA) case study: Ana Tendero Cañadas

    September 27, 2022

    In this video, Ana tells us about her project on the ageing of the human bladder, and how she has found the DTA network beneficial in advancing her professional skills. “My name is Ana Tendero Cañadas and I’m a PhD student at the University of Brighton, in the Applied Biosciences area. In my project I study the effect that age has on the normal bladder mechanisms in order to investigate possible ways to prevent or treat bladder conditions that af…

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