Expanding our Kenyan partnership

The University has partnered with the Kenyan government predominantly focusing on bringing communities of clinicians, researchers and trainees together in Kenya and the UK to co-develop strategies and healthcare practices.

This ongoing collaboration now includes the Gender Equality Partnerships grant which aims to boost gender equity in leadership roles in both countries. Bringing together ten Kenyan and ten Manchester senior women from across academia and professional services for a 12-month programme, the strategy will pilot co-hosted events, diverse and inclusive leadership training, and cross-institutional mentoring and coaching. Its aim is to create and deliver an executive education programme for senior women in higher education and research that can be adapted to a global context.

Driving healthcare reform

We’re driving healthcare reform in India and helping to implement standardised treatment plans for cancers, including acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in children. Starting with the Tata Medical Centre (TMC) in Kolkata, we are helping to increase the provision and capacity of cancer care in the region, along with enhancing the skills of the clinical workforce. Survival rates subsequently rose from 65% in 2014 to 80% in 2019. This approach was a catalyst for change in India, which now boasts a national network of cancer centres linked by modern practices and standardised treatment.

SMARThealth

In East Java, Indonesia, Manchester’s researchers are working to increase the awareness of cardiovascular disease in low- and middle-income countries. In a two-year trial across eight villages, they screened 12,000 people over the age of 40 for heart disease.

After working with collaborators to design an algorithm to use within the SMARThealth app, the blood samples were analysed in real time to identify those at normal, medium and high risk. More than half of participants were identified as high risk and could be prescribed lifestyle changes or drugs. This resulted in a 14.5% reduction in the number of people at high risk following the trial. The screening has since seen a wider roll-out in the Malang district and will be scaled up to reach three million people in the region.

UNESCO City of Lifelong Learning

In 2024, Manchester was named a UNESCO City of Lifelong Learning. Our University is a key partner in making lifelong learning a reality for all, and supports the city as it becomes part of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) – made up of 64 cities from 35 countries.

Music in Mind

Our Creative Manchester research platform partners with Manchester Camerata on Music in Mind, a programme that uses music and improvisation to help people living with dementia to express themselves and communicate with others. It also trains and supports care workers to deliver the music workshops independently, so the programme can continue benefitting local communities. Music in Mind has since been awarded a grant to evaluate the impact of an online version of the programme and how it could be integrated into the fundamentals of the care practice in the future. The programme has also been taken abroad, to benefit partners in Sweden, Taiwan and Japan.

Smart Cities Initiative

Led by the Manchester Urban Institute and Sustainable Consumption Institute, the ‘smart cities’ initiative is looking at ways to optimise urban services, including energy, transport and water, as cities become increasingly pressured by drivers of change. Cities are constantly evolving and so require new technology and increasing engagement from industry, government and citizens to stay ahead. We’re working with companies like Siemens, as a global ambassador, to train the next generation of engineers equipped to advance the connectivity, efficiency and sustainability of smart cities. True smart cities must engage their citizens, so we are collaborating with other leading institutions and public sector organisations across Europe as part of SMARTiP – a project funded by the European Commission to empower citizens to become active and involved in their cities.

Providing insights on air pollution

In India, our researchers are helping to better understand the causes and impact of air pollution. With its chronic levels of air pollution, Delhi provided the perfect case study for this research.

In collaboration with the Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, we’re exploring the connection between pollution and human health. Harnessing our strengths in computer modelling and the local knowledge and understanding found in Indian cities, the project is providing insights to help authorities make informed policy decisions.

Exploring the health of gig workers in the UK and China

Manchester researchers Martie Van Tongeren and Hua Wei are examining the impact of gig working on health and wellbeing in the UK and China. With 84 million gig workers in China and 7.25 million in the UK (as of the end of 2022), the sector makes up a significant percentage of the total workforce in both countries. The stress and pressure of working at speed, along with the emphasis and importance of customer feedback, could lead to mental health problems and burnout. This is further compounded by worries over pay and the rising cost of living.

The research looks at whether there is something unique about the app-based technology associated with gig work that increases the risk of stress and burnout. As the scale of the work continues to expand, the intention is to develop interventions to help gig workers combat the negative impact of their jobs on their health.

Technology and Economic Assessment Panel

The Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) is the “engine room” of the Montreal Protocol. It provides information updates through multiple reports that enabled the phaseout of CFCs to protect the ozone layer and now through the Kigali Amendment the phaseout of HFCs to mitigate global warming. The University of Manchester has supported the TEAP for over 30 years.

Rapid Access Diagnostics in Asthma Clinic

The Rapid Access Diagnostics in Asthma (RADicA) project is developing and testing new approaches to improve the accuracy of asthma diagnosis. RADicA has made a significant impact across both clinical practice and research. Patients who participated have seen a marked improvement in the accuracy of their diagnoses.  

University awarded Fairtrade University two-star status

The University of Manchester holds a Fairtrade University two-star status which recognises that we are: embedding Fairtrade into our strategy and operations; actively engaging students and staff in campaigns and education; supporting ethical procurement and supply chains; and collaborating with local and global partners to promote social justice.  

Give It, Don’t Bin It

The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester City Council and the British Heart Foundation are all working as a partnership to deliver our Give It, Don’t Bin It campaign. The campaign aims to help students donate their unwanted items to charity when moving property at the end of term.  

The University of Manchester and The University of Cambridge cross-UK innovation partnership

The University of Manchester and The University of Cambridge has been awarded £4.8 million by Research England to accelerate inclusive growth and innovation collaboration. As the first cross-UK innovation partnership, it pioneers innovative research in ecosystem activation and integration; growing investment; and testing and learning.  

Klemzer in the Manchester Community

The Klezmorim of Manchester is a community klezmer musicking group organised by the co-directors of The University of Manchester Klezmer Ensemble. The project aims to bring accessible, modally diverse, and wide-reaching intercultural musicking encounters to Greater Manchester by collaborating regularly with local community groups.

Decolonise! trail at Manchester Museum

Manchester Museum has introduced a Decolonise! Trail as part of its ongoing commitment to confronting the legacies of Empire and prioritising anti-racism, equity, and justice. The trail provides a more thorough, transparent, and inclusive account of the Museum’s collections, acknowledging the realities of empire and ensuring the Museum remains a space for critical reflection and open dialogue. 

Driving urban transportation

Academics from Manchester Urban Institute at The University of Manchester have co-designed solutions that help to mitigate social exclusion with regards to public transport provided by the Greater Manchester Bee Network. They have co-produced a blueprint for community engagement and provided actionable recommendations to inform the development of more socially equitable services.

The Roundview

The Roundview, developed by University of Manchester academics through research and co-production with a range of partners, is a toolkit for sustainability thinking and learning. The toolkit offers a unique, holistic approach to counteract potential barriers to action; shifting away from overwhelm and anxiety towards hope and inspiration. Learning toolkits have been provided to libraries across Greater Manchester to engage schools and community groups. 

Concordant on Openness on Animal Research

The University of Manchester was one of the original signatures of the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research, a set of four commitments to help organisations which carry out animal research to communicate openly about their work and the reasons why they do it. The University of Manchester has also been awarded ‘Leader in Openness’ status by Understanding Animal Research, which recognises organisations who dedicate significant resources to embedding best practice throughout their organisation. 

Once a Month

Once a Month, created at the University of Manchester, is a student-led volunteer initiative tackling period poverty. They host monthly packing sessions to supply charities with period products and publish a monthly newsletter on topics such as menstrual health and the gender pain gap. The project’s success has led to its expansion across UK universities. 

Peer Support Awards

The Peer Support Awards offer an annual celebration of the incredible dedication and achievements of Peer Mentors, PASS Leaders, and Student Coordinators in the Peer Support community. The event recognises the pivotal role Peer Support plays in aiding first-year students though their transition into university life through guidance from student volunteers in higher years on the same course.

Dating App Connections project

The Dating App Connections, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, is a project that is researching and providing free resources with the aim of supporting the healthy, safe, and fun use of dating apps. Based on research on heterosexual and LGBT+ dating app users in the UK, the resources explain some important considerations, how dating apps are shaping our worlds, and some do’s and don’ts for dating app users.

Service Learning in Pharmacy

This project involves pharmacy undergraduates delivering assessed core curriculum public engagement workshops to high school pupils. Workshops covers a variety of public health topics relevant to 14–16 year-olds such as Antibiotic Resistance, Alcohol, Diabetes, Mental Health & Sexual Health Awareness.

Sustainability Careers Fair

Every year we host a Sustainability Careers Fair at the University, helping students explore career paths that align with environmental sustainability. Alongside our own Careers Service and Environmental Sustainability Team, we welcome a fantastic range of exhibitors to offer advice and guidance. For example, in 2025, we invited Cushman & Wakefield, Kenny Waste Management, Manchester City Council, Net Zero Group | B Corp Certified, Windō, and the Environment Agency. 

Partnership with The Access Project

The University’s Faculty of Humanities has partnered with The Access Project, an organisation that supports young people from under-resourced backgrounds to raise their aspirations, access top universities and achieve social mobility.

Partnership with Stone Group

In IT Services we have a strong commitment to reducing our impact on the environment. In a move to support local youth and promote digital equality, IT Services at the University in partnership with IT Provider, Stone Group, has donated laptops to the RAFAC 1263 (Rochdale) Squadron.