Confidence in policing among racially minoritised communities in the UK remains consistently lower than among white communities. In response to this sector-wide challenge, Leeds Trinity University (LTU) introduced the Faith Trail initiative, an immersive programme designed to foster meaningful engagement between student officers and local faith communities across Bradford and West Yorkshire. The initiative, which is embedded within the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) curriculum, moves beyond symbolic diversity training. It ensures that students gain direct insight into the lived experiences, beliefs and concerns of the communities they will serve, through structured visits to places of worship. Since its launch in 2024, more than 500 PCDA students have participated, reporting increased confidence and a deeper appreciation of procedural fairness and legitimacy in policing. Through education, partnership and sustained engagement, LTU is helping to shape a more culturally aware generation of police officers, demonstrating how universities can play a key role in addressing sector-wide challenges.

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, in collaboration with Liverpool City Council; University of Liverpool; Liverpool John Moores University; Edge Hill University; University of Bristol; Knowsley Borough Council; Sefton Council; Capacity Development International; Writing on the Wall; Collective Encounters Community; delivery partners. Also, Anfield & Everton Primary Care Network; University Hospital of Liverpool Group; Primary Care 24; Walton Centre; Liverpool Lighthouse; Explore Partnership CiC; One Knowsley; The Rotunda; Sefton CVS; Comic Youth CiC; and Tiber.

Liverpool City Region faces entrenched health inequalities. Many people live shorter lives and in poorer health than they should. Conversations about health equity highlight failures – system collapse, individuals slipping through cracks and compromised care. ReCITE’s Community Innovation Teams (CITs) work across underserved, deprived areas of Liverpool, Sefton and Knowsley to tackle equity challenges in immunisation, cancer screening, reproductive health and well-being. Building partnerships between communities, local government, healthcare workers, advocacy groups, creatives and policymakers, CITs collaboratively use local data, quality improvement techniques and creative approaches, including storytelling, drama and puppetry, to reach audiences. Targets include parents, children, teachers, pregnant women, ex-smokers and other community members. CITs have demonstrated a range of impacts. Routine data indicate improved uptake of immunisation and cancer screening. We are seeing stronger cross-sector partnerships, new stakeholder networks, secured funding, shifts in community conversations around trust and misinformation, and direct influence on policy and practice.

The University of Derby Library is driving institutional transformation through “Develop@Derby”, a sector-leading framework enabling every student to succeed in their future. Informed by industry, it develops knowledge, mindset and technical, cognitive and behavioural skills, with measurable impact evidenced by rising National Student Survey (NSS) skills confidence (+1.6 percentage points; +2.1 percentage points year-on-year). Aligned to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 (“Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”), the framework adopts an inclusive, strengths-based approach, empowering students to recognise and articulate their capabilities. Delivery spans a co-created digital platform, embedded curricula, targeted workshops and personalised support, achieving 381,236 views in 2024-25 and 81 per cent awareness. Embedding at scale has transformed access: more than half of modules now map to the framework, engaging 9,000 students in teaching. A pioneering shift to Skills Librarians positions the library at the forefront of equitable, institution-wide skills development.

Dr Matthew Greenhall and the University of Liverpool Library team

Professor Richard Butler (University of Birmingham); Professor Kirsty Edgar (University of Birmingham); Professor Susannah Maidment (Natural History Museum and University of Birmingham); Professor Driss Ouarhache (Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Morocco), Dr Emma Nicholls (Oxford University Museum of Natural History); Dr Duncan Murdock (Oxford University Museum of Natural History)

Dr Haider Raza, University of Essex School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering; Professor Gordon Wishart, Chief Medical Officer, Check4Cancer 

Professor Matt Loose, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham; Dr Stuart Smith, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals Trust; Dr Simon Paine, Nottingham University Hospitals Trust; Dr Simon Deacon, PhD student, University of Nottingham

My Imperial Campus has transformed how students experience Imperial, replacing fragmented systems with a single, integrated mobile platform for navigation, attendance, support and campus services. Co-designed with students and alumni and built entirely in-house, the platform now supports 22,000 active users across 3 million annual sessions. Its one-click attendance feature has increased usage by 62 per cent year-on-year, providing valuable real-time data for academic departments, UK Visas and Immigration compliance, and early well-being intervention. The launch of Imperial’s first 3D campus maps has further improved accessibility, helping students to navigate complex campuses, locate study spaces through live occupancy data, and report maintenance issues. Beyond improving the student experience, the platform informs space utilisation planning, identifies wi-fi coverage gaps, and enables university services to engage students through a channel they actively use. My Imperial Campus demonstrates how including users at every stage of design and development can deliver measurable institutional impact at scale.

Dr Alícia Moreno Giménez (senior teaching associate in Hispanic studies); Brian Green (head of innovation and mobile development); Raeesa Parker (IT partnering and innovation developer); Xennon Edmondson (Unity developer); David McBride (Data Immersion Suite manager)

School of Health and Society, University of Salford

Through three strategic partnerships, Danielle Booy-Pinker has reduced the University of South Wales’ (USW) waste streams, raised nearly £20,000 for charities, and benefited the local community, all of which has been achieved through effective engagement with the circular economy. She transformed USW’s approach to waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) by partnering with Keep Wales Tidy and a third-party company, A&LH Environmental Services, to ensure that 7.9 tonnes were reused or recycled while raising nearly £2,500 for Keep Wales Tidy. To address clothing waste from students, Booy-Pinker collaborated with the British Heart Foundation to donate 9 tonnes of clothing and raise almost £17,000 for life-saving research. Extending circularity into procurement and operations, she partnered with Warp-It, enabling the reuse of nearly 7 tonnes of furniture, reducing costs and saving almost 16 tonnes of CO₂e, while supporting schools and community organisations. These initiatives demonstrate scalable, cross-sector collaboration that converts waste into social value.

In 2024-25, the University of Worcester demonstrated sector-leading environmental leadership by embedding biodiversity recovery at the heart of institutional strategy, governance and culture. Its Biodiversity Strategy 2024-27 aligns with global frameworks including the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Nature Positive Universities initiative, and it is embedded within the university’s ISO14001 Environmental Management System. A cross-institutional Strategic Biodiversity Steering Group ensures delivery and accountability while linking campus action to regional and national priorities. More than 10 per cent of the estate is now actively managed for conservation, supported by habitat creation including hedgerow planting, species-rich grassland and wildflower areas. Partnerships with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds are delivering impactful interventions to support declining bird populations. Innovative digital monitoring through iNaturalist has created a growing evidence base while engaging staff, students and the wider community. Together, these initiatives demonstrate a scalable, replicable model for how universities can lead nature recovery and address the biodiversity crisis.

Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) uses entrepreneurship to deliver its mission: transforming lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. In 2024-25, ARU supported 115 new graduate start-ups, contributing to 260 active businesses supporting 568 jobs and generating £10.6 million in turnover, while ARU Peterborough graduated its first cohort and expanded through The Lab. Skills Bootcamps achieved 97 per cent employment; BOOST helped more than 150 small and medium-sized enterprises adopt digital technologies and artificial intelligence, and more than 7,100 students worked with 147 organisations on live projects. Our Arise Innovation Hubs supported 71 businesses and 283 jobs, while our NHS Clinical Entrepreneurs Programme created 99 new businesses and 1,298 jobs in 2024-25 alone; this means that since its inception, it has created 592 new ventures, generated more than 5,000 jobs, secured £1.23 billion in investment and supported over 278 million patients globally. At ARU, entrepreneurship runs through how we teach, innovate and create opportunity.

Swansea University has transformed into a highly impactful entrepreneurial institution by embedding enterprise, innovation and sustainability across all activities through an agile, resource-efficient model. Over three years, entrepreneurship has been integrated into faculties, research and partnerships, guided by the themes of Unlock Talent, Create an Enabling Environment and Deliver Impact in Place. Enterprise is now a core graduate capability, with “Innovative Thinkers” embedded across curricula, engaging more than 14,000 students in 2024-25, generating 508 ideas and 101 start-ups. Rather than centralisation, Swansea built a network of 133+ enterprise champions, driving scalable culture change with limited resources. A connected ecosystem supports students, researchers and partners through mentoring, funding and inclusive initiatives such as WE Innovate. This approach delivers measurable regional and global impact, reflected in rankings including fourth for spin-outs (HE Business and Community Interaction, 2024-25) and strong performance in the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.

Michael Bayliss has redefined the role of technical professionals within the University of Liverpool through innovative leadership in media production, teaching support and research communication. During 2024-25, he led the redevelopment of a specialist media facility, creating sustainable audiovisual infrastructure that supports research, teaching and public engagement across the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and the university of a whole. Michael supported more than 15 research projects and collaborated with over 40 researchers to produce accessible multimedia outputs including podcasts, documentary films and digital research content. He also delivered specialist training to students across 12 modules, embedding authentic industry practice into teaching and assessment. Alongside operational leadership, Bayliss has championed technician visibility through institutional steering groups, national conference presentations and sector advocacy. His work demonstrates how technical expertise can broaden research impact, enhance student experience and strengthen the strategic contribution of technicians within higher education.

Jennifer Cassels has transformed the University of Glasgow’s Garscube Flow Cytometry Facility through innovation, leadership and sector-wide influence, recognised by the 2025 James Watt Technician Prize. As joint manager, she successfully led the centralisation of a shared university–CRUK-SI facility, significantly improving support, training and research quality. She introduced one of Scotland’s first SONY Spectral Analysers, enabling high-dimensional analysis (27+ parameters), and developed a training programme now adopted by other leading institutions. Her support drove uptake, increasing users and groups and expanding research capability. Cassels’ innovation includes co-developing Radio-Flow sorting, integrating radioactive tracers with cytometry to enable cutting-edge research. Nationally recognised, she serves on the Royal Microscopical Society Committee and as deputy chair of the Scottish Society for Cytomics. She is also a strong advocate for technicians, contributing to equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives, authorship recognition and outreach, while driving sustainability and professional development.

Amelia Dingley’s influence at institutional and national level marks her out as one of the most impactful technicians in sport and exercise sciences of her generation. As founder and co-leader of the Technical Special Interest Group within CASES, the first national network dedicated to technicians in this discipline, she transformed representation from zero to 130+ engaged members within 12 months of its launch in November 2024. This rapid growth and engagement directly enabled CASES to become a Technician Commitment supporter in April 2025, embedding structural, organisation-wide change. Securing more than £10,000 in funding, she has established a sustained programme of monthly CPD activity and national events, including a September 2025 launch attended by 60+ delegates, with targeted travel bursaries widening participation. At Brunel University of London, Dingley co-founded TechNet, the largest staff network, she launched the first technician symposium (80+ attendees), technician awards, and created technical internships and placements. Her impact is measurable, scalable and sector-defining.

Saimir Luli manages the Pre-clinical In Vivo Imaging Facility (PIVI) at Newcastle University, providing advanced imaging and surgical expertise to 16 research groups. He oversees five imaging platforms and has transformed PIVI into a leading, non-invasive imaging service central to biomedical research. Through modernisation, training and technical innovation, he has expanded the facility’s capabilities and enabled new research opportunities. Luli is recognised internationally for his multi-modal imaging expertise and his contributions through workshops, collaborations and scientific dissemination. He has secured £1.3 million in external funding, supporting new imaging systems and research in cancer and fibrosis. A committed mentor and collaborator, he supports students and colleagues while fostering interdisciplinary networks. He leads institutional and regional initiatives, including the ImagiNE network and national pre-clinical imaging community development. Combining technical excellence with strategic leadership, Luli has significantly enhanced research infrastructure and collaboration at Newcastle University.

Christopher Spice exemplifies a high-impact technical leader whose vision, expertise and commitment have transformed research, education and knowledge exchange at the University of Essex and beyond. As a senior member of the School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences leadership team, he aligned technical capability with strategic priorities, securing £330,000 for research infrastructure and delivering a major system on time and within budget. He also redesigned laboratory space, increasing utilisation by nearly 300 hours per term and creating capacity for growth, outreach and recruitment activities reaching about 1,000 young people annually. Beyond his school, Spice has driven sector-leading improvements in recognition and inclusion through the Technician Commitment, influencing policy, REF guidance and staff visibility. Through T-PIKE, where he is co-investigator, he has delivered impactful development, knowledge exchange and sustainability initiatives while mentoring emerging leaders.

Ian Tidmarsh, deputy director of technical services at Manchester Metropolitan University, has revolutionised technical careers and culture locally and nationally. At Manchester Met, he co-led the UK’s first promotion pathway for education and research technical professionals, winning three awards including Research Culture and the Technician Commitment Impact award. Nationally, his strategic guidance has helped more than 70 organisations redevelop career pathways. He led development of the Education Technical Professional Pathway across 20 universities and designed innovative professional registration pathways for overlooked creative technicians. Tidmarsh’s impact is transformative. An exceptional coach, he fosters environments in which staff feel empowered as integral team members rather than mere support staff. By establishing networks such as ETP Net and serving on major boards including the IST and NTDC, Tidmarsh acts as a tireless advocate. He ensures that the technician voice is heard at the highest levels of governance, delivering tangible benefits across the entire higher education sector.

The University of Gloucestershire’s 2025 Summer Residentials create a connected widening participation pathway for Year 10 and Year 12 students who might not yet see higher education as a place for them. Fully funded, nationally open, free from academic entry requirements and prioritised for students with widening participation indicators, the four-day, three-night model removes practical barriers while giving students an authentic experience of university life. Students stay in accommodation, explore campuses, join academic tasters, take part in future planning and build relationships with student ambassadors. Demand exceeded places, with 307 Year 10 applications and 339 Year 12 applications. The final cohorts showed strong targeting, with 99 per cent of Year 10 and 93 per cent of Year 12 participants from underrepresented backgrounds. Impact data showed increased confidence, belonging and progression intent, while 15 of 55 Year 12 attendees applied to the University of Gloucestershire. The model offers a scalable route from aspiration to application.

Tuberculosis remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, despite being preventable and curable. Each year, more than 2 million people are not diagnosed or treated, sustaining community transmission. Men are disproportionately affected, while adolescents and young adults face distinct barriers often overlooked in TB care. Funded by UK Aid and led by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the LIGHT Research Programme worked with partners in Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda and the UK to improve gender-responsive TB prevention and care. LIGHT’s pioneering approach lies in embedding innovative knowledge exchange from the outset, co-producing evidence with affected communities, health workers, national TB programmes and policymakers, making it relevant, trusted and used in decision-making. This creative approach helped to increase TB notifications through community-led interventions, improved youth-friendly services, strengthened sex-disaggregated data systems and reporting, influenced policy and built stakeholder capacity. By bringing partners together throughout the research process, LIGHT helped to translate evidence into sustained equitable TB responses.