青瓜视频淧aul青瓜视频檚 book offers a profound insight into his experiences, challenges and triumphs, serving as a beacon of inspiration for people facing similar obstacles 青瓜视频� we are proud he chose The University of Manchester to be the place where he launches his book,青瓜视频� said Professor Jackie Carter.

青瓜视频淚 run the Disabled Staff Network and Disabled PGR group, and it is amazing how far the University has progressed in the past two years in its mission to promote disability inclusion and empowerment,青瓜视频� said Laura Howard. 青瓜视频淲hat people like Jackie Carter, Kathy Bradley and Melissa Westwood have achieved in that time is mind-blowing - they've managed to raise the profile of disability so much that we now get departments coming to us to seek feedback on ways they can improve.青瓜视频�

For more information about The University of Manchester's initiatives in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, visit the .

青瓜视频淭he AHRC doctoral landscape awards provide flexible funding to allow universities to build on existing excellence in research and opportunities for innovation across the arts and humanities,青瓜视频� said AHRC Executive Chair Professor Christopher Smith. 青瓜视频淭hey will support the development of talented people and, alongside our other doctoral schemes, contribute to a vibrant, diverse and internationally-attractive research and innovation system.青瓜视频�

Further details on the studentships will be announced in due course.

The researchers stress the importance of combining global efforts to reduce emissions with localised strategies to adapt land management practices and safeguard ecosystems.

The University of Derby青瓜视频檚 Dr Kirsten Lees, who is also co-author of the report, added: 青瓜视频淧eatland resilience is an important area of research, as these ecosystems store vast amounts of carbon alongside providing a range of other services. Restoration of areas which are in poor condition is key to protecting these carbon stores. Our research shows that future changes in climate are a vital consideration when planning restoration projects, to ensure that work is targeted towards areas where peatlands can thrive.青瓜视频� 

Developed by the Institute青瓜视频檚 eight Productivity Forums across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, the regional agenda builds on its . It calls for better alignment of national pro-productivity policies, including investment, innovation, skills, trade, and foreign direct investment, with those of regional bodies and local authorities. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for coordination and selectiveness on the implementation of the industrial strategy and devolution deals.

The report emphasises the importance of scaling up powers for local authorities, particularly (Mayoral) Combined Authorities, to enact pro-productivity policies and align their growth strategy with the national Industrial Strategy and other initiatives to strengthen productivity and growth in the UK.

The Productivity Institute researchers find that while there has been some narrowing of productivity gaps between regions in recent years, this is partly due to improved performance in regions like the South East, North West, North East, and Northern Ireland, and partly due to a decline in productivity in London, a trend worsened by the pandemic.

Andy Westwood, policy director of The Productivity Institute said: 青瓜视频溓喙鲜悠禈The national industrial strategy involves choices between places as well as sectors and that might involve scaling up in some rather than others depending on the clusters and their growth potential. Co-ordination might also seek to align planning and housing, including the location of new towns, with places that are most in need of human capital, for example in second tier cities.青瓜视频�

The launch of the Regional Productivity Agenda, which is built on eight reports offering a detailed overview of productivity developments and policy recommendations for each region and devolved nation, coincides with this year青瓜视频檚 National Productivity Week from January 27 to January 31. It will run a series of regional events held to discuss the productivity challenges holding back the UK青瓜视频檚 regions and how to address them

The week青瓜视频檚 events will see high profile policymakers, academics, business leaders and local politicians debate regional productivity disparities, the role of the public and private sectors in driving productivity growth, best-practice management skills and working practices, and technology.

National Productivity Week has been organised by The Productivity Institute, a public-funded research body headquartered at the University of Manchester. It was established in 2020 to address the UK青瓜视频檚 long-held productivity challenges that have been prevalent for almost two decades. Between 2009 and 2019, Britain青瓜视频檚 productivity growth rate was the second slowest in the G7. In 2024 output per hour worked was about 10 percent below the average for France and Germany and almost 20 percent below the level in the United States.

The study argues that these tactics distract from the urgent need to upgrade ageing infrastructure, much of which was built in the 20th century. The companies - 70 per cent of which are owned by foreign investors - have reportedly distributed 青瓜视频76 billion to shareholders since privatisation in 1989, while building up over 青瓜视频56 billion in debt and neglecting vital upgrades.

青瓜视频淭hese companies have adopted a playbook of denial, deflection, and distraction, similar to other major polluting industries, to protect profits at the expense of the environment and public health青瓜视频� added Professor Alex Ford from the University of Portsmouth. 

The paper calls for stricter regulation of industry communications to combat greenwashing and misinformation, and urges policymakers to prioritise transparency to safeguard water security in the face of climate change. The authors also highlight the need for greater investment in sustainable solutions, such as restoring wetlands, alongside modernising sewerage systems. 

青瓜视频淭he financial exploitation of water resources in England raises globally important issues around water security and environmental stewardship,青瓜视频� added Professor Woodward. 青瓜视频淭here needs to be much more careful scrutiny of water company communications and of the organisations and individuals responsible for environmental management.青瓜视频�

The 2024 general election was the first in the UK青瓜视频檚 history to be run under a system of voter ID. When heading to the polling station, people could only vote if they proved their identity first. This was the result of a law brought in in 2023 and that had already applied to local elections in England that year.

Using data from the , we tracked people eligible to vote between 2023 and 2024 and that 5% of people eligible to vote 青瓜视频� nearly 2 million people 青瓜视频� didn青瓜视频檛 own any recognised voter identification. This lack of ID was concentrated among poorer and less educated voters.

Of course, lacking photographic ID is not necessarily a permanent state. Some people will have been in the process of renewing passports and driving licences during this period. All of these people would also have been eligible for a voter authority certificate, a form of identification brought in with the new law 青瓜视频� although we found take up of these was low.

We found that around 0.5% of all voters reported being turned away at polling stations as a result of lacking ID in the local elections of 2023. We also found that four times as many people (around 2%) reported not voting because they knew they didn青瓜视频檛 have the right ID.

The equivalent figures were slightly lower at the general election of 2024, but a meaningful contingent still did not participate. Around 1.3% of electors 青瓜视频� or over half a million people 青瓜视频� were turned away or didn青瓜视频檛 show up at all because of voter identification requirements.

While administrative records can provide accurate numbers about how many people were turned away at the polling station, they tell us little about people who were discouraged from even trying to vote because they didn青瓜视频檛 have the right ID. So it is clear from our analysis that the impact of voter ID on turnout is likely larger than previous estimates based on polling station returns.

Who benefits?

We also found that the Conservatives were more likely to benefit from the voter ID law than other parties.

This is not surprising when we consider demographic factors. , Conservative voters are more likely to own ID, because they are more likely to be older and more affluent. Despite changes in social patterns of party support since the 2016 Brexit referendum, this pattern still holds true.

The types of identification which are allowed under the new law 青瓜视频� and especially the decision to allow older people but not younger people to use travel passes 青瓜视频� exacerbates these differences.

Who didn青瓜视频檛 have ID? 

The chart above shows the percentage lacking photo ID by general election vote intention, as measured in May 2023 (lighter bars) and May 2024 (shaded bars), shortly before the general election was called.

In 2024, only 2.4% of Conservative supporters were likely to not have photo ID, while 3.8% of Labour supporters and 4.1% of Reform supporters were lacking.

One notable difference is an increase in Liberal Democrats and non-voters with no photo identification in 2024, although this is almost entirely due to a change in the number of people supporting the Liberal Democrats or deciding not to vote rather than changes in people青瓜视频檚 actual ownership of ID.

Liberal Democrat voters had the lowest proportion of supporters without voter ID in 2023 (1.3%), but in 2024, the Liberal Democrat rate exceeded that of the Conservatives (2.9%).

There are still opportunities to posed by voter ID. Ahead of the next election the new government should extend the forms of identification allowed (especially for those younger than state pension age).

Improving public awareness around the law and the availability of voter authority certificates is another important step. There are also suggestions that a system of who don青瓜视频檛 have voter ID would be an option.

In an electorate of 49 million, if almost two million aren青瓜视频檛 able to vote because they don青瓜视频檛 have the right ID, there is a problem. Those interested in building trust in our democracy should consider not only minimising electoral fraud but reducing this number by as much as possible.

, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in Politics, and , Professor of Social and Political Science, and Principal Investigator of the British Election Study,

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

青瓜视频�This lecture series honours him and marks a deepening relationship between our University and leading human rights barristers青瓜视频� chambers Garden Court North,青瓜视频� said Professor Eithne Quinn. 青瓜视频淒avid delivering the first lecture highlights his decades of investigations and reporting on the Hillsborough families' justice campaign. This event will expose the urgent need for the landmark 青瓜视频楬illsborough Law青瓜视频� and raise vital questions about legal reform.青瓜视频�

青瓜视频�Mark was many things 青瓜视频� a radical barrister, formidable advocate, opponent of the death penalty, lifelong socialist, student of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic Studies at Cambridge, and Chelsea FC supporter 青瓜视频� but above all, a man of integrity, kindness, and wisdom," said Pete Weatherby KC from Garden Court Chambers. 青瓜视频滺e combined humanity with fierce intellectual commitment. Whether defending protesters or representing Hillsborough families, Mark gave everything to his clients."

青瓜视频�Mark is a much-missed friend and colleague, and I am glad that a lecture being held in his memory will highlight the importance of the Hillsborough Law - if was in place in 1989, the truth could not have been concealed. Those hiding it would have known they青瓜视频檇 be found out and prosecuted. This sophisticated bill has a clear purpose and should be urgently introduced.青瓜视频�

The event will take place at The University of Manchester青瓜视频檚 Alliance Manchester Business School, followed by a drinks reception and buffet open to all attendees. To register for a free ticket, .

"The online world offers immense opportunities for young people to connect and learn - ensuring they can do so in an environment which puts their safety first is my priority and will guide this government青瓜视频檚 action on online safety,青瓜视频� said Technology Secretary Peter Kyle. 青瓜视频淭his vital research will build a trusted evidence base for future action, helping us to protect and empower the next generation towards a safer and more positive digital future."

青瓜视频淥ur findings may also reflect Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky青瓜视频檚 recent public efforts to woo and flatter Trump as he takes the helm of Ukraine青瓜视频檚 most powerful ally,青瓜视频� added Henry Hale of George Washington University. 

Donald Trump has sparked controversy in the West with statements suggesting the US might scale back military support for Ukraine and focus on negotiating a peace deal, even if this compromises Ukraine青瓜视频檚 territorial integrity. These remarks have raised alarms in Kyiv and among NATO allies, as they potentially undermine Ukraine青瓜视频檚 ability to resist Russian aggression.

The study reveals that territorial integrity remains a non-negotiable priority for Ukrainians, with 57% agreeing that 青瓜视频渁ny peace agreement that does not restore the full territorial integrity of Ukraine is doomed to failure.青瓜视频� Despite Trump青瓜视频檚 claims of being a skilled negotiator, scepticism persists about whether his administration could achieve a deal acceptable to Ukraine and its Western allies.

The research underscores the delicate balance required to maintain Western unity in supporting Ukraine. As NATO and the EU closely monitor Trump青瓜视频檚 rhetoric, Ukraine remains steadfast in its demand for a peace deal that ensures sovereignty and territorial integrity.

青瓜视频淭he Ukrainian public青瓜视频檚 cautious optimism reflects a mix of hope and pragmatism,青瓜视频� Professor Onuch added. 青瓜视频淎s Trump and his new administration navigate these complex dynamics, the stakes for Ukraine and the West couldn青瓜视频檛 be higher.青瓜视频�

The study was published by the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, and is available to view .

That青瓜视频檚 according to a new peer-reviewed paper which is the latest to raise concerns about the competition青瓜视频檚 Owners' and Directors' Test 青瓜视频� colloquially known as the 青瓜视频楩it and Proper青瓜视频� test 青瓜视频� saying 青瓜视频渃omplex and opaque structures permit the misuse of EPL club ownership for the channelling of illicit finances青瓜视频�.

Criminology experts from The University of Manchester, who led the study, say their findings demonstrate 青瓜视频渃onditions which are known to be associated with the use of organisational structures for illicit activities in the ownership structures of many EPL clubs青瓜视频�.

Such conditions include the 青瓜视频渨idespread use of various legal entities and traditional 青瓜视频榮ecrecy青瓜视频� jurisdictions青瓜视频� that can hide who owners and investors are, as well as the presence of unnecessarily complex arrangements, and an absence of information on who all the owners actually are.

They state the current Owners青瓜视频� and Directors青瓜视频� Test does not do enough to prevent potential new owners and investors from withholding the source of their funds, 青瓜视频渨hich could be from illicit activities青瓜视频�.

The test, they state, also does not prevent investors from concealing 青瓜视频渢he nature of particular transactions, which could involve violations青瓜视频�, nor obscuring the 青瓜视频渁ctual investors or owners of clubs, who may be unscrupulous actors looking to conceal their illicit funds or intentions青瓜视频�.

Reporting in the journal , co-author Nicholas Lord, a Professor of Criminology at Manchester青瓜视频檚 School of Social Sciences, says these enabling conditions require further 青瓜视频渟crutiny by responsible regulators青瓜视频�.

青瓜视频淭he obscuring of transparency around the ownership chains and networks presents significant obstacles to regulators seeking to assess the suitability of individuals and owners for football club ownership.

青瓜视频淭he conditions of EPL (English Premier League) ownership structures in itself does not imply anything inappropriate is taking place, but these conditions make it possible for some people, who may be motivated to do so, to use ownership structures to obscure key information.

青瓜视频淭he conditions we found are known to be associated with the use of organisational structures for illicit activities, such as money laundering, and are reflected in the ownership structures of many EPL clubs.青瓜视频�

Co-author Dr Pete Duncan, who recently completed his PhD in the Department of Criminology, adds: 青瓜视频�12 of the 20 clubs have at least 10% of their holdings, which 青瓜视频� due to secrecy provisions 青瓜视频� cannot be formally traced back to their beneficial owners. 

The experts launched their study 青瓜视频渕otivated by recent concerns regarding links between football and illicit finance青瓜视频�.

They searched the academic literature to identify conditions regularly observed in cases of money laundering and illicit financial management. They then collected and analysed data from the ORBIS portal (a database of over 489 million companies from 170 sources) and the 2023/24 EPL Handbook to qualitatively determine whether club ownership structures 青瓜视频渟hared common conditions with structures which enable the management of illicit finance青瓜视频�. The aim was to examine whether conditions that are often present in cases of illicit financial flows could also generate 青瓜视频渢he potential for illicit financial management through EPL clubs青瓜视频�.

They also assessed the ownership structures of each club, noting down the number of corporate or other non-natural person entities in each club ownership chain; the incorporation of holding companies in non-UK jurisdictions; the number and types of different legal entities composing each club青瓜视频檚 organisational structure; and whether over 90% of holdings in each club could be attributed to natural persons. They then extracted the 青瓜视频榮ecrecy score青瓜视频� measure of the 2022 Financial Secrecy Index for each related jurisdiction used from the Tax Justice Network青瓜视频檚 (2022) webpage.

Findings demonstrate that Manchester United had the greatest number of legal entities in its ownership chain (13), followed by Crystal Palace and Manchester City (both 11).

Also, the experts found 14 clubs have at least one corporate entity in the structure incorporated overseas (including in Jersey). When considered proportionally, Bournemouth, Wolves and Liverpool are the clubs with the greatest proportions of their ownership structures made up of overseas-based corporate or other legal entities 青瓜视频� where most score relatively highly on the TJN青瓜视频檚 青瓜视频榮ecrecy score青瓜视频� scale.

青瓜视频淲hilst it might be understandable for an overseas beneficial owner to own an EPL club via a holding company incorporated in the overseas jurisdiction they reside in, the combined use of multiple secrecy jurisdictions and opaque entity types that ultimately result in the obscuring of true beneficial ownership is concerning,青瓜视频� adds Dr Duncan, whose PhD examined the nature, organisation, and regulation of variably illicit tax minimisation in UK professional football.

青瓜视频淭he use of these varied ownership mechanisms and structures makes it challenging to differentiate between sources of legal or illegal finances and wealth, whilst the creation of complex arrangements that are inherently legal and commercially plausible offers great scope to co-mingle both legal and illegal activities.

青瓜视频淚t is these structures that should be scrutinised most closely by regulators and other stakeholders.青瓜视频�

Professor Lord concludes: 青瓜视频淲hat is certain is that such complicated ownership structures are not strictly necessary to run a successful EPL club.

青瓜视频淢any structures do not simply extend beyond what is strictly necessary in a single dimension, but in fact combine multiple enabling conditions in the construction of seemingly anomalous structures青瓜视频�.

Whilst such structures and arrangements can be used for good reason in business, what should be a concern for football stakeholders and law enforcement, is that the seemingly unnecessarily complex and opaque structures identified in this research could permit the misuse of EPL club ownership for the channelling of illicit finances.

青瓜视频淎ny exposure to illicit financial flows could seriously jeopardise the futures of clubs, which would have serious negative consequences for those most attached to these very important institutions.

青瓜视频淔urthermore, opaque ownership structures make it difficult for football regulators to ensure that regulations regarding multi-club ownership are being complied with.青瓜视频�

Dr Duncan and Professor Lord recommend that future regulation involves mapping the structures of teams to identify conditions that are susceptible to misuse.

They also suggest further research on the topic, such as to analyse in what ways football club ownership structures have been misused for illicit financial flows, and how these behaviours are organised.

One limitation of their paper is that extracted ownership data originated from varying financial years, meaning some were not 青瓜视频榣ive青瓜视频�.

The Bezos Earth Fund - established by Amazon青瓜视频檚 founder and former CEO Jeff Bezos in 2020 - is dedicated to supporting efforts that combat climate change and protect nature. With a $10 billion commitment, the fund seeks to drive innovative solutions, catalyse new technologies and promote systemic change to preserve the planet for future generations.

The Bezos Earth Fund announced the $1m Ideation Prize to Accelerate Greenhouse Gas Removal Technology in January 2024, as part of the Fund青瓜视频檚 broader Greenhouse Gas Removal initiative. The Prize, as managed by the Experiment Foundation, received more than 700 submissions from around the world. The University of Manchester's project 青瓜视频� was chosen as one of the 13 winning proposals.

For more information, please visit the .

青瓜视频淕ary Younge青瓜视频檚 ability to probe complex issues with humanity, depth and wit is unparalleled,青瓜视频� said Professor Claire Alexander, Head of the School of Social Sciences at The University of Manchester. 青瓜视频淲e are thrilled to see his remarkable contributions to journalism recognised on this global stage.青瓜视频�

Professor Younge will be formally presented with the award at a ceremony in New York City later this year. 

青瓜视频淲e look forward to a year of events, exhibitions and celebration as we mark the Library青瓜视频檚 birthday at the same time as we complete the latest investment by the University; John Rylands Next Chapter will provide new meeting spaces, digital imaging facilities and world-class exhibitions spaces for everyone to enjoy,青瓜视频� Professor Pressler added. 青瓜视频淚 look forward to welcoming everyone to our great Library in 2025.青瓜视频�

Launching the Rylands青瓜视频� new special exhibition gallery, The Secret Public examines the importance and influence of LGBTQ performers, artists and activists on mainstream popular culture. Inspired by the recently published book, The Secret Public: how LGBTQ performers shaped popular culture 1955 to 1979 by Jon Savage, the exhibition presents over 100 key pieces from his extensive collection of archive and research materials which form part of the British Pop Archive housed at the Rylands.

The Secret Public foregrounds the artists, public figures, social issues and political discourse from within which a lasting creative explosion happened and which is still felt today. The exhibition extends the date range of the book through to 1985.

Jon Savage, author and Professor of Popular Culture at The University of Manchester said: 青瓜视频淭hese materials have been collected over a 40-year period and represent one of the largest private Queer archives in the country. I am very pleased to announce that they are now held within the British Pop Archive.青瓜视频�

May



The School of Social Sciences launched a new scholarship in May in memory of Politics, Philosophy and Economics graduate Laura Nuttall, who sadly passed away in 2023 after a long battle against cancer. In keeping with Laura青瓜视频檚 dedication to helping others, and with the collaboration and support of Laura青瓜视频檚 family, the School will award an eligible student from a less privileged background with a physical condition, long term illness or learning difference with a scholarship of 青瓜视频3000 per year for every year of their degree. 

Also in May, the Faculty announced that it had secured 青瓜视频2.73 million to enhance its research and teaching capabilities in the critical areas of AI, trust and society. The funding is being matched by 青瓜视频2 million from the Faculty itself, and the investment will go towards appointing an interdisciplinary team of six senior lecturer or lecturer-level academics, six post-doctoral research associates and six PhD students. 

June



In June, Professor of Physical Geography Jamie Woodward was named as one of the most impactful environmental professionals in the UK in The ENDS Report Power List. The annual report names 100 UK environmental professionals who have made the greatest impact in the past two years, with Professor Woodward one of the 10 academics identified as shaping the science on environmental issues. He was one of the earliest academics to raise awareness about the issue of widespread discharges of untreated sewage into UK rivers and waterways, and he has worked tirelessly to expose this scandal, engaging policymakers across Parliament and local government to ensure water companies are held to account for their illegal practices. 

In the same month Programme Director for MA Screenwriting Jonathan Hourigan won the Grand Jury Award for the International Competition at Sheffield DocFest for his film 青瓜视频楢t the Door of the House Who Will Come Knocking青瓜视频� - the film follows an elderly man living in isolation in  Bosnia and Herzegovina, weaving together a tapestry of dreamlike visuals as it records the routines of his daily life.

July



July saw Steven Courtney, Professor of Sociology of Education and Director of Research at the Manchester Institute of Education, being given a major award in recognition of the enormous contribution he has made to educational knowledge, leadership and management throughout his career. Steven was given a Distinguished Service Award - the society青瓜视频檚 highest accolade 青瓜视频� by BELMAS, the leading global independent voice in education leadership. Winners of the award receive a lifetime membership, and are invited to join the Distinguished Service Award Advisory Board which meets twice a year to provide the society with insight and feedback in relation to their work.

Also this month, the University's Dr Ruth Lamont was appointed as the new Parliamentary Thematic Research Lead for Crime and Justice. She will be joining a cohort of 8 top researchers, selected by The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology and UK Research and Innovation, who will play a crucial role in bringing research and innovation to the forefront of Government decision-making. 

August



There was good news for the Faculty during the summer break, as eleven student teachers from The University of Manchester received the Primary Science Enhancement Award for Initial Teacher Education. Our students made up over 10% of the entire UK's winners, and after receiving the award, they are now able to start their careers with increased competence and confidence when teaching science and are equipped to take up future school leadership positions in science. 

September



The start of the new academic year was marked by the appointment of Professor Cecilia Wong as the new Chair of the UK2070 Commission, an independent inquiry into city and regional inequalities in the United Kingdom - has announced the appointment of Professor Cecilia Wong as its new Chair. Professor Wong - a distinguished academic and a Professor of Spatial Planning and Co-Director of Policy@Manchester - will bring a wealth of expertise and an exceptional track record in urban and regional development to the prestigious role.

The month also saw the launch of several major pieces of research into a range of subjects including shortcuts being taken by architects, teenage social media use and older people not claiming benefits - each of these stories gained widespread media coverage drawing attention to important societal issues.

October



October saw the naming of our 26th Nobel Laureate, as Manchester alumnus Simon Johnson was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for his groundbreaking research into understanding wealth disparities between different nations. Simon studied Economics at Manchester in the 1980s, and is now a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Also this month, the University inaugurated the Global Humanities Alliance, an initiative forged by eight international universities to raise the profile of humanities and social sciences across the globe. Academics from partner institutions gathered in person and online to mark the beginning of this collaborative effort at an inaugural meeting.  

November



The University announced a new 青瓜视频8 million research centre in November focused on equitable low-carbon living, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, which aims to address climate change challenges. The Centre for Joined Up Sustainability Transformations (JUST) will accelerate the understanding of a just transition by coordinating research into action at all levels of society.

The move of English National Opera to Manchester was also accompanied this month by the launch of a new partnership with the University which will invite the people of Greater Manchester to explore the opportunities for the artform, engage with new communities and discuss what it means to have an opera company based in our city region. 

December



The final month of the year saw Professor Claire Alexander being announced as this year青瓜视频檚 winner of the Distinguished Service to British Sociology Award, which is given to the outstanding individual who has contributed most to the discipline by leading an extraordinary life as a sociologist.

In December researchers at the Global Development Institute were also awarded with 青瓜视频1.3 million by the Ford Foundation to establish a research observatory studying the role land rights play in a just transition to a decarbonised future. A team of GDI researchers will lead the observatory青瓜视频檚 activities alongside co-investigators at the University of Ghana, the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and the Federal University of Par谩 in Brazil.. 

These stories reflect the Faculty's commitment to addressing global challenges through research, education and social responsibility.

Join inspiring speaker sessions and workshops, with highlights including AI marketing, personal branding, pitch competitions, and neurodivergence in entrepreneurship. Conclude the week with MEC青瓜视频檚 first-ever Startup Weekend, where you'll pitch ideas, form teams, and gain hands-on startup experience in just over two days. Learn, network, and accelerate your entrepreneurial journey!

Discover MEC青瓜视频檚 Global Entrepreneurship Week events:

Monday 18 November: Startup Spotlight with Dr Mehdi Boutagouga Boudjadja

17:00 - 18:30 | 2.008, AMBS |

Join MEC's Startup Spotlight with Dr. Mehdi Boutagouga Boudjadja, VFA23 Technology winner and Metofico Founder and CEO, in partnership with UoM Management Society.

Tuesday 19 November: AI as Your Marketing Partner: Driving Growth and Efficiency for Startups

11:00 - 13:30  |  3.013a/3.013b, AMBS |

Elevate your startup marketing in Peter Dickinson's AI workshop, blending 40+ years of expertise with cutting-edge tools for success.

Tuesday 19 November: Personal Branding 101

15:00 - 16:30 | 2A.012, Nancy Rothwell Building |

Boost your career with this workshop on crafting your personal brand, enhancing networking skills, and curating a strong digital presence.

Wednesday 20 November: Ready, Set, Pitch!

14:00 - 16:00 | 2.007, AMBS |

Join the audience for Ready, Set, Pitch! to watch early-stage student entrepreneurs pitch for prizes.

Thursday 21 November: Intro to Starting a Business - Steps to Starting

13:00 - 15:00 | Enterprise Zone (2.039), AMBS |

Gain the foundational knowledge to start your business or side hustle with this workshop on business models, customer focus, and defining your unique value.

Thursday 21 November: Neurodivergence & Entrepreneurship Workshop

14:00 - 15:30 | 3.2, Roscoe Building |

Hear from neurodiverse role models, gain insights for university success, and enhance your skills in this empowering workshop.

Friday 22 Nov, Saturday 23 Nov & Sunday 24 Nov: Startup Weekend

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The is the focal point for enterprise and entrepreneurship teaching, learning and startup support at The University of Manchester, supporting all University of Manchester students, staff and recent graduates, across all subject disciplines.

The University is one of 21 universities to receive the status by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) - the UK's lead technical authority on cyber security.

It is one of several initiatives outlined in the UK government青瓜视频檚 青瓜视频楶rotecting and promoting the UK in a digital world青瓜视频�, which describes how the government is working with academia and industry to make the UK more resilient to cyber attacks.

The scheme aims to enhance the quality and scale of academic cybersecurity research and postgraduate training being undertaken in the UK; make it easier for potential users of research to identify the best cybersecurity research and postgraduate training that the UK has to offer; and help to develop a shared vision and aims among the UK cybersecurity research community, inside and outside academia.

The Centre will be led by colleagues in the University青瓜视频檚 , which has a long history of world-leading cyber security research and will be directed by and co-directed by Professor Daniel Dresner and .

Nicholas Lord, Professor of Criminology at The University of Manchester, said: 青瓜视频淲e are very proud to be recognised as an Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research. Receiving this status is further recognition of our long-standing commitment to world-leading cyber security research and key to the realisation of our five-year research plan.

青瓜视频淥ur cyber security research has been a focal point for the University since founding our Digital Futures platform in 2018, with our sociotechnical approach to cyber security coming together recognisably in 2021 by the creation of our Centre for Digital Trust and Society - a truly unique Centre with a strong interdisciplinary nature.

青瓜视频淥ver the next five years we hope that we can use our ACE-CSR recognition to strengthen our collaborations with other ACEs and NCSC, as well as enhance our collaborations with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority with a view to integrating cyber security into the city region青瓜视频檚 business community.青瓜视频�

Professor Colette Fagan, Vice-President for Research at The University of Manchester, added: 青瓜视频淚 am thrilled that our University has been recognised as an Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research. This achievement, led by our Centre for Digital Trust and Security, underscores our commitment to pioneering cyber security research and innovation through interdisciplinary collaborative research. This approach and ambition is vital to ensure that the benefits of the rapid pace of technological change are developed in ways that ensure a safe and more secure digital world for our citizens and organisations.青瓜视频�

The University was required to show evidence of NCSC青瓜视频檚 tough standards to be considered, including: commitment from the University's leadership team to support and invest in the University's cyber security research capacity and capability; a critical mass of academic staff engaged in leading-edge cyber security research; a proven track record of producing high impact cyber security research; and sustained funding from a variety of sources to ensure the continuing financial viability of the research team's activities.

Chris Ensor, Deputy Director Cyber Growth at NCSC, said: 青瓜视频淚青瓜视频檓 delighted that 21 universities have been recognised as Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security Research, including four who have received the award for the first time. These recognitions are testament to the dedication of academics, support staff and senior management who have ensured that cyber security remains high on the university青瓜视频檚 agenda. And they demonstrate that the UK has a growing number of world-class universities carrying out cutting-edge research into all areas of cyber security. We very much look forward to working with them over the coming years to tackle the most difficult cyber security challenges.青瓜视频�

The Centre for Digital Trust and Society at The University of Manchester is one of few cyber and digital security and trust research centre in the UK led from social science, rather than a computer science or engineering department.

It focuses on barriers to, and enablers of, trust in digital and cyber technologies and has more than 80 active researchers affiliated to the Centre.

The Centre prides itself on its strong interdisciplinary engagement across the University and supports six multi-disciplinary research clusters: Trusted Digital Systems, Digital Technologies and Crime, Workplace and Organisational Security, Democracy and Trust, Privacy and Trust and Advanced Mathematics.

Dr Mustafa, Senior Lecturer in Systems and Software Security at The University of Manchester, said: 青瓜视频淲hile our cybersecurity research across the Department of Computer Science provides the fundamentals and foundations of our Centre青瓜视频檚 research, our social science academics provide the societal relevance and context: secure cyber and digital systems are grounded in everyday human behaviours and interactions. It is for this reason that we coordinate our sociotechnical cybersecurity research activities ensuring the people and social factors remain central. We do this by engaging in cross-cluster and cross-disciplinary research activities, realising our sociotechnical work through internally and externally funded research.青瓜视频�

Over the next five years, researchers will work on a wide range of projects from cyber security controls, building secure and safe (AI) software to counter threats, through understanding offending and victimisation of cybercrimes, to the application of cyber security research in development and industry, as well as the cyber risks to political-economic systems and organisational workplaces, and the need for data privacy and security.

The ACE-CSR will continue to hold strong national and international links - in particular - to work with its partners in the Greater Manchester Cyber Ecosystem and the wider North West Cyber Corridor.

Manchester made one of the largest and broadest REF submissions in the UK, entering 2,249 eligible researchers across 31 subject areas.

Overall, 93% of the University青瓜视频檚 research activity was assessed as 青瓜视频榳orld-leading青瓜视频� (4*) or 青瓜视频榠nternationally excellent青瓜视频�. We also ranked in 10th place in terms of grade point average², an improvement from 19^th in the previous exercise, REF 2014. 

The Times Higher Education places us even higher at 8^th on GPA (up from 17^th place), as their analysis excludes specialist HE institutions. This result was built upon a significant increase in research assessed as 青瓜视频榳orld leading青瓜视频� (4*) between REF 2014 and REF 2021.

Researchers from the University consistently make an important contribution to solving the world青瓜视频檚 most urgent problems, with the University ranking 9th in the world for delivering against the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. 

Examples of this impact highlighted in the REF include improving cancer treatment, reducing carbon emissions from shipping and aviation and shaping international development policy to reduce poverty.

Many of these case studies are now published on the University website. They provide examples of how University of Manchester research has made a positive contribution to society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment, quality of life and the economy - with benefits felt beyond academia.

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: "These comprehensive and independent results confirm Manchester's place as a global powerhouse of research.

青瓜视频淲e create an environment where researchers can thrive and exchange ideas. Most importantly, the quality and impact of our research is down to the incredible dedication and creativity of our colleagues who work every day to solve significant world problems, enrich our society and train the next generation of researchers.

青瓜视频淭he fact that our REF results are accompanied by examples of the real difference we青瓜视频檝e made in the world, all driven from this city makes me very proud.青瓜视频�

Detailed results have now been published on the University website. The University came in the top three nationally for the following subjects (Unit of Assessment by grade point average or research power): 

• Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy
• Business and Management Studies
• Chemistry
• Classics
• Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, Film and Screen Studies
• Development Studies
• Engineering
• Physics
• Sociology

The University had 19 subjects in the top ten overall by grade point average and 15 when measured by research power.

The REF exercise also evaluated the University青瓜视频檚 work to provide a creative, ambitious and supportive research environment, in which researchers at every career stage can develop and thrive as leaders in their chosen field. In this category, the University achieved a result of 99% internationally excellent or world leading, making it one of the best places in the country to build a research career.

¹ Research Power is calculated by grade point average, multiplied by the number of FTE staff submitted (FTE - full-time equivalent head count) and gives a measure of scale and quality. Grade Point Average (GPA) measures overall or average quality of research, which takes no account of the FTE submitted.

² Grade point average is a measure of the overall or average quality of research calculated by multiplying the percentage of research in each grade by its rating, adding them all together and dividing by 100.

Two students from have won the highest award possible at this year’s prestigious  in Dublin, Ireland.

Aayush Chadha and Stefan Pricopie were the Global Winners in the Engineering and Economics categories, respectively. They took home the for their academic research and presentations, while fellow University student Samanyou Garg was the Regional Winner in the Computer Science category.

Aayush won his award for his final year project, “BL!NK: Detecting, Analysing and Storing Eye Blinks”. He developed a system to detect and track eye blinking, with applications in monitoring Parkinson’s disease.

His work brings together his background in computer science, with elements of physics, health, and engineering. The senor was built using graphene, because “it is very conductive and very sensitive”, says Aayush. It was then connected to a data storage device, where the data could be processed to identify blink characteristics such as frequency.

Speaking about his project, Aayush said; “While the project had elements that directly applied knowledge of Computer Science, most of the work required a good understanding of the physics involved, which was something I had to build up as I went along.”

He added; “Thankfully, I had great support from my supervisory team, Prof Thomas Thomson and Dr Gregory Auton!”

Samanyou won his award for a project on facial recognition in groups of people. “Automatic facial emotion recognition is a challenging task that had gained significant scientific interest,” Samanyou explains, “but the problem of emotion recognition for a group of people has been less extensively studied.”

Samanyou’s project aimed to overcome some of the problems faced in group recognition, such as head and body pose variations, variable lighting conditions, and variable image quality. He used a dataset of more than 10,000 images to train recognition models, using a hybrid machine learning system that incorporated deep neural networks and Bayesian classifiers.

Remarking on the significance of his achievement, Aayush said; “The Undergraduate Award means a much more widespread recognition of the idea’s merit, and its potential to be useful in the future. For a long time, eye blinking wasn’t looked at actively as a potential biomarker for tracking Parkinson’s disease, something which may now change.”

Similarly, Samanyou said; “Receiving the Undergraduate Award is an absolute honour for me. Being recognised by UA for the work that I put in is so very special to me, as it means that my work had some meaningful impact and motivates me to work even harder.”

The students attended a three-day summit in Dublin, where they were presented with their awards, as well as the opportunity to network with other winners and nominees. “I was able to meet people working on similar subjects,” said Aayush, adding; “Not only did that allow me to look at some of the problems I encountered from another perspective, but it also meant that I now have valuable contacts to reach out to in case I want to collaborate, or understand something about my research topic that doesn’t exactly fall in the purview of my project.”

Samanyou said; “It was an amazing experience at the 3-day summit where I had the opportunity to meet and share research with some highly motivated and passionate people from around the world. The future felt far less daunting after hearing solutions to real-world problems from a multi-disciplinary perspective.

“I would also like to thank The University of Manchester and my supervisor Prof Angelo Cangelosi for their support and for making this trip possible.”

The summit also gave the students the chance to explore Dublin, where they found themselves “drinking Guinness and Jameson’s, dancing to Irish folk music and composing limericks”, says Aayush.

The full list of Undergraduate Award winners from the University is;

· Global Winner – Aayush Chadha (Engineering)

· Global Winner – Stefan Pricopie (Economics)

· Regional Winner – Samanyou Garg (Computer Science)

· Highly Commended – Andrej Ivanon (Computer Science)

· Highly Commended – Igor Wodiany (Computer Science)

· Highly Commended – Matthew Caine (Politics and International Relations)

· Highly Commended – Otilia Vintu (Anthropology and Cultural Studies)

14 researchers from are some of the most highly cited in their field, in a new list from the released this week.

They include Prof Sir Andre Geim and Prof Sir Kostya Novoselov, the co-discovers of graphene at the University in 2004, for which they won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2010. Also on the list is fellow graphene researcher, Prof Irina Grigorieva, as well as Prof Jorgen Vestbo, a researcher in respiratory medicine, and Prof Frank Geels, and expert in energy and sustainability.

The list identifies scientists and social scientists who produced multiple papers ranking in the top 1% by citations for their field and year of publication, demonstrating significant research influence among their peers.

The methodology that determines the who’s who of influential researchers draws on the data and analysis performed by bibliometric experts from the Institute for Scientific Information at the Web of Science Group.

The data are taken from 21 broad research fields within Essential Science Indicators, a component of . The fields are defined by sets of journals and exceptionally, in the case of multidisciplinary journals such as Nature and Science, by a paper-by-paper assignment to a field based on an analysis of the cited references in the papers. This percentile-based selection method removes the citation advantage of older papers relative to recently published ones, since papers are weighed against others in the same annual cohort.

Listed University researchers;

Prof Sir Andre Geim, Dr Artem Mischenko, Prof Christian Klingenberg, Prof David Denning, Dr Donald Ward, Prof Frank Geels, Prof Irina Grigorieva, Prof Jorgen Vestbo, Prof Judith Allen, Prof Sir Kostya Novoselov, Prof Rahul Nair, Prof Richard Bardgett, Dr Roman Gorbachev, and Prof Zhiguo Ding.

A team of students from have won an award for genetically modifying bacteria to produce kinder hair-dyes.

The eight students, with academic guidance from the , the , and the , genetically engineered E. coli bacteria to secrete proteins which could colour, repair, straighten, and fragrance hair.

For their work, they were awarded a gold medal in the (iGEM) competition. The focus of iGEM is to provide a synthetic biology-based solution to a real-world problem.

The project aimed to explore an alternative to current hair-dyes which use often harmful chemicals, leading to allergic reactions in users, as well as environmental damage if not disposed of properly. They can also cause bleaching and brittle hair, and have been tentatively suggested as a potential carcinogen.

“The initial idea,” said Elisa Barrow Molina, a third year biotechnology student, “came from an article we saw about how hair dyes could cause alarming reactions in some users.”

The students genetically modified a strain of E. coli which naturally adheres to hair to secrete a dye, replacing the use of potential pollutant and carcinogens.

After this initial idea, they also realised they could modify the bacteria to secrete other products, such as proteins to repair hair, and compounds to fragrance it. Through experiments, the students showed that their engineered bacteria were resilient when exposed to stresses such as chlorine or shampoo.

They encountered several challenges during the process, though the biggest one “depends on who you ask!”, as the division of labour meant they were all meeting and overcoming different headaches during their work.

Camilo Albornoz Carranza, a third year neuroscientist, says; “The synthetic biology was out of my comfort zone, but winning a gold medal vindicates all the work we put in.”

On this note, the students are all in agreement. “This shows we did something worthwhile,” they say, considering it justification for the three months of lab work they put in over the summer. The award from iGEM “closes the chapter”, says Elisa.

“That’s the thing about iGEM,” adds Sophie Guillemot, a third year chemist, “it’s about bringing ideas to the table and leaving them for the next team to develop further.”

While they are not currently planning to commercialise the bacteria, the students also carefully considered potential safety concerns should their product ever make it to market. To address these, the students designed and computationally modelled two genetic ‘kill-switches’, which would prevent the engineered bacteria either surviving away from hair, or developing pathogenicity.

“In ten or twenty years,” notes second year molecular biologist Thomas Harrison, “I think genetically modified bacteria will be part of our lives on a very intimate, primary level.”

The project was initially financed by the University, but the students also sought out sponsors and private donors. They also consulted with the public and hair care experts, which resulted in the introduction of a straightening protein to their final design, as well as the exploration of a large range of colours.

Going forward, the team plan to focus on their individual degrees. For some of them, the iGEM project has helped them to decide where they would like to work in the future. Mujtaba Ansari, a third year biotechnology student, says; “By participating, I’ve discovered that I really like research and lab work, and it’s definitely something I’d like to do in the future.”

Prof Eriko Takano, supervisor of the iGEM team says “We are now looking for enthusiastic students to join the next year’s team. This is a great opportunity, not just for biology students but for students from all faculties who want to explore the revolutionary impact of new technologies and push their skills to new limits”.