Northumbria University News - Summer 2022

#TakeOnTomorrow

Summer 2022 • northumbria.ac.uk

Issue 26

RESEARCH EXCELLENCE FRAMEWORK (REF) 2021

www.northumbria.ac.uk/research

#TakeOnTomorrow

Summer 2022 • northumbria.ac.uk

Issue 26

Northumbria records UK’s biggest rise in research power – for second time Results from the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 were released in May 2022 and show Northumbria had the biggest rise in research power ranking of any UK university. The University’s research power ranking rose to 23rd, having previously risen to 50th in 2014 from 80th in 2008, making Northumbria the sector’s largest riser in research power ranking for the second time.

This sustained progress by Northumbria has given the city of Newcastle a second researchintensive university, bringing a complementary set of research strengths to the city. This has created, with Durham, a Northern Research Powerhouse with the largest city-area concentration of

researchers outside London.

Northumbria’s success is the result of a profound transformation that began in 2008, put in place by Northumbria’s former ViceChancellor and Chief Executive Professor Andrew Wathey CBE who retired in May this year.

Combining research with existing areas of strength in relationships with business, skills, enterprise and innovation has created a momentum that will drive Northumbria into the next decade and beyond.

The full-time equivalent number of Northumbria researchers

assessed as producing worldleading and internationally excellent research has jumped from 56 in 2008, to 207 in 2014 and 840 today. At the same time, the quality and impact of research at Northumbria have risen significantly. On Qualityrelated (QR) power it ranks 28th,

again with the biggest rise on this measure.

Turn to page three.

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Northumbria University NEWS • Summer 2022

IN THIS EDITION SUMMER 2022

REDUCING AIR POLLUTION ONE LOAD AT A TIME,

SPACE EXPERTISE BRINGS £1.3M BIG DATA SCIENCE BOOST,

Page 5

FASHION THROUGH THE DECADES, Page 10

Page 7

PARTNERSHIP CELEBRATED WITH TRAVELLING GALLERY EXHIBITION,

USING RESEARCH KNOWLEDGE TO DRIVE DOWN BUSINESS COSTS,

TURNING THE TIDE ON PLASTIC POLLUTION, Page 11

Page 8

Page 6

TACKLING TOMORROW’S GLOBAL CHALLENGES TODAY SPECIAL REF2021 PULL-OUT SHOWCASING RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AT NORTHUMBRIA,

VARSITY RETURNS TO BRING CITY’S STUDENT ATHLETES TOGETHER, Page 12

Page 7 (pull-out supplement)

Keep up to date with the latest news from Northumbria University at www.northumbria.ac.uk/news

Tackling international war crimes A Northumbria University law academic has been appointed to a prestigious international committee dedicated to promoting global justice.

Professor Mohamed Badar, from Northumbria Law School, has been invited to join the International Bar Association’s (IBA) War Crimes Committee (WCC), made up of prosecutors, defence counsel, victims’ rights advocates, judges, academics, and barristers who specialise in atrocity crimes litigation.

The Committee not only provides members with a network of

contacts and resources but is also directly involved with the IBA’s ongoing programme in support of international, ad hoc, and domestic war crimes tribunals.

As the Middle East and North Africa Regional Forum Liaison Officer for the WCC, Professor Badar will use his expertise to support the work of the Committee, as well as inspire and encourage young lawyers

in international criminal law through the likes of a recent joint symposium titled Legal Pluralism and Its Significance to the Work of the International Criminal Court.

Professor Badar said: “This is an exciting and challenging post, and one I am humbled to accept.

The WCC undertakes crucially important legal work alongside the IBA Human Rights Institute, and I am looking forward to

offering my support in the Middle East and North Africa region.”

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, Law at Northumbria was ranked 7th in the UK for research power, rising 37 places since 2014. As one of the largest Law Schools in the UK, the University is well known for its pioneering integration of academic learning and legal practice.

Professor Michael Stockdale, Head of Department at Northumbria Law School, added: “Having our academics represented in such highly respected and established

organisations within the international legal profession significantly enhances the teaching for our students. In this case it means that students will benefit from an exceptional level of knowledge, experience and contemporary thinking in their learning at Northumbria.”

For more details on the LLM in International Criminal Law and Practice visit: www.northumbria.ac.uk/llmiclp

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/law

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#TakeOnTomorrow

“THIS OUTCOME MOVES US CLEARLY INTO TERRITORY FORMERLY THE PRESERVE OF THE RUSSELL GROUP OF UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER RESEARCH-INTENSIVE INSTITUTIONS. NORTHUMBRIA IS THE FIRST MODERN UNIVERSITY TO CROSS THE CLEAR BLUE WATER THAT SEPARATED THE OLD AND THE NEW PARTS OF THE SECTOR, AND OTHERS ARE FOLLOWING.” PROFESSOR ANDREW WATHEY CBE

WHAT IS THE RESEARCH EXCELLENCE FRAMEWORK (REF)?

Continued from page one.

Commenting at the time of results, Professor Wathey said: “Alongside a second major leap in research power, the University’s results have improved in quality, in both absolute and relative terms, and its impact ratings have surged ahead. This outcome moves us clearly into territory formerly the preserve of the Russell Group of universities and other research-intensive institutions.

Northumbria is the first modern university to cross the clear blue water that separated the old and the new parts of the sector, and others are following.

“Already a global player in education, admitting students from 137 countries, Northumbria is now well placed to be a global player in research, acting as an ambassador for the North East.

“The city of Newcastle, combined with Durham, is now host to the largest concentration of researchers outside London

creating a northern research powerhouse. This is important for the economy of the North East, for inward investment – public and private – for future collaboration between the universities and business, and for the levelling up impacts of research.”

Northumbria’s transformation demonstrates the power of research to effect profound changes in a university’s stature and outlook, and to deliver benefit across the full range of its activities, including the strength of its contributions to the economy and society.

It also demonstrates trends found more broadly across the REF2021 exercise: growth outside London and the South East, showing that levelling up is already working; a rise in impact, reflecting Northumbria’s exceptional university-business collaboration, and more broadly showing that Britain is already an innovation nation.

Northumbria recorded exceptional results, with growing strength across all subjects. It is now ranked in the top 10 for research power in seven of the 13 areas in which it entered the REF, and in the top 26 in all areas.

In Geography, Northumbria’s research power is second only to Oxford, while in Sport and Exercise Sciences its research is rated seventh for impact. Allied Health is joint first for research environment, Social Work and Policy third for research power behind only London School of Economics and Edinburgh, and History top 10 for research output quality.

For more information on research at Northumbria please visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/ research

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/research

The REF provides a unique analysis of research across UK universities. It shows where research stands in terms of quality and output on the domestic and global stage, presents the real impact research has on our society, and highlights the real-world benefits it brings.

The results also provide benchmarks and public information about the research performance of universities and will be used by the UK

higher education funding bodies to allocate research funding to universities – around £2 billion per year from 2022-23.

The REF was last conducted in 2014. It replaced the previous Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).

The results are produced as ‘overall quality profiles’ which show the proportions of submitted activity judged to have met each quality level from 4* to unclassified.

The quality levels are:

4* World-leading 3* Internationally excellent 2* Recognised internationally 1* Recognised nationally U Unclassified

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NEWS

Northumbria University NEWS • Summer 2022

Minister opens new £2m engineering teaching facilities Funding from the Office for Students upgrades teaching spaces with cutting-edge technologies George Freeman MP, Minister for Science, Research and Innovation has officially opened a multimillion investment in new world-class teaching facilities for Northumbria’s Engineering and Environment students.

The funding award from the Office for Students (OfS) has allowed the University to expand, refurbish and install new equipment to develop state-ofthe-art teaching laboratories for programmes in its Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering areas, providing advanced resources that will help to inform teaching in live projects which directly support businesses in the region.

Upgrades to existing facilities have seen a new 120seat microelectronics and communications laboratory with 100 individual workspaces with oscilloscopes, embedded circuit systems, benchtop control electronics and IT, as well as groupwork space for live industry projects with telecommunication and microelectronics firms.

Refurbishments will also see the University enhance its Power Electronics laboratory. This work

will provide new microgrids, motor and renewables testing equipment and facilities for teaching and assessing modules in renewable energy generation and power transmission, building on current work with local industry partners.

The University’s reputation as a sector-leading centre for battery technologies research has been further enhanced with improvement to its battery technology laboratory, including new cell assembly facilities and environmental testing that can be used for specialist teaching in conjunction with established partners, such as Nissan, Hitachi and BritishVolt.

George Freeman MP, Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, said: “This laboratory is a fantastic addition to the University of Northumbria’s world-class facilities. I am pleased to have been here to open the site today, and to hear about the excellent opportunities it will provide for young people to develop the skills they need to thrive in the quickly evolving STEM economy.”

“Investment like this is crucial

“INVESTMENT LIKE THIS IS CRUCIAL TO SUPPORTING PRODUCTIVITY IN THE NORTH EAST AND LEVELLING UP THE UK, SUPPORTING COLLABORATION BETWEEN RESEARCHERS AND INDUSTRY AS WELL AS DRIVING OUR AMBITIONS AS A GLOBAL SCIENCE SUPERPOWER.” GEORGE FREEMAN MP, MINISTER FOR SCIENCE, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

to supporting productivity in the North East and levelling up the UK, supporting collaboration between researchers and industry as well as driving our ambitions as a global science superpower.”

Prior to retiring from his role at the University, former ViceChancellor and Chief Executive, Professor Andrew Wathey CBE, commented:

PROFESSOR ANDREW WATHEY CBE AND GEORGE FREEMAN MP, MINISTER FOR SCIENCE, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION “Northumbria University continues to respond to global challenges, providing sector leading learning with a strong focus on renewable energies, battery, and satellite technologies.

“We are delighted that the Minister was able to open our new facilities here at the University.

This funding award from the Office for Students will hugely benefit our students as we continue to provide them with the knowledge and understanding to help shape the future.”

Further works will also see the refurbishment of an existing teaching laboratory to provide a new satellite engineering laboratory, which will include new thermal vacuum, vibration and radiation testing chambers that can be used for specialist teaching to provide the skills needed in the UK space sector.

In addition, the funding will allow the refurbishment of existing areas to create a new 120-seat engineering IT hub,

supporting laboratory teaching with additional investment in digital facilities and HighPerformance Computing (HPC) for modelling work.

In REF2021 Engineering at Northumbria was ranked 25th for research power in the UK out of 89 submissions, which was a rise of eight places compared to REF2014. 90% of research outputs were rated as internationally excellent (3*) and world-leading (4*) with 78% of research impact rated very considerable (3*) or outstanding (4*) Find out more information on courses relating to Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering at Northumbria University at www.northumbria.ac.uk/mpee

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/mpee

Northumbria at the heart of the advanced skills of tomorrow’s economy “Something very important is going on in this part of the world, and a lot of if it has its roots here, in this institution” – so said George Freeman MP, Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, speaking at the Northumbria roundtable and discussion-led dinner in May 2022.

Bringing together key stakeholders from businesses currently partnering with Northumbria to drive innovation and research, the discussion focused on the way in which collaborations between leading businesses and higher education institutions can drive regional growth and levelling up, provide opportunities for skills development within the labour market, and make a positive difference to people and communities.

Additional opinion formers from across the region and beyond then

joined the roundtable guests for Northumbria’s annual Rutherford Dinner to discuss some of the most pressing policy challenges facing Higher Education and business.

Guests took part in a facilitated, expert discussion following an address delivered by George Freeman MP, Minister for Science, Research and Innovation. The dinner provided the opportunity to expand on the afternoon’s discussion to explore how cross-sector collaboration and partnerships can drive innovation, greater opportunity,

and prosperity in the region and beyond.

Speaking about the importance of universities in creating new knowledge to help improve communities, George Freeman MP said that Northumbria is “at the heart of the advanced skills of tomorrow’s economy” and went on to explain that the University is integral to providing “[not just] growth for the UK but also new jobs, new opportunities, new hope for a generation here in the North East.”

GEORGE FREEMAN MP SPEAKS AT THE UNIVERSITY’S RUTHERFORD DINNER

View highlights from the event by scanning the QR code

NEWS

#TakeOnTomorrow

Reducing air pollution one load at a time

DR KELLY SHERIDAN AND PHD STUDENT, CHIMDIA KECHI-OKAFOR

Thousands of tonnes of air pollution could be reduced by changing the way we dry our laundry, according to research led by Northumbria University.

A new study has revealed that tumble drying a load of laundry releases almost the same amount of potentially harmful microfibres into the air as those released down the drain during machine washing of the same load. Researchers from Northumbria University worked in partnership with scientists at consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble (P&G) on the study which is published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE. The team discovered that the use of fabric conditioners and dryer sheets, especially in combination, could significantly reduce microfibre release from tumble dryers. They also found that lint filters with smaller pores would trap larger fabric fibres, resulting in far fewer microfibres being released into the air, and that lint filters were

better at capturing polyester fibres than cotton fibres. This means that most microfibres released into the air by dryers are likely to be cotton.

While extensive research has been carried out into the quantities of microfibres released down the drain by washing machines, far less is understood about the release from tumble dryers.

Recent analysis has found that washing laundry could release as much as a million tonnes of microfibres annually worldwide, posing potential risks to aquatic ecosystems. However, when these miniscule fragments of clothing are released into the air during tumble drying with vented dryers, they not only pose a risk to the environment, but also potentially to human health.

“IT IS CRITICAL TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT OF MICROFIBRES ON HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT THAT ALL THE POTENTIAL PATHWAYS FOR MICROFIBRE RELEASE, INCLUDING AIR, ARE ASSESSED.” DR KELLY SHERIDAN Dr Kelly Sheridan, an expert in textile fibres in Northumbria University’s Department of Applied Sciences, worked alongside researchers at Procter & Gamble to measure the quantity of microfibres released during the washing and drying of clothing comprised of polyester and cotton. The research spanned both European and North American products and washing conditions and included over 1,200 garments.

“By measuring microfibres released during the whole laundering process we found that microfibre loss through domestic drying is a huge concern,” Dr Sheridan said.

“Ours is the first study that has simultaneously quantified microfibres released from clothing during washing alongside that released when

the clothing is then tumble dried. We measured the volume of microfibres released during washing, as well as those captured in lint filters when tumble dried.

“Our study found that domestic dryers produce comparable quantities of microfibres that could be released to the air as we already see going into our water systems from a standard washing cycle.

While many microfibres can be captured in lint filters during drying, if the pore size is too large, a significant amount will be released into the air, comparable to the amount released down the drain in washing. It is critical to our understanding of the impact of microfibres on human health and the environment that all the potential pathways for

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Below: Cotton and polyester fibres collected from a tumble dryer exhaust under a microscope

microfibre release, including air, are assessed.”

Dr Neil Lant, a Research Fellow at P&G and their leading scientist on this study, added: “The recent rises in energy costs have led us all to think carefully about the financial impact of using dryers, but few are aware of their impact on particulate air pollution. These latest findings are a call to action for the appliance industry to improve the efficiency of vented dryers and drive the conversion to condenser dryers with no airborne fibre release.”

Procter & Gamble has been working with analytical and forensic fibre science experts at Northumbria University for over five years to improve our understanding of microfibre release during washing and drying.

The Chemistry Research & Innovation Group (CRaIG) at Northumbria is an internationally recognised group of chemistry academics whose work includes the analyses of environmental hazards, such as the detection of microfibres. Studies in this area contributed to the results of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, where Northumbria’s research in Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy ranked eighth in the UK for research power.

To find out more about the CRaIG and its work visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/craig

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/ appliedsciences

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NEWS

Northumbria University NEWS • Summer 2022

Landmark partnership launches with travelling gallery exhibition After over a decade of innovative collaboration, Northumbria University and BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art have announced a renewed partnership that will continue to put the region on the map as a global hub for contemporary art learning and practice.

“OUR NEXT STEPS TOGETHER WILL FORGE INNOVATIVE TEACHING MODELS, EMBED RIGOROUS RESEARCH WE WILL SHARE INTERNATIONALLY AND PRESENT A SERIES OF LECTURES THAT EXPLORE VITAL AND PRESCIENT THEMES THAT WILL BECOME AN ANNUAL FIXTURE.” SARAH MUNRO, DIRECTOR OF BALTIC CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART

(L-R) Vicky Sturrs, Head of Learning and Civic Engagement at BALTIC, Dr Solomon Lennox, Head of Department of Arts, Northumbria, Professor Caron Gentry, Pro Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences, Northumbria, Sarah Munro, Director of BALTIC, Professor Katy Shaw, Director of Cultural Partnerships, Northumbria.

For more than ten years, BALTIC and Northumbria have worked together with a shared vision to support creative talent development, nurture public engagement and enhance the region’s reputation for artistic excellence. Held as a model of best practice across the higher education and cultural sectors, the partnership co-delivers teaching and learning, research and impact activities to develop understanding of contemporary fine art practice and to engage students and the public in key debates in the discipline today.

At the core of the dynamic partnership is the BALTIC x Northumbria University Institute, a hub for world-class teaching and mentorship in contemporary art practice and research. Through its programme of public events and discussions, the Institute fosters research and experimentation in curatorial and art practice. Today there is a renewed focus and purpose for the partnership and its role in helping Northumbria staff, students and stakeholders address the key challenges of our time, from shaping public spaces and post-

covid cultural recovery, to economic levelling up and environmental change.

Under the new partnership, the BALTIC x Northumbria University Institute will develop new academic offers to attract an international community of students, creative thinkers, practitioners and scholars, and create applied postgraduate training programmes and a supportive environment for doctoral and post-doctoral researchers. Shared teaching and experiences across all levels of study will create a community of practice

TOURING EXHIBITION VISITORS

deeply embedded within the Institute, equipped to contribute to the burgeoning creative and cultural sector in the North East of England.

BALTIC will also host a graduate exhibition each year, placing the work of the Institute’s students alongside regional, national and international names exhibiting at the gallery.

Additionally, there is a joint commitment to evidence the value and impact of contemporary art and critical discourse in addressing societal challenge through the practise and production of globally recognised research, education and contemporary art practice. This thinking and practice will be shared more widely through an annual series of six public lectures from academics and artists. Discussing the topics of the day, the first year’s lecture series will explore ideas centred around sanctuary, sustainability and neurodiversity – the many different ways that people experience and interact with the world around them.

Speaking about the new agreement, Professor Katy Shaw, Director of Cultural Partnerships at Northumbria University, said: “This is an important stage of our partnership that will expand our efforts to contribute to the cultural sector post-covid regionally, nationally and internationally, providing a unique intellectual space where pedagogy, professional practice and world-class research are combined. The ultimate aim is for all activities to directly benefit the cultural, economic, social and intellectual capital of both institutions and their constituents.”

The new agreement was officially launched on Thursday 5 May when Northumbria hosted BALTIC’s travelling gallery exhibition, What’s For Tea? Touring the region as part of BALTIC’s 20th birthday programme of activities, What’s for Tea? explores food production and consumption, what we eat, how much we eat and how our eating habits could help combat the climate emergency. Works

by Kara Chin, Isabella Carreras, Turner Prize-nominated duo Cooking Sections, artist collective Future Farmers, Asunción Molinos Gordo, Julia Heslop, David Lisser and Sarah Qaed explore sustainable food production and community

initiatives through film, installation, sculpture, print and the written word.

Capturing the collaborative essence of the partnership, the launch also included talks on sustainability from Northumbria academics and students, including: Capacity and climate: researching change with BALTIC by Jake Maiden, Postgraduate Researcher with BALTIC x Northumbria University Institute; Catching Care at Work

by Nic Cook, Research Assistant with BALTIC x Northumbria University Institute and The Responsible Consumer: How small changes in everyday behaviour can create big sustainable change by Dr Alana James, Programme Leader for MA Fashion Design. Sarah Munro, Director of BALTIC, said: “We’re excited to embark on the next phase of our partnership with Northumbria University to build on the deep, well-renowned relationship we’ve already established. Our next steps together will forge innovative teaching models, embed rigorous research we will share internationally and present a series of lectures that explore vital and prescient themes that will become an annual fixture. We can’t wait to welcome future students to the BALTIC x Northumbria University Institute and celebrate the impacts they will have on the regional, national and international sectors whilst they’re with us and as alumni.”

The new partnership will provide opportunities to further demonstrate the absolute best of Northumbria’s researchenriched teaching and to highlight the quality of its research. The excellence of research in this area was recognised in the recent Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, where work submitted by the Department of Arts and School of Design was ranked 4th for research power in the UK. For more information about the BALTIC x Northumbria University partnership, visit www.bxnu. institute

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/arts

TACKLING TOMORROW’S GLOBAL CHALLENGES TODAY

RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AT NORTHUMBRIA

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RESEARCH AT NORTHUMBRIA

CONTENTS

PAGES 2-3 Big Interview: Interim Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tom Lawson and Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Professor Louise Bracken, talk us through how Northumbria can build on the success of climbing the research rankings.

PAGES 4-5 Health – analysing the world-leading projects aimed at supporting us to live well for longer.

PAGES 6-7 Sustainability – an overview of multidisciplinary research aimed at tackling the climate emergency head-on.

PAGES 8-9 Society – research addressing issues around equality of opportunity, culture and migration is leading the way in mapping out how global communities will live together in the future.

PAGES 10-11 Economy – establishing methods to promote economic growth that is inclusive, responsible and sustainable for all.

PAGES 12-13 Justice and Security – a focus on research which aims to address how we will live safely in the future.

MAKING REAL IMPACT

Professor Tom Lawson and Professor Louise Bracken together on Northumbria’s Newcastle city campus.

The expert evaluation of the quality and impact of research from the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 conducted across the UK Higher Education sector, was announced in May 2022, and saw Northumbria University’s standing for research excellence grow exponentially.

Northumbria has had the biggest rise in research power ranking of any UK university. Its research power ranking rose to 23rd, having previously risen to 50th in 2014 from 80th in 2008, making Northumbria the sector’s largest riser in research power ranking for the second time.

Quality across all areas has been key when it comes to the latest national ranking exercise, which reviewed and rated the outputs of 76,000 academics across the UK. The results are vital when it comes to securing a share of the £2 billion available each year in government research grants, but perhaps more important is the reputational gain achieved through these strong results.

Academics who are both inspirational teachers as well as world-leading researchers, has without doubt been key to Northumbria’s extraordinary achievement in the latest REF. The University has grown the capabilities of its existing staff and made new appointments to deliver its ambition.

In the wake of Northumbria’s sector-leading performance, Interim Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tom Lawson, and Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Professor Louise Bracken, outline the true impact for Northumbria and plans for building on the University’s success…

PAGE 14 Northumbria’s former Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor Andrew Wathey CBE, explains why the Research Excellence Framework (REF) process is the nearest thing to a General Election in the Higher Education sector.

PAGE 15 Headline achievements at Northumbria, confirmed by the REF2021 outcomes.

Why is the REF important?

Professor Tom Lawson (TL) – The REF is important because it measures research quality in an institution and the impact that it is having in the real-world over a long period of time. It is not an annual exercise – it is an exercise that takes place every seven years, or has done recently, so it gives you a real sense of the achievement of an institution and the individual research projects within it. It has some important financial implications because we will receive Quality

Related (QR) funding based on our performance in REF for the next several years. This will enable us to plan effectively and will provide stability for the institution. But it is much more important than that – research is rated for its originality, its significance, and its rigour so what REF tells us is that across the institution we are producing world-leading research that is changing people’s lives. REF also tells us about the relative strengths of different parts of the University.

For example, we know that we are

second in the UK for research power in geography and fourth in art and design, to pick out just two from very many highlights. This means we know the areas in which we have internationally competitive research groups, who are as good as, if not among the best, you would find anywhere in the sector. That gives us, not only a huge sense of satisfaction, but also something to aspire to across the institution.

Professor Louise Bracken (LB) – This REF was particularly important because it proved that the

RESEARCH AT NORTHUMBRIA

#TakeOnTomorrow

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Northumbria’s success is the result of a profound transformation over the last 15 years which has seen the University invest not only in researchers, but also in research support.

Professor Louise Bracken result of a profound transformation over the last 15 years, which has seen the University invest, not only in researchers, but also in research support. An important aspect to note is the University’s investment in the ways we support our researchers. There has been a lot of work carried out across the University in helping drive this cultural change, where we can now proudly say that we are a researchintensive modern institution.

Building on the University’s REF results, where do we go from here?

University Strategy, with the vision of becoming a research-intensive institution, has been successful. The excellent results in REF 2021 also gave us external validation for what we do. We now know what good research looks like, and that can inform what we want to do around our research and our research culture going forward.

How did we achieve such growth in REF2021?

TL – It is the result of a strategic investment in research that has

been played out over the last 14 years. Since 2008 we have had a strategy to grow the volume and the quality of our research across the institution and for REF 2021, we submitted 1,095 staff across four faculties and 19 departments. Our ability to record the biggest rise in research power of any UK university for a second time, was because we focussed on our strategy, supported colleagues to develop their research, invested in that research, as well as bringing in outstanding researchers from elsewhere in the sector.

LB – Northumbria’s success is the

LB – We have travelled a long way on our journey to becoming a research-intensive modern university, but it is not complete.

We need to build on the good work we have done and need to continue that journey, both in the quality and volume of our research staff. In this latest round, we know we submitted three quarters of our academic staff to REF, we want to submit all of them to REF going forward – and we want that quality of research to increase. We saw a significant shift towards the highest rated four-star research, which is measured by REF as quality that is world-leading in terms of originality, significance, and rigour.

This is precisely where we want to be, but it is about making sure that we take everyone with us. One of our key objectives is to develop a more research-active culture that celebrates and recognises our research. Linked to that, I think there is a cultural piece on having a balanced portfolio across education and research and recognising how the two come together. We need to live and breathe that interconnectivity throughout our working week and hopefully that will enable us to take that next step on our upward trajectory.

Does our latest REF performance allow us to do more as a university?

TL – it changes every aspect of the institution because it means that we can have different conversations with different partners. In the North East region, Newcastle now has two research-intensive universities that are in the top 25 for research

power, making it the only city in the UK other than London, to have that strength. That changes the nature of the conversations that we can have, in terms of working with our regional partners and indeed our partners nationally and beyond the UK. While these excellent results will undoubtedly generate more income for the University in terms of research funding, the REF can also change the way in which the public perceive us as an institution, and this reputational gain has been an incredibly important one.

What does performing well in REF mean for students – current and future?

TL – I think REF is hugely important for students because what it tells us is that all our students are studying curricular that are driven by internationally excellent and worldleading research and that means that what they are getting in the classroom is something that they would not necessarily be getting elsewhere. It also means that they are learning in a world-class research environment, and this will be important for the skills they are looking to develop for their future careers.

LB – Performing well in REF puts a spotlight on our University and tells students that they are being taught in a research-intensive university, with an education that is driven by, underpinned and reflective of worldleading research.

What does the REF result mean for Northumbria’s staff?

LB – As well as the very positive external reputation that we have gained on the back of our REF 2021 results, I think it is important that we as colleagues across the University recognise our achievements and believe in ourselves. It is wonderful to see education and research developing hand in hand and watching our staff inspire and shape others with their knowledge. The REF results validate the direction that Northumbria is on, and it is precisely why I and other staff have joined the University. Northumbria embraces change, and change happens, which is sometimes unusual in higher education. To be part of shaping that is really exciting for me.

TL – It gives us a clear reason to

be proud of everything that we do and everything we have achieved.

We improved across all areas in REF 2021, and that is something that we can all be proud of – not just our academic staff, but also our professional services colleagues across the University, without whom this result would not have been possible.

For individual colleagues, they can say they work in a top 25 UK university for research power and that is something that they will be able to talk about with their partners in industry and higher education. It not only opens doors for us as an institution, but it will open doors for our research colleagues as well.

How do these results benefit our relationship partners?

LB – We are already bold and not afraid to innovate in collaboration with our partners, but with these REF results we will be received more positively by potential partners, both nationally and internationally. In terms of league tables and world rankings, it is important to note that the REF result will now be incorporated in most major league tables – so we can prepare to see a further positive shift in our standing in some of those. This of course will be appealing to potential partners and funders.

What does our ranking say about Northumbria as a university?

TL – It says that we are the only research-intensive modern university in the sector that offers students, who come from a very different set of backgrounds to those that you might find at Russell Group universities, an education that is underpinned by the same quality of research as you would find in those other institutions.

LB – Northumbria is unique in the sector because our focus on skills and education is as strong as our more theoretical research. Our skills courses are underpinned and enhanced by excellent research.

What we are demonstrating is that research and skills teaching can be brought together for both the good of the region and for our students.

We are the only UK researchintensive modern institution that can marry skills education and research so well, under one roof.

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HELPING TO BUILD A HEALTHIER SOCIETY

There are almost eight billion people living on earth, all with different access to healthcare.

For some this is free and can be found on their doorstep, but for others it comes at a significant financial cost or requires days of travelling to reach the nearest doctor. Whatever the circumstances people face, one of the key questions at the forefront of research at Northumbria University is how can we help people live well, and for longer?

At one point, Northumbria University was the 21st highest nation state in the world in terms of generating sequencing genome data, Dr Matt Bashton

From diet and nutrition, through to infectious disease, long-term and age-related conditions, it is vital that we explore new, sustainable, and effective ways of improving health and wellbeing for all.

Northumbria’s researchers work closely with leading public health bodies, global organisations and charities to design, implement and evaluate new ways of working

to help improve care for people living health issues, and for those supporting them.

Covid-19 has of course been at the forefront of attention in recent times. With an impressive DNA sequencing research facility and world-leading expert researchers, Northumbria University was invited to join a national consortium, consisting

of 16 UK universities, to help map how the coronavirus spreads and evolves. More than 100,000 SARS-Cov-2 genomes have been sequenced in Northumbria’s labs to date, including two of the very first samples of what became known as the highly contagious Delta variant. “If Northumbria University was a nation state, we would have ranked 21st in the world in terms of the

sheer number of sequences we contributed – we were higher than most countries in northern and central Europe at one point, which was pretty impressive,” said Dr Matt Bashton, a Vice-Chancellor’s Senior Fellow in Applied Sciences.

Dr Bashton has created a software tool which can examine coronavirus samples anywhere in the world and judge the likely impact of new variants almost

instantly as they emerge. “It’s vital we keep monitoring the virus and how it’s changing to protect the future of humanity,” he said.

IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE A major study into Medulloblastoma, the most common malignant childhood brain tumour, has led to massive improvements in treatment

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billion per year on the National Health Service, informal carers are providing an estimated £132 billion of unpaid care per year.

As people are living longer lives, other health conditions emerge which contribute to this pressure

OPTIMISING HEALTH

for this disease. Northumbria experts have been able to reduce diagnostic time for a particular type of this cancer from three to four weeks to three to four days.

This helps to rapidly identify patients who can receive a less invasive dose of radiotherapy, meaning they have less long-term side effects from their treatment.

Researchers are also examining current models of care for people living with Parkinson’s Disease, a chronic neurological condition affecting up to 10 million people worldwide. Findings from Northumbria’s research have led to new policies and best practice guidelines which are boosting quality of life for those affected by this life-changing disease, as well as, crucially, those caring for them.

A 2015 report from The Health Foundation highlighted that while the government spends £134

From patients waiting to undergo major surgery to some of the world’s most elite athletes, Northumbria is leading the thinking in examining ways that nutrition, exercise, and recovery can improve health across a broad spectrum of the population.

Around 1.5 million major surgical procedures are performed annually in the UK, putting huge strain on the body both during and after surgery. To find new ways to support patients due to go through invasive

on the sector.

“While there is clearly a need to focus on how we can best support people with Parkinson’s Disease, an important aspect of our research has been assessing the impact on those who provide

surgery, Northumbria academics Professor John Saxton and Dr Garry Tew have discovered that targeted exercise regimes can bring significant improvements in both physical fitness and mental health. Their findings have led to the development of the world’s first clinical guideline on preoperative exercise training for people awaiting major noncardiac surgery and the launch of one of the largest exercise trials in Europe for patients preparing for cancer treatment.

Elsewhere, innovative research into astronaut health is creating

informal care, such as a spouse, sibling, child or even friend,” said Professor Annette Hand, a Clinical Academic Professor in Nursing.

“Many carers are struggling to get the support from health and care services that they

new understanding around the impact of gravity on the human body and having a positive impact on people with spinal and muscular conditions. Working on earth-based studies with NASA and the European Space Agency, researchers are using exposure to artificial gravity to investigate how bodies decondition in space and how this knowledge can help to prevent spinal problems from developing, or worsening.

Professor Glyn Howatson was the first researcher to find that drinking Montmorency cherry juice significantly enhanced muscle recovery among professional athletes. He went on to discover multiple ways in which this ‘super fruit’ can benefit the wider public, including improving vascular function, reducing blood pressure, and improving both the quality and duration of sleep.

He leads the Optimising Human Performance research group, which has helped to deliver outstanding results for elite athletes. A long-standing collaboration with the English Institute of Sport (EIS) has established unique training methods to help to improve

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need, particularly as the disease advances and higher levels of care are required,” said Professor Hand. “This burden leads to caregiver strain, which in turn, puts added pressure on our health and social care sector.”

Professor Glenda Cook, who specialises in researching the needs of older people agrees.

“One of the biggest challenges facing the world today is the ageing society,” she says. She has collaborated with architects, social landlords and local authorities and has investigated smart technologies to create homes where people can live independently for longer, rather than moving into residential care.

“There has been a lot of time and effort to understand what good housing with integrated health and care services for older people would look like,” she explained. “Through good design and architects, health and care professionals addressing the problems that people face, we can create a home where people may be able to live for as long as they want. Alongside this, incredible societal impact can be achieved through use of digital technologies that are becoming widely available to everyone and can support independence and improve quality of life.”

performance in Britain’s Olympic cyclists. “We developed novel strength-training methods for Britain’s cyclists, stepping away from the standardised barbell resistance exercise,” said Professor Howatson. “Our team developed an ‘on bike’ resistance training session that can help improve strength and power but with lower injury risk than traditional strength training with heavy weights.”

The University also shaped the development of new cryotherapy guidelines for the EIS, using cold water immersion to accelerate athletes’ recovery after training and competing. In the lead-up to, and throughout, the 2016 Rio Olympics, these new guidelines were used by athletes across 23 Team GB sports to enhance recovery, contributing to Team GB’s performance success on this global stage and helping them to prepare for further successes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

To find out more about Northumbria’s research, scan or click the QR code.

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CREATING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

When it comes to tackling climate change, the choices we make today will determine the future of our planet.

Across a broad interdisciplinary spectrum, Northumbria researchers are investigating new ways to address the challenges we face in living sustainably, whether that be in responding to issues arising from climate change, making changes to policy and legislation, or how we work more effectively with business and industry. In this special edition of Northumbria University News, we look at some of the work the University is leading on.

THE FUTURE OF CLEAN ENERGY The world is facing an unprecedented energy challenge.

While many countries have committed to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the current global demand for energy is expected to double in this time.

There is therefore an urgent need for sustainable energy solutions and technologies.

Experts at Northumbria are leading the way in developing new, more energy efficient forms of batteries, photovoltaics and thin film materials used in the production of solar cell devices and finding greener ways to produce

chemicals used in manufacturing.

And Northumbria’s scientists are also looking at the importance of sustainable design to improve our engineering and construction sectors, as well as examining the impact of wind farms on the tourism sector.

“Renewable energy technologies are hugely important,” said Professor Neil Beattie, Director of the Energy Futures research group.

“They will enable us to generate electricity cleanly and with reduced emissions so we can combat climate change directly.”

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Renewable energy technologies are hugely important. They will enable us to generate electricity cleanly and with reduced emissions so we can combat climate change directly.”

Professor Neil Beattie

IMPROVING OUR BUILT AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS The balance between natural environment and man-made environment has always been a challenge for decision makers, but modern living and environmental pressures are placing even more demands on planners, infrastructure, services, and assets.

Climate change is leading to geohazards such as landslides, earthquakes, and coastal and cliff erosion, all of which can have a devastating impact on communities.

Experts from Northumbria are collaborating with national agencies, local authorities, and industry to find new ways of responding to urban

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE Unsustainable practices and overexploitation of natural resources threatens the planet and therefore the security of people, species and food and water supplies.

Researchers from Northumbria have joined forces to tackle green crime, address injustices and promote environmental cooperation. Their work ranges from investigating new ways to combat wildlife trafficking and corruption, to helping countries create their own environmental courts and tribunals with the power to expedite legal cases on environmental issues.

EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS From thawing permafrost releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, to melting ice sheets causing sea level to rise, global warming is already causing major challenges for the planet.

Northumbria academics are world-leaders in creating models to assess the impact climate change has had on our environment and how it will impact the future. With what is believed to be the largest group of glaciologists in the UK, Northumbria University’s Cold and Palaeo Environments research group is creating models that enable us to observe current behaviours,

and environmental problems and reduce risk from natural disasters and emergencies. This includes finding new ways to remotely monitor potential land hazards, such as eroding cliffs and slopes which could collapse and endanger lives, and through the University’s Disaster and Development Network, Northumbria academics are contributing to the development of global policies designed to help vulnerable communities facing emergency situations.

Northumbria is also recognised for its work to encourage government and the construction sector to integrate green spaces and infrastructure into planning policy to bring nature back into

One of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals is to ensure secure access to clean water and sanitisation for everyone. In the coming decades water shortages caused by climate change could affect as many as five billion people worldwide. As a result, cooperation between nations which share access to, or have boundaries with, rivers, lakes and seas is essential. Professor Alister Rieu-Clarke, an expert on international water law, has been working with the UN to find ways for countries to work together to manage this

to monitor changes over the short and medium term and importantly, to predict how these changes will develop in future years, helping to inform planning and policies for businesses, lobbying organisations, and international governments.

Populations around the world are also dealing with the consequences of space weather storms affecting the operations of satellites and impacting our lives on earth. Professor Clare Watt, a space plasma physicist in the University’s Solar and Space Physics research group explained: “Most of us do not realise it, but we are using space every day. Location, communication, entertainment, and

cities and urban spaces. Professor Alister Scott, whose research addresses problems concerning policy and decision-making across built and natural environments, has championed the benefits of including green infrastructure in urban areas. These benefits include improved health and well-being of urban dwellers, as well as biodiversity and flood risk regulation. Professor Scott is now working with governments and planners, both in the UK and internationally, to ensure that green infrastructure is considered as part of planning policies and decisionmaking in the future.

critical resource explaining: “Safeguarding the equitable and sustainable management of the world’s shared rivers, lakes and groundwaters is key.

“Over 150 countries share these waters, which include great rivers such as the Amazon, Nile, or Mekong. Use of water in one part of a river basin can have knockon impacts across other parts of the basin and this can lead to tensions. Cooperation between countries offers the potential to ensure that waters are used in an optimal manner for the benefit of the widest range of water users.”

financial services all use satellites.

Our ability to know where we are, to connect the world and to monitor the world to look at how oceans, ice sheets, forests and land use are changing – these are all things we can do from space. Understanding more about our space environment means we can use it safely and protect better the precious planet that we have.”

To find out more about Northumbria’s research, scan or click the QR code.

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LESSONS FROM THE PAST HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE Across the globe, the stark contrast between the haves and the have-nots is growing. Economies are struggling to recover in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and political instability continues to grow on a national and international scale. Millions live in sub-standard conditions and many more have fled their homes seeking refuge due to conflict.

In many ways, how we live together now can be influenced and enriched by the lessons learned from the past. Innovative research at Northumbria University is investigating how we can shape the world we live in by reflecting on our history to help understand our present and shape our future.

A CULTURAL EDUCATION Transformational teaching approaches are helping students build emotional connections with the past, creating empathy and furthering understanding of historical events including the World Wars and global civil rights struggles.

Northumbria academics have championed several teaching initiatives, such as visiting WWI cemeteries, through their work with leading heritage and cultural organisations. “The greatest challenge we face is to make the war relevant to each new generation of pupils in their turn,” said Dr AnnMarie Einhaus, an expert in literature and culture with an interest in representations of the First World War. While theatre practitioner and Associate Professor, Jane Arnfield has used her ‘Living Memorial Theatre Methodology’ to combine innovative performance methods with interview techniques derived

from sociology, to re-enact historic witness testimonies, in particular, the experiences of survivors of the Holocaust. This has formed the basis of major theatrical productions, including The Tin Ring which was first performed in 2012 in the UK and has since been taken to 16 countries world-wide. Her work has provided international commemoration organisations

with new approaches to engaging audiences in the memorial process.

Archival research which uncovered the details of a powerful impromptu speech by Martin Luther King Jr. on the global civil rights struggle, during a 1967 visit to Newcastle, has helped to inform contemporary debates about social inclusion, immigration, and national and regional identity. The research,

driven by Professor Brian Ward, was pivotal in the foundation of a commemorative festival which brought together 100,000 people, improving public awareness of the region’s cultural heritage. Reflecting on his research Professor Ward said two centuries of connections between Tyneside and the African American freedom struggle provided “a fascinating, if often

unappreciated, history of racial diversity in the region.”

“Arts and humanities programmes are vital to building empathetic, creative, and critically minded contributors to society and culture,” said Professor Caron Gentry, Pro Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences.

“Bringing people together and engaging audiences in unique ways are an important aspect of research at Northumbria.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Martin Luther King

Research from Northumbria academics is helping to provide evidence needed for society to improve the lives of communities.

Screenwriter and Senior Lecturer at Northumbria, Len Collin, directed the feature film Sanctuary (pictured right) in which he cast people with Down’s syndrome and autism in leading roles. The film received widespread critical acclaim, being credited with opening-up conversations about how wider society treats people with intellectual disabilities. Since its release in 2016, Sanctuary has received several international accolades and has helped trigger a momentous change in the law in Ireland, with the repealing of legislation that had restricted the

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Auschwitz

Arts and humanities programmes are vital to building empathetic, creative and critically minded contributors to society and culture. Bringing people together and engaging audiences in unique ways are an important aspect of research at Northumbria.”

Professor Caron Gentry

rights of people with intellectual disabilities to intimacy. Meanwhile, research from Dr Connal Parr has highlighted a vibrant literary culture within the Protestant working-class community. His work has helped to create new public understanding of aspects of life in Northern Ireland, encouraging people to look beyond media stereotypes and portrayals, which has led to new public conversations and broader reconciliation efforts.

PRESERVING OUR HERITAGE World-leading research is helping to find new ways to preserve some of the most familiar and often cherished aspects of our society.

Experts from Northumbria are helping to boost tourism through collaborations with cultural organisations, including the National Trust and Historic England, to support employment, education, environment, and policy. Groundbreaking digital technologies developed by Northumbria’s architects and engineers have

Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland

allowed historic estates to be accurately modelled and recorded for the purposes of preservation and restoration. Our research has supported conservation efforts at sites including York Minster and the Roman Wall and has uncovered new ways to reinforce medieval towers and castles in Italy to make them more resistant to the many earthquakes occurring in the country. This research has helped to attract tens of millions of pounds of funding to further improve many heritage sites, including a £2 million investment for the Gibside estate, maintained by the National Trust.

Nationally, while the number of pubs throughout Britain and Northern Ireland has declined by 25 per cent since 1982, Professor Ignazio Cabras’s research into rural pubs has proved their critical role as a lifeline in remote villages.

Funded by the British Academy, the research of rural parishes with no more than 3,000 residents clearly demonstrated stronger community cohesion in areas that still had

pubs. The project has attracted widespread attention, given oxygen to the public debate on pub closures, and has provided evidence for campaigns to provide financial relief for local pubs to save them from closing. His study is being used by policymakers to support community action, while findings have also been raised in the House of Lords.

Switching on a television news bulletin and listening to the latest headlines gives an account of the real-world problems, which are changing the way we live together and build communities. However, research at Northumbria is helping to identify ways to overcome these challenges and improve lives.

To find out more about Northumbria’s research, scan or click the QR code.

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KNOWLEDGE IS ECONOMIC POWER The past few years have undoubtedly been some of the most challenging on record for the global business community. In a rapidly changing world, the creation and application of new knowledge is key to economic prosperity.

Here, we explore how Northumbria is using its wealth of cutting-edge knowledge and expertise to undertake world-leading research that is driving economic growth through innovation, developing better ways of doing business and shaping how we train the workforce of tomorrow.

DRIVING GROWTH THROUGH INNOVATION Universities are crucial in ensuring that businesses – especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), arguably the lifeblood of the UK economy – can benefit from research and innovation expertise.

At Northumbria, research led by Associate Professor Nigel Coates and Senior Lecturer Ed Cottam into the competitiveness and productivity of SMEs identified the lack of specialised and ongoing support. In 2013 the University’s Newcastle Business School launched the Business Clinic, offering free consultancy, undertaken by finalyear undergraduate and master’s students, to a wide range of local businesses. The Clinic’s work is making a significant impact. It has produced advertising and marketing plans, 100 per cent increases in sales, new products and more jobs.

The success of this model also led

to the launch of an online version – the Digitally Enabled Business Clinic – making the Clinic easier to access and thereby available to more businesses nationwide.

Nigel Coates, Director of the Business Clinic, said: “Despite the challenges of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, this has been another highly successful year for our students and clients. Since we established the Business Clinic in 2013, the total value of the students’ free consultancy advice and reports – given to more than 500 clients – has been estimated to exceed £2.75m.

This is a superb achievement that both enhances the learning experience and the employability skills of our students; and delivers considerable benefits for our clients.”

Alongside supporting SMEs and entrepreneurs, the University’s strength in a wide range of disciplines is enabling it to contribute to the growth of businesses across

a variety of sectors, nationally and across the globe.

In construction, Northumbria’s Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering is at the forefront of a digital revolution, helping over 80 companies worldwide to transform how buildings are designed, constructed, and managed. This work has resulted in economic and social benefits such as improved performance of project delivery, sales of digital solutions and new employment. Researchers have also influenced policy, helping governments across the world to create and implement national roadmaps for the digitalisation of construction.

Meanwhile, in healthcare, a designled innovation process devised by Dr Stuart English from Northumbria’s School of Design has been integral to industrial partner PolyPhotonix Ltd’s development of their product the Noctura 400 sleep mask. The

mask provides a new treatment for a degenerative eye-condition affecting all type 1 diabetics and 60% of type 2, and the leading cause of blindness among working age adults. Not only has the noninvasive home-based treatment produced substantial improvements in patient sight and wellbeing, but the Noctura 400’s success has also increased PolyPhotonix’s annual turnover enabling the manufacturer to significantly expand operations, creating new jobs and attracting multimillion-pound investment.

Speaking recently on the contribution universities can make to economic growth, Helen Golightly, Chief Executive of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (North East LEP), said: “Universities like Northumbria have a really important role to play in helping our region return to pre-coronavirus levels of economic growth. Knowledge exchange between academia and

our region’s business community helps companies innovate and grow.

High growth businesses are an essential part of a healthy economy; the expertise and knowledge that universities have help us create more.”

BETTER WAYS OF DOING BUSINESS In response to the everyday challenges that businesses face, academics at Northumbria have often advocated different ways of working. Dr Nicholas Burton has applied the ethics of Quaker belief systems to decision-making processes in a corporate setting – with remarkable results. His research has raised awareness of spirituality in a business context, converting theory into practice and – pivotally – triggering new behaviour. For example, embedding Quakerinspired approaches into decisionmaking, such as periods of silent

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Universities drive positive economic impact in their regions and beyond as employers, as generators of revenue to local businesses and through developing highly skilled graduates to support the future labour market.

The economic impact of our research is perhaps less visible but no less important. Northumbria’s expertise provides solutions to a whole range of challenges that drive economic growth in the public, private and charitable organisations we work with.

Helen Golightly, Chief Executive of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership

reflection in meetings and writing the minutes during meetings rather than afterwards, has improved team cohesion, reduced conflict and made processes more efficient.

Collaboration is often thought of as key to strengthening economic development. This certainly rings true according to findings by Professor of Politics, Keith Shaw, whose research investigated how the North East and Cumbria could maximise the benefits of Scottish devolution. Following Professor Shaw’s research recommendations which focussed on greater collaboration, The Borderlands Initiative was created to bring together five councils in the region, who pledged to work together to attract infrastructure investment, create jobs and address local challenges. The project has been vital for garnering greater economic security and crucial resources for the region to help in the recovery from the Covid outbreak.

With retailers and offices across the UK struggling to overcome the

Northumbria’s expertise provides solutions to a whole range of challenges that drive economic growth in the public, private and charitable organisations we work with.

Professor Robert MacIntosh

economic effects of the pandemic, the closure of commercial properties has been on the increase. This impacts not only business owners, but also local authorities who lose business rate income. This in turn has direct consequences for the provision of welfare, including social care, housing, transport and cultural services. Northumbria’s real estate experts Dr Kevin Muldoon-Smith and Professor Paul Greenhalgh were the first to research the interconnection between local property markets and local government funding.

They found that the business rates system spurred inequality and underdevelopment in areas in most need of investment. Their research has influenced policy debates on the business rates system, showing that alternative solutions are needed to alleviate inequalities in relation to funding provision across the country.

At the time of the research, David Howell, Director of Operations at the Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) and Chair of the Growth Accelerator and Incubation Network (GAIN), said: “As a direct result of this research, well over 100 members of the GAIN network became better informed of the Government’s revaluation process. This enabled regional business to make better strategic decisions, such as more accurately calculating future costs.

This information was also invaluable for the BIC, with over 200,000 sq. ft. of space and 130 SMEs on site, we were able to better assess what needed to be done to meet challenges head on.”

Improved ways of working can clearly bring economic benefits, but they also enrich people’s health, work and social wellbeing. Over the last 30 years, management of public and voluntary sector services has centred on targets and service performance in a way that can encourage unhelpful incentives and target manipulation. Researchers at Newcastle Business School are helping to transform public services through an alternative management approach, known as the ‘Human

Learning Systems’ (HLS) approach.

HLS seeks to encourage a more collaborative approach between the different organisations involved in public services so that by working together, the help they provide to people with multiple needs is more efficient, more cost-effective and leads to better outcomes.

Northumbria’s work is driving the adoption of HLS across the UK by local authorities, the NHS, and charitable foundations. Allocation of funding under this new approach amounts to over £169 million and examples of resultant local service improvements include a 50 per cent reduction in families occupying temporary bed and breakfast accommodation, fewer children in care, and improvements in employment and mental health.

SMARTER SKILLS, BETTER JOBS, MORE PRODUCTIVE ECONOMY Through its research and partnership working, Northumbria is helping to create workforces of the future, with skills that are needed by employers regionally, nationally and globally.

Digital skills are increasingly central to people’s working, educational and social lives. While wealthy countries are able to invest in digital skills education, those with less resources struggle to keep pace. Ekiti is a state in Nigeria, with a population of around 2.2 million people. Prior to 2015, there was no formal Information and Communications Technology (ICT) training in Ekiti schools. Between 2018 and 2020, Northumbria’s DIGISTEM project, funded by the World Bank, designed and delivered interventions for digital skills training for teachers. In addition to reaching 3,745 teachers, this work directly led to a 30 per cent increase in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subject enrolment in participating schools.

Regionally, work led by Professor Rebecca Strachan and Dr Carol Davenport is having a positive impact on the uptake of STEMrelated study and careers too.

Historically, young people in the

North East have shown poor progression into STEM careers.

The Northumbria University STEM group (NUSTEM) is working to increase the diversity of young people pursuing STEM careers by increasing the understanding and accessibility of STEM across the school age range; building research tools to aid in the exploration of career aspirations and designing interventions to support future career choices. With a network of thousands of children, parents and teachers across the region, their work is influencing employability, engaging under-represented groups and inspiring similar outreach programmes across the UK and internationally.

Reflecting on the pivotal role university research plays in economic growth Professor Robert MacIntosh, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Business and Law at Northumbria, said: “Universities drive positive economic impact in their regions and beyond as employers, as generators of revenue to local businesses and through developing highly skilled graduates to support the future labour market. The economic impact of our research is perhaps less visible but no less important. Northumbria’s expertise provides solutions to a whole range of challenges that drive economic growth in the public, private and charitable organisations we work with.”

Professor MacIntosh added: “If your organisation is facing challenges or is ready to seize new opportunities and carve a new path, talk to Northumbria University: working together, we can take on tomorrow.”

To find out more about Northumbria’s research, scan or click the QR code.

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PROMOTING JUSTICE AND SECURITY IN AN UNCERTAIN WORLD Global conflict, mass migrations, cybercrime, border security, miscarriages of justice, poverty and hunger, are just some of the challenges that threaten the safety and livelihoods of vulnerable individuals and communities around the world.

Northumbria researchers are taking on these intractable problems and developing solutions that help deliver greater social and environmental justice and security.

Their work, which is extensive, is having real and growing impact regionally, nationally and internationally. It is being published in leading international journals, used to inform governments and helping to shape policy and legislation. The University’s research in this area is also influenced by the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 16 to “promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.”

SAFE AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES Globally, volunteering plays a crucial role in supporting communities in desperate need, especially those caught up in conflict. Through world-leading research in global development, academics from Northumbria’s Centre for International Development have contributed to ground-breaking work on volunteering. This includes Northumbria academic Professor Matt Baillie Smith in his role as research director of the Volunteers in Conflicts and Emergencies Initiative with the Swedish Red Cross, and his co-authorship of the world’s largest qualitative study of volunteering, the International

Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) and Red Crescent’s Society’s Global Review on Volunteering.

This work has influenced policy, including the formation of the Global Volunteer Alliance and an IFRC resolution on the safety and security of volunteers, signed by 150 governments. Professor Baillie Smith also leads the ESRC/ GCRF funded Refugee Youth Volunteering Uganda project, working with young refugees to understand the impacts of volunteering on their lives.

Together with Professor Katy Jenkins from Northumbria, he also leads ‘Volunteering Together’, collaborative research with the international development charity, Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO),

on the ways volunteers work together in Nepal, Tanzania and Uganda. Commenting recently on the work of volunteers during the Covid-19 pandemic, Professor Baillie Smith says: “Volunteers are not simply a source of free labour.

Volunteering is both political and influenced by social and cultural factors. Keeping volunteers safe and well demands investment, and how they are engaged and by whom has consequences during and beyond a crisis.”

Academics at Northumbria are also examining ways to support migrants and refugees who have moved to other countries, either in search of work or fleeing to safety. This includes advocating better treatment of migrant

workers coming to the UK, who are often the victims of hate crime, or experience poor housing conditions and exploitation in the workplace. Professor Ian Fitzgerald, from Northumbria’s Newcastle Business School, was the first to gather evidence on the unethical, and often illegal, treatment of Polish workers in the North of England, while humanities academic Dr Rola Naeb is working with global partners to develop specialised digital learning platforms to help low literate migrants integrate better into communities.

Following a similar theme, Dr Kathryn Cassidy from the Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences at

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Northumbria has investigated the damaging impact of socalled ‘everyday bordering’ on society, where UK residents are increasingly being asked to prove their immigration status in a wide range of everyday settings, from accessing healthcare to renting a flat. Dr Cassidy’s research shows the effects everyday bordering can have, both on those who feel mounting pressure to ‘police’ the immigration status of others, and on migrant communities who feel increasingly alienated.

The mental health and wellbeing of ex-servicemen and women in the UK is another key focus for research at Northumbria, and one which recently received royal recognition following a visit to the University by Princess Anne. Her Royal Highness met academics involved in Northumbria’s Northern Hub for Veterans and Military Families, established in 2014 to bring together exservicemen and women and experts dedicated to improving the health and social wellbeing of veterans and their families.

During her visit she heard about their research, including a project commissioned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to map the needs of veterans with access to regional services, so that those looking for help can find it more easily. Northumbria’s research in this area is helping the MoD make informed funding decisions based on evidence and data, and contributing to a more inclusive and fair approach to the care of military veterans and their families.

COMBATING HUNGER Northumbria academics have also made a significant contribution in recent years to addressing food poverty – helping to make life better and deliver greater social justice for millions of children and their parents in the

Volunteers are not simply a source of free labour.

Volunteering is both political and influenced by social and cultural factors. Keeping volunteers safe and well demands investment, and how they are engaged and by whom has consequences during and beyond a crisis.”

Professor Matt Baillie Smith

UK. Research by Professor Greta Defeyter and Professor Paul Stretesky on ‘holiday hunger’ – where children miss out on free school meals during school holidays – has directly influenced the development and expansion of the UK government’s Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF) and the allocation of £20.4 million by the Department for Education (DfE) to provide healthy food and enriching activities for 1.1 million disadvantaged children.

This research has also directly shaped both the UK government’s response, via the DfE and the Cabinet Office, for food security during the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK’s National Food Strategy and the ‘Marcus Rashford Campaign’.

Professor Defeyter also regularly advises on the benefits of school breakfast clubs. Discussing her work, she says: “One of the single biggest challenges facing the world today is hunger. We are used to seeing children suffering from hunger in third world and developing countries, but our research has shown that hunger is present here today in the UK.” ACCESS TO JUSTICE Elsewhere, law academics at Northumbria have undertaken research investigating vulnerability within the UK justice system – helping to address the needs of individuals both as victims and offenders. People who offend are often some of the most vulnerable in society, experiencing a range of issues from homelessness and abuse, to mental illness, addiction and communication difficulties.

They may have killed their abuser, been victims of human trafficking who are compelled to commit crimes, or are children over the age of 10 who engage in criminal behaviour. Despite their often multiple needs, vulnerable offenders are frequently overlooked by the justice system and consequently go on to reoffend. The aim of the research is to gather evidence that will help overcome a lack of understanding and knowledge within the justice system of the role vulnerability plays in offending.

Meanwhile, academics from Northumbria’s multi-disciplinary Centre for Evidence and Criminal Justice Studies are helping to set standards of best practice and implement rule changes in the use of expert witnesses. The justice system in the UK and elsewhere has become increasingly reliant on scientific evidence and expert witness testimony. Whether a medical specialist, IT specialist, forensic scientist or a forensic accountant, the role of an expert witness is to provide professional insight and objectivity and to

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ultimately ensure a just outcome.

However, miscarriages of justice do occur – something Northumbria’s research aims to help prevent.

CYBERSECURITY Academics at Northumbria are also at the forefront of research around financial wellbeing and security. This includes understanding society’s vulnerability to cybercrime, estimated to cost the UK economy around £27 million every year.

Research from an interdisciplinary team at Northumbria, co-led by psychologists and computer scientists, has focused on why human behaviour and trust are key factors in cybersecurity vulnerability. Professors Pam Briggs and Lynne Coventry from Northumbria specialise in humancentred cybersecurity research and are recognised for their innovative work in understanding and changing cybersecurity attitudes and behaviours. One of the research projects called IMPRINTS (Identity Management: Public Responses to Identity Technologies and Service) sought to understand how members of the public felt about certain identity management systems, such as smart technologies or biometric authentication. It looked at the types of information users felt comfortable with, uncomfortable with and shouldn’t be sharing; and the types of systems users trusted to hold and exchange sensitive personal information. The IMPRINTS findings contributed to the development of UK policy on the responsible use of data and data protection. Northumbria has also been recognised as an Academic Centre of Excellence in Cybersecurity by the National Cyber Security Centre.

Northumbria’s interdisciplinary research around justice and security continues to grow in stature, scope and reputation – and is being recognised on a regional, national and global scale.

Following the University’s success in the REF2021 exercise, the strength and quality of this work is set to develop even further.

To find out more about Northumbria’s research, scan or click the QR code.

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RESEARCH AT NORTHUMBRIA

REFLECTIONS ON THE REF EXERCISE Professor Andrew Wathey CBE, former ViceChancellor and Chief Executive at Northumbria University, shares his reflections on the REF exercise in an exclusive blog post written for the Higher Education Policy Institute.

By repute, research assessment – once the RAE and now the REF – is the nearest thing to a General Election in higher education, making and unmaking reputations overnight. It is arguably the sector’s best top-level management system, responsible for a huge increase in research effectiveness and the global competitiveness of UK research. At individual, departmental, or institutional level it can be a motor for development.

It has made a material difference to individual disciplines, particularly small ones. It is arguably responsible for the creation of the Russell Group (named after meetings in the Russell Hotel, in the wake of disappointing results for Medicine in the 1992 RAE). And it has played a role in extending Research Council coverage across nearly the full range of disciplines.

At the same time, it has not been static. The introduction of impact has shone a light on the economic and social contribution of universities, their role in the task of place shaping, and their potential in (further) levelling up.

REF has shown where research

has already accelerated education, skills and enterprise agendas, and grown higher education’s broader economic, social and cultural contribution – and indeed where more could be done. Its results have impact internationally, providing the best guide to quality beneath the ice of whole-institution league table rankings. As a UK ‘Michelin Guide’ to where research excellence really lies, it has been valuable in guiding inward investment, and in combatting the use by some overseas agencies of ‘top 20’ lists to filter potential partners.

REF results are important. To take a local perspective, it is already clear from the submission

volume data, available within the sector since last summer, that the North East will have the largest city-area grouping of researchers outside London. This will be key in levelling up, inward investment public and private, and economic development more generally – in a region where the policy position of local government is to build economic growth around the research strengths of its universities. Opportunities in new research geographies also beckon, including cross-border collaboration with Scotland. Similar dynamics will be at play in other parts of the UK, too.

Some think that we can dispense

“…THE REF IS THE NEAREST THING TO A GENERAL ELECTION IN HIGHER EDUCATION, MAKING AND UNMAKING REPUTATIONS OVERNIGHT.” PROFESSOR ANDREW WATHEY CBE

with the REF, that over 36 years it has done its job and that we are in a land of diminishing returns. I doubt that. Criticisms that it drives volume at the expense of quality have been disproven. It must be effective and efficient, but it is not expensive relative, for example, to the historic costs of machinery in quality assessment, or other parts of research bureaucracy.

As a top-level, externally verified management system, it has an ongoing role that could not be replicated by an institution working alone. It gives us the ability to signal and reward excellence, and to show where the wider impacts of research are focussed. These functions are important, and the need for them will not go away.

But what should change? Four things spring to mind.

1. First, dispense with environment statements, which are largely weighted to legacy investment.

2. Secondly, recognise more fully collaboration that leads to local benefit, strengthening places through impacts that contribute to levelling up.

3. Thirdly, give research culture issues priority, even if there is a challenge in how to assess them: it will be interesting to see if the current consultation produces workable, effective solutions.

4. Lastly, subject the research budgets distributed across government to the same scrutiny that Quality Related funding sees: some large sums are being spent in quite siloed ways, and the clarity would be refreshing.

And while all that is being fixed, give some thought to where responsibility for synoptic oversight of the whole of the UK research ecosystem is located.

While individuals and entities are doing a great job, there is perhaps more to do to create joined-up, unified purpose and coordinated execution.

RESEARCH AT NORTHUMBRIA

#TakeOnTomorrow

REF2021 HIGHLIGHTS AT A GLANCE The University more than tripled the number of its academics submitted the REF with 1,056 FTE staff submitted in 2021 (75% of the workforce) compared with 343 in 2014 (29% of the workforce)

Northumbria submitted 80 Impact Case Studies and more than 2,000 research outputs across 13 subject areas

Northumbria recorded the biggest rise in research power ranking of any UK university

Together with Newcastle and Durham universities, Northumbria has created a Northern Research Powerhouse – having the largest city-area concentration of researchers outside London

Engineering is ranked 25th in the UK for research power

Architecture, Built Environment and Planning is ranked 11th in the UK for research power

Geography and Environmental Studies at Northumbria is ranked 2nd for research power in the UK, second only to Oxford

Business and Management is ranked 9th in the UK for research power

Law is ranked 7th in the UK for research power Northumbria ranked in the top 10 for research power in seven of the 13 areas entered and is in the top 26 in all areas

Northumbria’s research in Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy is ranked 8th in the UK for research power

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy’s research environment has the highest possible rating of 100%

Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience is ranked 15th in the UK for research power

Computer Science and Informatics is ranked 12th in the UK for research power

Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation at Northumbria is ranked 5th in the UK for research power

English at Northumbria is ranked 21st in the UK for research power

Art and Design at Northumbria is ranked 4th in the UK for research power

Social Work and Policy is ranked 3rd in the UK for research power

History is ranked in the top 10 for research output quality

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Discover more about research at Northumbria www.northumbria.ac.uk/research

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Space expertise brings £1.3m big data science boost With the Government keen to make the UK a leader in artificial intelligence and data science, Northumbria University will now be playing a leading role in creating the next generation of highly-skilled data scientists.

Northumbria’s world-leading expertise, combined with the North East’s reputation as a major hub for space, data science and the digital industries, has been recognised with the announcement of a £1.3 million award from the Science and Technology Facilities Council to fund a new Centre for Doctoral Training in the field of data intensive science.

Known as NUdata, the centre will be run by Northumbria and Newcastle Universities and supported by over 40 industrial partners across a range of sectors within the region, UK and across the globe. These partners include Amazon’s Alexa, the BBC, Britishvolt, GlaxoSmithKline, Marks and Spencer, the Met Office, the National Audit Office, Northumbrian Water, Ordnance Survey, Procter & Gamble, Tesco, and the World Food Programme – all of which rely heavily on big data to deliver their services.

Students at NUdata will receive a strong foundation in computational and data science techniques, machine learning, deep learning algorithms and big data challenges based on astronomy-related data. They will then move on to a six-month placement with one of the many business partners, giving them the skills required to work either in industry or

academia following graduation.

Professor James McLaughlin, Head of Northumbria’s Solar and Space Physics research group, led the bid to create the centre. He explained: “Businesses are absolutely reliant on big data to succeed, and so industrial involvement is at the heart of this new Centre for Doctoral Training.

In designing these new PhDs, we have made a deliberate effort to work with a range of companies from household names, large multinationals, government-type organisations and local SMEs. Given the city’s reputation for the data and digital sectors, we hope that this Centre for Doctoral Training will provide a key contribution to the levelling up agenda and put the UK at the forefront of artificial intelligence and the data revolution.”

Northumbria and Newcastle Universities have a long-established practice of working collaboratively for the benefit of people living in the city and beyond. NUdata is one

of several joint Centres for Doctoral Training between the two, including the successful ONE Planet and ReNU centres which are creating a new generation of specialists in global change and renewable energy. This partnership approach has been strengthened even further through the Collaborative Newcastle Universities Agreement (CNUA) which brings together the collective power, expertise, and world-leading research of both universities to support the health, wealth and wellbeing of people living in Newcastle and beyond.

Northumbria University is now ranked 12th in the UK for research power in the field of computer science and informatics, with more than 80% of research rated as being world-leading or internationally excellent.

“BUSINESSES ARE ABSOLUTELY RELIANT ON BIG DATA TO SUCCEED, AND SO INDUSTRIAL INVOLVEMENT IS AT THE HEART OF THIS NEW CENTRE FOR DOCTORAL TRAINING.”

For more information or to apply for a PhD, visit the research.northumbria. ac.uk/nudata

DISCOVER MORE

PROFESSOR JAMES MCLAUGHLIN

www.northumbria.ac.uk/nudata

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Northumbria University NEWS • Summer 2022

The Conversation is an independent source of news and views, written by the academic and research community and delivered direct to the public.

At Northumbria, our academics have been working with The Conversation to produce quality current affairs journalism on some of the latest topics to hit the news.

Calling all academics! If you have a great idea for an article, the Communications team at Northumbria can help you pitch it to The Conversation. Please email media.communications@northumbria.ac.uk

HERE ARE SOME OF OUR TOP PICKS OF RECENTLY PUBLISHED ARTICLES

Boeing: why the Ukraine crisis could help it become the world’s number one aircraft maker again

Ukrainian Heroes Street: the ideology behind street name changes

Boeing has been plagued with problems in recent years but things may be about to improve. Joseph Mellors, Associate Lecturer in Management, discusses how the crisis in Ukraine may help the company to prosper once again.

Across Eastern Europe, the addresses of Russian embassies are being changed to protest the war in Ukraine, but this occurs more often than you would think.

Seraphim Alvanides, Associate Professor of Architecture and Built Environment, explains the significance behind how we name our city streets.

Conger ice shelf has collapsed: what you need to know, according to experts

Bitcoin: Greenpeace says a code change could slash cryptocurrency energy use – here’s why it’s not so simple

On March 15th, 2022, the Conger ice shelf, a floating platform the size of Rome, broke off into the ocean. Hilmar Gudmundsson, Professor of Glaciology and Adrian Jenkins, Professor of Ocean Science, discuss the global impact.

Campaign groups such as Greenpeace argue that the large climate impact of bitcoin can be solved with a simple change of code. Dr Peter Howson, Senior Lecturer in International Development, explains why this switch is unlikely to occur.

Find out more about The Conversation, and keep up to date with articles by Northumbria academics, by visiting theconversation.com or visiting our online newsroom at northumbria.ac.uk/news

Northumbria Professor appointed as special adviser to Select Committee A Professor of Environmental Geography and Planning has been appointed as the sole special adviser to the House of Lords Select Committee investigating land use in England.

With increased demands for land for housing, infrastructure, agriculture and forestry, as well as a need to tackle climate change and support nature and biodiversity, land use is currently facing a huge range of challenges.

A Select Committee inquiry, How should we respond to increasing

demands on land? is considering how these demands will evolve over time. One of the UK’s leading experts on nature and sustainable land use, Professor Alister Scott will provide the Select Committee with specialist advice over the structure and content of the inquiry, which is due to report

at the end of this year. Professor Scott’s research focuses on finding new ways to improve policy and decision making across built and natural environments where land use is a core component.

Lord Cameron of Dillington, Chair of the Committee on Land Use in England, said: “This comes

at a time when the country is going through great change following the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the effects of Brexit and related new environmental and farming policies, and the impact of social and technological change.

We are keen to find solutions to all these challenges and to ensure

we can use land sustainably and effectively over both the long and short term.”

The strength of Northumbria’s research in the field of Geography and Environmental studies was recognised in the recent Missed amend - change to Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, where the University was ranked 2nd for research power in the UK. Find out more about research at Northumbria at www. northumbria.ac.uk/ref2021

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Using research knowledge to drive down business costs Academics from a Northumbria University research group believe businesses they collaborate with can make multi-million pound cost savings by recognising weaknesses and understanding how innovation can drive efficiency and productivity.

A research group, led by Dr Alireza Shokri from Northumbria’s Newcastle Business School, has focused specifically on small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the supplychain industry.

Based on their research, the academics share knowledge and skills with SMEs across the UK and beyond. They also work closely with organisations such as the Advanced Manufacturing Forum (AMF), Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply and Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and Chartered Quality Institute.

In one recent example the research group formed a strategic partnership with NBT Group, a North East based supply chain solution company, and Senseye Ltd, which provides predictive machine maintenance solutions. The partnership included a feasibility study to gain in-depth understanding of the potential for optimising predictive maintenance and supply chain processes and to lay the groundwork for the development of more integrated systems.

Dr Shokri, Associate Professor in Operations and Supply Chain Management, said the partnership with NBT and Senseye addressed one of the grand challenges in the

“BUSINESSES ARE CONTINUALLY LOOKING TO INCREASE PROFITS AND ARE SO OFTEN CAUGHT UP IN DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS, THEY DO NOT PAUSE TO ADDRESS COSTLY INEFFICIENCIES.” DR ALIREZA SHOKRI

UK Government’s Industrial Strategy around the artificial intelligence (AI) and datadriven economy. He explained: “The feasibility study had a particular emphasis on maximising supply chain efficiency, processes and productivity. Understanding the impact technology can have in this area is crucial – knowledge we now seek to share with SMEs. “Brexit and Covid-19 have highlighted the cracks that exist within supply chains and the urgent need to address any weakness. Our in-depth research into supply chains and operations management, has shown how continuous improvement or incremental improvement through knowledge and innovation can streamline operations and processes. This has allowed us to predict the potential for those companies we have worked with to save millions of pounds over an eight-year period - and we

now want to help many others.”

Dr Shokri adds: “Businesses are continually looking to increase profits and are so often caught up in day-to-day operations, they do not pause to address costly inefficiencies.

Having access to supply chain improvement tools and advancements such as AI is game-changing, not least due to its ability to mitigate risk, for example, pre-empting machinery breakdown.”

The Newcastle Business School research group has also just put forward a new Innovate UK funding application for a project in partnership with NBT Group and broader partners in different sectors. If successful, it will lead to a feasibility study focusing on energy and resource efficiency and carbon emission reduction.

Academics have also worked within the German financial sector, promoting innovation in its supplier relationships, resulting in an estimated £10m

worth of business growth. They have also facilitated a funded project involving 10 UK-based manufacturers leading to a shift towards sustainable, efficient and top-quality processes with an estimated £8m cost-saving collectively.

As part of its ambition to promote the role of continuous improvement for manufacturing SMEs, the group is closely aligned to trade bodies which identify supply chain issues, such as AMF. As a result, it has recently undertaken a research project to support the Northern Power House with a more innovative approach of focusing on the role of continuous improvement in manufacturing SMEs in Northern England.

Highlighting the importance of continual improvement for manufacturing SMEs, Richard Swart, chair of collaborative partner AMF, adds: “Supply chain and operations inefficiencies cause

widescale disruption within manufacturing and are one of the biggest and most costly downfalls our sector faces.

The AMF is well aware of the research at Newcastle Business School and the opportunities available to SMEs that connect with the academics to gain significant knowledge on how to increase business productivity and efficiency.”

In the recent Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, Business and Management at Northumbria’s Newcastle Business School is ranked 9th in the UK for research power – up 51 places on REF2014 and the largest rise in the sector.

For more information on collaborating with Newcastle Business School, visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/nbs

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk.uk/nbs

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Northumbria University NEWS • Summer 2022

Fashion through the decades The rich history of Newcastle’s flagship department store, Fenwick, has been brought to life in an exhibition supported by fashion educators and students from Northumbria University, in time for the store’s 140th anniversary.

Tracing the roots of the business back to 1882, when John James Fenwick opened a shop as a ladies’ tailor and mantle maker in Newcastle, the Fenwick Exhibition 140 showcases the people, places and products that built the iconic brand which now trades from nine outlets, including Newcastle, York and London.

Research conducted by Senior Lecturers in Fashion at Northumbria, Emma Jane Goldsmith and Kristen Pickering, and supported by alumni researcher Molly Nixon, resulted in the compilation of a digital timeline of historic events from the 1890s onwards. To support the research process, the team were granted access to the private Fenwick family archive, housed at Newcastle’s Discovery Museum.

Details were uncovered of influential patronesses – young women in society who possibly met at Fenwick whilst attending fittings with the store’s talented tailors – who influenced stylish and innovative clothing for their quickly evolving lifestyles during what was a time of great social change. Their stories, combined with key moments in the history of Fenwick, have provided inspiration for second year student fashion designers to create their own capsule collections of clothing, printed textiles and knitwear, inspired by each decade.

The timeline, information uncovered during the research, and the creations of nine Northumbria students form part of the exhibition, which sits alongside a new themed restaurant called Café 140.

The quality of research conducted within Northumbria School of Design and Department of Arts

Above: The entrance to Exhibition 140 at Fenwick Newcastle. Image

by Emily Tanner Right: Clothing created by students and inspired by the past is on display. Image by Maddie Gunson

Above: Some of the Northumbria staff and students with work included in Exhibition 140. L-R: Holly Oliver-Newman, Olivia Eplett, Senior Lecturers Emma Jane Goldsmith and Kristen Pickering, Sophie Dodds, Taima Castor and Emma Athroll. was recognised in the recent Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 showing Northumbria University with the biggest rise in research power ranking of any UK university. Art and Design at Northumbria was ranked 4th in the UK for research power.

Emma Jane said: “The Fashion team at Northumbria feel extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to work with the meticulously preserved, private Fenwick family archive, looked after by Tyne & Wear Archives.

This journey has enabled us to view the original documents of this historical, family-owned department store and through our trained eyes as fashion educators and designers, we have identified, synthesised, and extracted the hidden gems of data from 1890s onwards and used it as a starting point for several creative student projects.

“Second year BA Fashion students adapted very quickly to

(L-R) Leo Fenwick and Store Director, Kieran McBride, with the garments created by students at Exhibition 140. Image by Maddie Gunson working in the fashion studios and workshops, converting creative design development into contemporary fashion garments, printed textiles, and knitwear, engaging with the same skills and processes as J.J. Fenwick has done for decades.”

Folders of original pamphlets promoting sales at Fenwick between the 1890s and 1930s, kept in the University Library, have been released on a special long-term loan so they can feature in the exhibition. The project has been a partnership between Northumbria’s BA Fashion programme, Fenwick and Tyne & Wear Archives – the organisation which now preserves the impressive archive of documents which record the heritage of the Fenwick brand.

Kristen explained: “The contemporary fashion garments, printed textiles and knitwear chosen to appear in the exhibition, demonstrate how designers can take original research and, through their imagination, reinterpret it into forward-thinking designs relevant for today’s Fenwick customer. They represent part of a bigger body of work that BA Fashion students, across all levels, participated in during the first semester of 2021.”

Alongside the garments in the exhibition, student portfolios also feature to provide a window into some of the creative design and manufacturing process used, with each project relating to a specific decade and linking closely with the original Fenwick family archive.

An accompanying film gives an

overview of the entire project and Exhibition 140 will remain open daily throughout the rest of 2022.

Leo Fenwick, Head of Brand at Fenwick, said: “We are very proud to be working with students from Northumbria University who have so brilliantly interpreted fashion through the decades. Fenwick has always sought after and nurtured local talent from across our communities which truly speaks to the heart of the brand.”

Visit Northumbria’s Vimeo channel to view a video of the exhibition: www.vimeo.com/northumbriauni

DISCOVER MORE www.northumbria.ac.uk/fashion

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Academics from Northumbria’s School of Design are helping to establish a facility capable of designing and constructing traditional boats using the plastic waste which makes its way into our seas each year.

Senior Lecturer Simon ScottHarden and Senior Technician Johnny Hayes recently visited Lamu, an island close to the northern coast of Kenya, to help set up the new Heritage Boat Building Training Centre. With the help of a grant from UK Aid - a programme which supports small and medium sized civil society organisations (CSOs) to achieve sustained poverty reduction – they worked alongside colleagues at the FlipFlopi Project as well as the local community, to establish the centre which will use indigenous knowledge and skills to transform single use plastics into traditional sailing vessels.

The Flipflopi Project was co-founded by Northumbria Alumnus, Ben Morison and two Kenyans, Ali Skanda and Dipesh Pabari. Now a major contributor towards tackling climate change within the East African economy, the project runs education programmes and innovation hubs to help generate public and policy engagement on reducing plastic waste.

Simon, an expert in product and material design, first became involved in the Flipflopi Project in 2017, when he supported the Lamu community to create a traditional dhow sailing boat made from plastic waste and over 30,000 discarded flip flops collected from the coast of Kenya.

“The UK Aid grant is a major step forward and there’s such potential for this closed-loop model of using waste plastics to create traditional sailing vessels to be widely replicated in coastal communities all over the world,” explained Simon.

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Turning the tide on plastic pollution

Below: The Flipflopi dhow.

Image by Umber Studios.

OUR VISION IS TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION CENTRE FOR RECOVERING AND RECYCLING WASTE PLASTICS THAT BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY AND RETAINS OUR INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE OF DHOWBUILDING IN THE PROCESS. ALI SKANDA, CO-FOUNDER OF THE FLIPFLOPI PROJECT

“It’s about tackling pollution and keeping some of the traditional boat making skills alive. We have been working to get a production line up and running for recycling the plastics and certifying the material which comes off it to demonstrate that it’s a viable alternative to locally sourced timber and reducing the environmental impact.

“What the end result will be is a fully online recycling centre based in Lamu and run by local Kenyans where we can process tonnes of plastic a day to turn it into new parts for buildings, construction and traditional sailing dhows, alongside a centre for heritage skills to keep the dying art of traditional dhow building alive.”

The funding from UK Aid is phase one of the five-year Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution (SMEP) programme, implemented in partnership with the United Nations

Below: Plastic waste sorting at Lamu material recovery centre, Kenya.

Image by Umber Studios.

(L-R) Senior Technician Johnny Hayes and Senior Lecturer, Simon Scott-Harden, have been helping establish a new Heritage Boat Building Training Centre with the Flipflopi Project.

Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD), which supports innovative solutions to prevent manufacturing and plastics pollution from being released into the environment.

Ali Skanda, one of the cofounders of The Flipflopi Project, said: “Without any proper waste management systems in the remote island communities, we have been forced to take our own action on plastic pollution. Our vision is to create a sustainable innovation centre for recovering and recycling waste plastics that benefits the community

and retains our indigenous knowledge of dhow-building in the process.”

The Flipflopi Project and consortium partners, including Northumbria University, CORDIO East Africa and the University of Portsmouth, are now gearing up for phase two which will see further development of the research and design for boat building.

This will also include curriculum development for the Heritage Boat Building training centre and establishing a centralised

collection system for waste plastics across the Lamu Archipelago.

Northumbria is ranked 4th in the UK for research power in Art and Design.

Find out more about the impact of our work with The Flipflopi Project, tackling plastic pollution, by visiting www. northumbria.ac.uk/Flipflopi

DISCOVER MORE www.theflipflopi.com

Summer 2022 • northumbria.ac.uk

Issue 26

Varsity returns to bring city’s student athletes together

Skills were on display in the women’s long jump

STUDENTS FIERCELY COMPETING IN THE WOMEN’S LACROSSE MATCH.

Whether competing or cheering, Northumbria and Newcastle University students came together for an event of fun and friendly competition.

Students and staff from both universities have been celebrating the success of Varsity 2022.

The inaugural event was the first tournament to take place between sports teams at the two institutions since the Stan Calvert Cup, an annual sporting competition between Northumbria and Newcastle and one of Britain’s biggest inter-city varsity events, ended its 25-year run in 2018.

Varsity seeks to encourage all students to take part in the sports competition in some way, whether competing, supporting or just enjoying the events. It fosters an inclusive culture of sport, fitness, and wellbeing in the city, while also giving students the wider opportunity to engage with their university teams, show their support or get involved in sport activities within their local learning communities. It is an important and valuable part of the wider student experience, helping

to create a sense of community and belonging.

This year saw the newly formatted, student-led competition expand the opportunity for all sports club teams from both universities to get involved – not matter what level.

Northumbria Students’ Union, Northumbria Sport and Newcastle University’s Athletic Union, collaborated to build the tournament using student feedback from both institutions on what they would like to see following the gap in opportunity for inter-university competition since the end of Stan Calvert and as a direct result of the pandemic.

Pro Vice-Chancellor for

Education, Graham Wynn said: “It was fantastic to see the rebirth of a Varsity competition in the city. We were delighted to see the Students’ Union and Northumbria Sport working together in partnership to deliver such an exciting programme of events to really boost the student experience. I would like to congratulate everyone involved for providing such a memorable competition, which really boosted the spirits of our University.”

Vice President of Sport, Emma Collier: “This competition really brought a sense of community to Northumbria’s campus – so many students showed up in support of the University’s sports teams. It is

so rewarding for the students, the University and the city of Newcastle to have these sporting events take place each summer, promoting athletics and fitness all in the name of friendly competition. I am so proud to have been their Vice President of Sport this year and help to bring it all back for them.”

The tournament saw spirited performances from both universities with Newcastle just winning the competition with the final total scores 60.75 points for Newcastle and 50.25 for Northumbria.

For more information on upcoming events, follow Northumbria Sport on Twitter at @NorthUniSport

DISCOVER MORE northumbriasport.com

“IT IS SO REWARDING FOR THE STUDENTS, THE UNIVERSITY AND THE CITY OF NEWCASTLE TO HAVE THESE SPORTING EVENTS TAKE PLACE EACH SUMMER, PROMOTING ATHLETICS AND FITNESS ALL IN THE NAME OF FRIENDLY COMPETITION.” NORTHUMBRIA’S VICE PRESIDENT SPORT, EMMA COLLIER

www.northumbria.ac.uk