Newsroom University of Manchester

91ֱ�� researchers shape major parliamentary report on Women, Peace, and Security

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:16:11 +0100

Professor Toni Haastrup, Chair in Global Politics, University of Manchester, played a central role in the inquiry, advising the Committee on its terms of reference, providing written and , and helping shape the lines of questioning used with ministers and senior officials. Her research on feminist foreign policy and the limitations of current WPS implementation forms a core part of the Committee’s conclusions.

Professor Haastrup said: “I am pleased to see the Committee acknowledge both the importance of the Women, Peace and Security agenda and the urgent need to strengthen its implementation. Our research at 91ֱ�� shows that while the UK has made strong rhetorical commitments, meaningful progress requires sustained resources, genuine cross government ownership, and a more inclusive understanding of whose security counts."

The report makes recommendations based on written evidence submitted by Dr Laura McLeod, Senior Lecturer in International Politics at the University of Manchester, and Dr Georgina Holmes (Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Studies at the Open University). They provided expert drawing attention to the need for more robust monitoring and evaluation of the UK’s WPS implementation.

Dr Jamie J Hagen, Lecturer in International Politics, University of Manchester, also provided expert written evidence, drawing attention to gaps in cross-government implementation and the need for the WPS agenda to better protect LGBTQ rights.

Many of the recommendations made by the Committee, including the call to review and strengthen the UK’s National Action Plan on WPS, reflect arguments advanced by the 91ֱ�� academics who collectively offer breadth and depth of expertise on the WPS agenda. In addition to Haastrup, McLeod and Hagen, the WPS-focused research is delivered by Dr Hannah Wright, Lecturer in Global Politics, and several PhD students.

The publication comes amid ongoing cuts to the Overseas Development Assistance budget. The 91ֱ�� team has warned that diminishing resources may further undermine the UK’s ability to lead on gender equality, conflict prevention, and inclusive peacebuilding.

You can read the full report and evidence submissions on the .

References:

report
Written evidence from Dr Georgia Holmes (Open University) and Dr Laura McLeod (The University of Manchester):
Written evidence from Professor Toni Haastrup (The University of Manchester:
Oral evidence from Professor Toni Haastrup at the International Development Committee, House of Commons, Tuesday 18 November 2025:
Written evidence from Dr Jamie J Hagen (The University of Manchester):

Overstretched councils ‘set up to fail’ in SEND crisis, report reveals

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

As the government considers future reforms to services for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England, a has highlighted the pressures facing overstretched councils trying to deliver this support - and warns that many are being ‘set up to fail’ by the system.

Funded by the Nuffield Foundation, the research - led by The University of Manchester’s - examines how local authorities respond to recommendations from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO), which investigates complaints from families when SEND provision goes wrong. It also sets out a range of recommendations to help strengthen the system.

Behind the statistics are families navigating delays, uncertainty and missed opportunities. The study highlights how waits for assessments and gaps in support can have a huge impact on young people’s education and wellbeing.

Professor Thomas, an expert in public law, led the research using interviews with SEND professionals across England alongside analysis of Ombudsman cases. His work reveals a system under huge strain, where demand has surged but resources have not kept pace with the increase.

The study found SEND complaints make up 27% of the complaints received by the LGSCO and 48% of the cases that it upholds. Common issues include delays in carrying out Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) assessments, and failures to deliver the support children are legally entitled to.

Despite these challenges, the research also points to the impact of the Ombudsman’s work. Its recommendations can help councils identify problems, strengthen accountability, and push for improvements that benefit families.

In some cases, the findings have empowered local officials to argue for more resources or rethink how services are delivered - however, the report also highlights limitations including the time and capacity required to respond to investigations, and repeated recommendations on issues councils recognise but lack the means to resolve.

A key gap identified is that the Ombudsman cannot investigate complaints directly against schools - even though they play a central role in delivering SEND support - which can leave families without clear routes to resolve issues.

The report sets out recommendations to strengthen the system, which include extending the Ombudsman’s powers to cover schools, raising awareness of joint investigations with health bodies, and improving communication between councils and the Ombudsman. Crucially, it emphasises that meaningful reform must address underlying pressures on the SEND system, including funding shortages and workforce gaps.

“This research comes at a key moment for SEND system reform,” said Ash Patel, Programme Head for Justice at the Nuffield Foundation. “The Government’s intention to improve complaints and mediation processes - enabling faster and more collaborative, resolution of disagreements and reducing the need for appeals to the SEND Tribunal - is welcome. However, the proposals are silent on the role of the LGSCO, and it remains frustratingly unclear how disputes will be avoided or how routes for appeals and complaints will operate.”

“The report points to high levels of tension between the education system and families of children with SEND; without greater attention to minimising these conflicts, it is difficult to see how existing pressures on complaints and appeals will ease.”

Attorney General makes case for international rules-based order during Harry Street Lecture

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:04:01 +0000

The University of Manchester was honoured to welcome Attorney General The Rt Hon Lord Hermer KC, an esteemed alumnus, to deliver the 38th Annual Harry Street Lecture on Monday 23 March 2026.

The Attorney General used his speech, titled ‘The Harry Street Legacy: Defending Rights in a Changing World’, to highlight the importance of upholding the international rules-based order as essential for the UK’s interests and security, and how human rights deliver everyday protections to working people.

The lecture series, organised by the School of Social Sciences and Department of Law, continues Harry Street’s legacy as a distinguished 91ֱ�� academic, inspiring lively debate, challenging the status quo and prompting reflection on law’s role in shaping society.

Opening the event, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Fiona Devine reflected on the legacy of legal scholar Harry Street and the significance of the lecture series. Head of Law, Professor Javier Garcia Oliva, introduced Lord Hermer, emphasising his advocacy for vulnerable groups and his crucial role in defending rights amid current political and social challenges.

In his compelling address, Lord Hermer underscored Britain’s commitment to human rights and the value of a rules-based international order. He warned against the current shift by some into an age of power dictating outcomes and stressed the importance of legal frameworks in protecting all citizens, not just the privileged few.

Lord Hermer used his speech to reflect on his student days in 91ֱ��, while sharing 91ֱ��’s long history in advancing fundamental rights.

He discussed the importance of the European Convention on Human Rights, emphasising real-life examples where international protections have supported vulnerable communities and the vital role of personal stories in driving change.

He made the compelling case that the robust and thoughtful leadership generated by a rules-based approach, combined with a distinct British sense of fairness and justice that is fundamental to international law, serves to enhance Britain’s reputation as a cooperative and tradable nation.

The Attorney General’s speech concluded with an appeal for principle and pragmatism, reiterating his belief in the convention as a reflection of national values and a means of enabling cooperation with 46 other countries.

The evening concluded with Lord Hermer engaging with staff, students and members of the public, encouraging lively debate on the enduring importance of rights and international cooperation.

The Rt Hon Lord Hermer KC: “Shared rules make Britain more prosperous, allowing us to trade with confidence. They make us more just by underpinning protections for our citizens. And they make us more secure, by enabling cooperation with allies.”

Young people’s wellbeing is improving in Greater 91ֱ��, major survey finds

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:08:50 +0000

A major survey of tens of thousands of school pupils has revealed a welcome boost in wellbeing among young people across Greater 91ֱ��.

The latest findings from pupils in years 7, 8 and 10 show that more young people now report good levels of wellbeing than in previous years, continuing a positive trend that has developed steadily over the past five years of the programme. In 2025, 59.1% of Year 10 pupils reported good levels of wellbeing, up from 55.1% in 2024. Among younger pupils the trend is similar, with 67.7% of Year 7 pupils reporting good wellbeing compared with 64.2% last year.

The #BeeWell programme at The University of Manchester has now heard from more than 143,000 young people in Greater 91ֱ�� since it began, making it one of the largest studies of young people’s wellbeing of its kind anywhere in the world. It provides a powerful insight into how teenagers feel about their lives, schools and communities.

While the overall picture is encouraging, young people involved in the programme say the results also highlight areas where change is still needed. Each year the #BeeWell Youth Steering Group - made up of young people from across Greater 91ֱ�� - chooses the issues they believe matter most in the survey results. This year they highlighted three themes they felt were especially important: loneliness and the role communities play in tackling it, relationships with teachers and a sense of belonging at school, and whether young people feel they are gaining the skills they need to be prepared for life.

The survey shows that loneliness among young people has begun to fall since the early years of the programme, when more than half of Year 10 pupils said they felt lonely at least occasionally. By 2025 that figure had dropped to around four in ten young people. Despite this improvement, loneliness remains a significant issue for many teenagers, and the findings suggest that communities have a key role to play in helping young people feel more connected.

Only around half of young people say there are people in their local area they can trust, and just over half say they have an adult outside their home or school who listens to them. Young people involved in the programme say that having welcoming places to spend time, trusted adults nearby and stronger community connections could make a real difference to how supported young people feel.

Relationships within schools also emerged as an important theme in the data. The survey suggests that positive relationships with teachers and staff are closely linked to whether young people feel they belong at school and whether they attend regularly. Just under a third of Year 7 pupils say they have the strongest relationships with staff at school, but this falls as young people get older, dropping to around one in five by Year 10.

At the same time, the number of young people who say they feel they belong at school has risen slightly over the past year. Young people say strengthening relationships between staff and pupils could help improve both wellbeing and attendance, as feeling supported and understood at school plays a key role in whether students feel comfortable and engaged in the classroom.

Young people also wanted the report to explore whether schools are helping them prepare for life beyond education. The findings show that four in five young people believe they will have the skills and knowledge they need when they finish school, a figure that has increased since the programme first began collecting data.

Levels of hope and optimism among young people are also high, with most saying they feel positive about the future. However, only around two thirds of young people say the careers education they receive is useful. Young people involved in the programme say they would like clearer guidance about the wide range of opportunities available to them, including modern careers and different pathways after school.

#BeeWell was launched in 2019 through a partnership between The University of Manchester, The Gregson Family Foundation, Anna Freud and the Greater 91ֱ�� Combined Authority. Each year the programme asks tens of thousands of secondary school pupils about their wellbeing, their schools, their communities and their hopes for the future. By sharing the results with schools, local organisations and decision makers, the programme aims to ensure young people’s voices help shape the support available to them.

“It is incredibly heartening to see this steady climb in wellbeing across our city region - the figures represent thousands of young lives trending toward a more positive future,” said Professor Neil Humphrey from The University of Manchester. “These important gains likely stem from a combination of enhanced local provision and broader population shifts, but the data offers a sobering reminder of the work ahead.”

“Thank you to the 57,000 young people who shared their views this year, and to the 161 schools who made it possible,” said Councillor Mark Roberts, Greater 91ֱ��’s portfolio lead for children and young people. “Over five years #BeeWell has now heard from more than 143,000 young people, making this the biggest exercise of its kind.

“In Greater 91ֱ��, we have committed to improving the wellbeing of young people across the city region, and it is through #BeeWell that we can track our progress. As this year’s results show, there is a need to continue strengthening relationships in schools to improve attendance, ensuring young people remain involved in the development of our Live Well approach, and working so that every young person has a clear line of sight to good jobs, through programmes like the MBacc and Beeline.

“We will continue to act on the views of young people across our city region, and be guided by our excellent Youth Steering Group, so that every young person in Greater 91ֱ�� can thrive.”

"This is just the start. It's encouraging to see wellbeing improving, but we are at the beginning of a long journey and we’re excited to see how things continue to improve,” said Daniel & Ayisha from the #BeeWell Youth Steering Group. “There are still worrying signs in the data, particularly in the inequalities we see. There are a lot of young people worried about these topics and a lot of work to be done. It's important young people are leading the next steps and actions following the results."

You Ought To Know: Simon Industrial Fellow Karen Gabay releases podcast series about Black British music histories

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:09:24 +0000

From January to July 2025 broadcaster and producer Karen Gabay carried out research as part of a Simon Industrial Fellowship with the and the at The University of Manchester.

As part of the fellowship Karen Gabay produced a podcast series entitled ‘You Ought To Know’ that will be published across various platforms, with the first episode premiering on 23 March 2026. Each podcast captures a conversation with musicians that have had and continue to have a significant impact on British popular music. These conversations were recorded at public engagement events as well as in intimate one-on-one settings across 91ֱ��.

You can listen to and watch the podcast episodes on various platforms. To be notified of new episodes subscribe to Karen Gabay’s and the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures’ channel.

The first podcast is a recording of Karen Gabay’s panel event on Reggae and Dub-Poetry in the UK with Lovers Rock legend , Dub Poetry great and Reggae and Hip Hop artist in the 91ֱ�� Museum in June 2025. This episode will premiere on 23 March 2026 at 3pm.

The second episode explores the history of Black British Gospel Music and was recorded in in Deansgate in May 2025. 91ֱ�� musician , gospel pioneer , Mancunian vocalist and Kingdom Choir member and founder of Manchester Inspirational Voices star in this episode to be released a few weeks later.

The third podcast episode features a conversation with renowned Soul singer-songwriter and former Ikette known for her work with Paul Weller, Peter Gabriel, and Jimmy Cliff. The recording took place across three sessions at The University of Manchester and , the iconic home of Granada Television in July 2025.

The final episode of this series was recorded in July 2025 and features 91ֱ�� singer-songwriter It explores how the musician’s alternative soul and R&B sound is influenced by Black British musicians and led him to pursue collaborations with soul great Jill Scott and UK artist Marsha Ambrosius of Floetry.

These episodes form the beginning of a series of conversations around the unsung legends and influential artists in the UK music industry. Future episodes will be released on Karen Gabay’s channels in the coming months. This bonus content includes in-depth conversations with the Queen of Northern Soul (Tainted Love) and earlier podcast guests Sylvia Tella and Luke Smith on their lives and work in the Black British music industry. It also features an intimate one-on-one discussion with who is considered a musician’s favourite and trailblazer in redefining Soul for British audiences.

Throughout her fellowship, Karen was able to build on her interest in uncovering and showcasing forgotten artefacts of Black music history and gained access the in the for further archival research. This allowed her to amplify the voices of those working within the UK music sector, in particular Black vocalists, and industry professionals, who have heavily impacted popular music in the UK and globally. She explored how different cultural spaces in 91ֱ�� have played a significant role in the lives of these musicians and their path in the music industry over the decades.

Secondary outputs of the project include Karen Gabay’s reading list and a playlist providing the musical soundtrack for exploring the recent past and present of Black British music and its influences, which can be accessed .

This Simon Industrial Fellowship laid the foundations for documenting alternative music histories in the UK. It explored and applied ethical and collaborative methods of archiving personal stories of a demographic, who have suffered from experiences of institutional exclusion, absence of fair accreditation and missing commercial opportunities due to their race or geographical location. It is taking steps towards righting wrongs of the recent past and gives talented but previously overlooked creatives a platform to tell their stories on their own terms.

As such it reasserts the relevance and significance of the John Rylands’ British Pop Archive and is adding more diverse and nonetheless equally relevant archival artefacts to its catalogue. This work aligns with the University’s renewed strategic focus on archives and just archival practices to celebrate, document and bring to the fore the stories that make 91ֱ�� the city we know today.

Rt Hon Lord Hermer KC to deliver 38th Annual Harry Street Lecture

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 09:53:33 +0000

, established in 1985, has featured an impressive roll call of distinguished figures, including prominent judges and policymakers. Richard Hermer KC was appointed Attorney General in 2024 and acts as chief legal advisor to the Crown, as well as overseeing Law Officers' departments. Called to the Bar in 1993 and taking silk in 2009, Hermer has spent his career championing justice, most notably representing Grenfell families and serving on the Task Force on Accountability for Crimes Committed in Ukraine in 2022.

The Attorney General, a proud alumnus of the University of Manchester, returns to a city shaped by a long tradition of citizens standing up to power – from the reformers of Peterloo to the fierce campaigners of the suffrage movement.

In his upcoming lecture, he will argue that Britain’s commitment to human rights and international law are lynchpins of the UK’s national security and our personal security as human beings. Lord Hermer will draw inspiration from the legacy of Harry Street and the pioneering post-war architects who shaped the modern legal order.

At a time when conflict and instability are testing the rules-based international system, the Attorney General will make the case that the answer is not retreat, but renewal: to modernise and strengthen the institutions that safeguard our rights.

, Vice-President and Dean of Faculty of Humanities, will be giving the opening remarks alongside chair Head of Law.

Harry Street, a well-known British jurist and legal scholar, spent much of his time at the University of Manchester where he developed a keen interest in civil liberties and the law of torts. This annual lecture series celebrates the contributions of leading figures in legal and political spheres, encouraging attendees to engage with contemporary issues.

To attend, please register via the for full event details. The lecture will begin promptly at 5pm, with a networking reception following at 6pm for those attending in-person.

The University is delighted that Lord Hermer will join us, inspiring both students and academics, and looks forward to an insightful and thought-provoking evening.

Look Back: Unlocking Historical Archives with AI: Opportunities and Challenges

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 18:26:48 +0000

were delighted to host , an event addressing the opportunities and challenges that AI presents to researchers and practitioners working with archives, how AI can drive greater accessibility and utility of archives for new groups of users, and what future archives might look like as a result of further developments in AI.

Hosting speakers from The University of Manchester, the , and , the event aimed to generate interdisciplinary and cross-institutional conversations about AI’s place in the present and future of the archival sector.

With the University celebrating 75 years since Alan Turing’s seminal paper Computing Machinery and Intelligence this academic year, Creative 91ֱ�� also hosted the in the Samuel Alexander Glass Corridor. Attendees of ‘Unlocking Historical Archives with AI’ were invited to attend a private viewing of the exhibition, which spotlighted 20 early career researchers from across the University exemplifying creative research approaches to AI.

The event began with an introduction by Creative 91ֱ�� Deputy-Director, . A round of lightning talks commenced with (Senior Lecturer of History and Library & Archive Studies), who provided an overview of how AI-powered tools such as , a cooperatively run transcription tool, are transforming the accessibility of archives, though with significant consequences for climate, data scale and research practice.

Subsequently, (Senior Lecturer in Text Mining and Creative 91ֱ�� Theme Lead for ) presented her research on how natural language processing (NLP) can help to make ‘community-generated digital content’ (CGDC) more searchable and queryable. Focusing on the , Dr Batista-Navarro presented an approach to CGDC which uses NLP to recover valuable information often lost in its metadata.

(Professor of British History) then gave a historian’s perspective by highlighting the work of the OHOS/91ֱ�� Histories . The ongoing project seeks to reinstate Moss Side’s Champs Camp, the UK’s first Black-led boxing gym, as a significant chapter in Black British history. Prof Barker highlighted the ethical considerations of using AI in approaching CGDC, with there being both opportunities to uncover hidden histories alongside ethical risks regarding copyright and data protection. Overall, Prof Barker concluded that researchers must take an informed, empathetic approach to using AI in archives.

An interdisciplinary perspective was once again provided by (Creative 91ֱ�� Research Associate), who gave a demonstration of the methodological approach used in the Creative 91ֱ��-supported . Dr Flavel gave insight into how AI models can be used to annotate multimodal data in the form of TV shows. By analysing audio, video and subtitles, researchers can conduct large-scale analysis of on-screen representation (such as Bechdel tests) with greater accuracy than simply analysing screenplays.

The round of presentations was concluded by (Professor of Italian and Director of the John Rylands Research Institute and Library), Principal Investigator of ‘’. Prof Armstrong presented takeaways from this ongoing project, which uses cutting-edge machine learning computational technologies and image matching to study the material features of the early printed page for almost the entire body of prints of Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’.

The lightning talks were followed by a panel discussion featuring Dr Ben Wiggins, Dr Riza Batista-Navarro, Prof Hannah Barker, Prof Lorna Hughes (The University of Glasgow) and Rachel Hetherington (91ֱ�� Histories), chaired by Dr Constance Smith. The panellists responded to some of the provocations raised in the lightning talks and further discussed what the future of archives might look like. An audience Q&A followed the panel discussion.

(Head of ) concluded the day’s programme with a talk on how the Library’s digital archives and digitisation services could enable further research innovation in this rapidly developing interdisciplinary field.

To stay informed about Creative 91ֱ��’s work in the CreaTech theme and our other events and activities please .

New Music Takes Centre Stage as Sir John Tomlinson Performs with Hallé Youth Orchestra and Choir

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 18:15:43 +0000

and , Lecturer in Composition at the University of Manchester, both spent their formative years in rural East Lancashire, Oswaldtwistle and Bacup respectively, and their shared Lancastrian heritage and dialect inspired them to work together on new music that celebrates this region. The Wanderer – the commissioning of which was funded by the Vaughan Williams Foundation – is a song cycle for bass soloist, orchestra, and choir setting four poems by 19th century writer Edwin Waugh, who was often referred to as the .

Edwin Waugh wrote poetry in the distinct dialect of East Lancashire. Each song paints a picture of a wandering figure reflecting on first love, city versus rural life, the pain of loss, and the healing power of nature.

Sir John Tomlinson and the Hallé Youth Orchestra and Choir, conducted by Euan Shields, will premiere The Wanderer at Bridgewater Hall in 91ֱ�� on Sunday 22 March.

Information about the upcoming premiere can be found here:

Find out more about Josh Brown’s works here:

Ethnic land rights fail to provide Afro-Colombians with economic security

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:00:39 +0000

The legal rights designed to protect Afro-Colombian communities are not lifting them out of economic precarity - and are leaving them vulnerable to the illegal drug trade and illicit mining as a result - according to new research from The University of Manchester.

For decades, Colombia’s Pacific coast has been a battleground for ‘extractive capitalism’ - a world of illegal gold mining, industrial palm oil and drug smuggling. In 1993, a landmark law granted these communities collective property rights, celebrating them as ‘guardians of the forest’ and defenders of a traditional, sustainable way of life.

However, after four months of fieldwork and interviews with community leaders and activists, researcher Caroline Cornier found that the identity politics that help to secure these rights tend to create a ‘conceptual and practical dead end’.

According to the study - published in the journal - by defining Afro-Colombian identity solely through traditional practices like subsistence fishing and small-scale farming, the rights ignore communities’ effective entanglement with the global capitalist economy as agricultural producers, providers of primary goods, wage labourers and consumers.

"I’m black, I need a territory...it is on the territory where we become what we are," said one community leader in Yurumangui, a village in the Colombian Pacific region that has fought fiercely to remain a bastion against coca and mining. Yet, even in such resilient places, the pressure is mounting - the article finds that the rights’ prioritisation of environmental protection over communities’ economic survival has been creating disillusion among community members.

As a result, to buy necessities - such as medicine, clothes or the powerful boat engines required to navigate the region's rivers - many are driven towards coca cultivation and illegal mining. As one local priest in the violence-torn region of Tumaco noted, "there would be no 200-horsepower motors without cocaine".

The study compares the peaceful but struggling Yurumangui with the ‘culture of fear’ in Alto Mira y Frontera, where community leaders have been forced into exile or assassinated for resisting the encroachment of palm oil and paramilitary groups. In these ‘entangled landscapes’, the legal title to the land offers little protection against firmly established resource flows and armed control.

"Conceived as a conservation mechanism, ethnic land rights have become a bit of a Faustian bargain," said Caroline Cornier. “While the rights have helped to mobilise communities along their cultural ‘inside world’, they struggle to provide them with a sustainable bridge to the ‘outside world’ of the global economy.”

DOI:

The University of Manchester becomes lead UK-based coordinating institution for UK-China Humanities Alliance

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 18:27:54 +0000

The University of Manchester has been appointed as the UK-based Coordinating Team for the , a unique forum of ten British and seven Chinese universities with outstanding reputations in the Arts and Humanities.

The Secretariat is housed at the Institute for World Literatures and Cultures (IWLC), Tsinghua University where the Dean of IWLC, Prof YAN Haiping, serves as the Director of the Executive Council and the Secretary-General and Prof YANG Bin, Vice President of Tsinghua University, serves as the Chair of the Alliance. The University of Manchester will coordinate UK-based activities and work closely with the British Council to support UK-China Humanities collaborations.

The announcement was made at the UKCHA Executive Council on 7 December 2025. The President of the UKCHA, Professor Yang Bin welcomed the University of Manchester as the new UK-based Coordinating Team, following a recommendation from Deputy Director, Professor Wong Suk Ying (Chinese University of Hong Kong) and the endorsement of Professor Yan Haiping.

She added: “Separate from the UKCHA, the University of Manchester has research partnerships with Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, Wuhan University and Chinese University of Hong Kong. Becoming the lead UK-based Coordinating Team reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting high quality, impactful research between world-leading Humanities academics.”

Established in 2016, The UKCHA’s aim is to intensify international cooperation in Humanities. This includes joint work on research and publication, staff and research exchanges, and connections with specialist arts and cultural institutions.

The announcement has been made as part of a high-level delegation from The University of Manchester to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Led by Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor and including a delegation of academic and university staff, the visit is connecting with alumni, donors, partners and universities.

The visits are in conjunction with the University of Manchester China Centre and the East Asia Centre, based in Hong Kong and will also include a graduation ceremony in Shanghai and launch events for the University’s fundraising and volunteering campaign, Challenge Accepted.

Leading Public Procurement Innovation Expert Rikesh Shah Appointed Simon Industrial & Professional Fellow at University of Manchester

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:37:05 +0000

The 91ֱ�� Institute of Innovation Research (MIoIR) at Alliance 91ֱ�� Business School is delighted to announce the appointment of Rikesh Shah as a Simon Industrial & Professional Fellow. Shah, who serves as Head of Innovation at the Connected Places Catapult, which hosts the Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre (IPEC), will work with MIoIR to strengthen the bridge between academic research and the practical transformation of public procurement across the UK.

The fellowship comes at a crucial moment as government seeks to leverage its £400 billion annual public procurement spend to drive growth across the eight Industrial Strategy sectors. Shah brings extensive experience translating innovation policy into practice, having previously served as Head of Open Innovation at Transport for London, where he created TfL’s first Innovation Hub and oversaw its globally recognised open‑data programme partnering with some of the best innovators, generating an estimated £130 million per year in economic value.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Rikesh to MIoIR,” said Professor Elvira Uyarra, who leads research on innovation policy and public procurement at the Institute.

At IPEC, Shah leads national efforts to transform how public procurement drives innovation, working directly with local authorities and public bodies to upskill buyers in innovation‑friendly approaches. The fellowship will deepen connections between this practitioner network and MIoIR’s research on demand‑side innovation policy, procurement, and regional development.

Shah has already begun contributing to teaching, delivering a lecture on the “Innovation and Place” module (MSc Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship), offering students firsthand insight into how public agencies can shape markets, support scaling firms, and stimulate innovation.

“The University of Manchester has been at the forefront of research on public procurement as an innovation policy tool for over two decades,” said Shah. “I’m excited to contribute practitioner perspectives and help translate research insights into tools that public sector buyers can use immediately. The combination of MIoIR’s analytical rigour with IPEC’s practitioner networks creates a powerful platform for impact.”

Reluctance to rely on China for green technology could slow climate action

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 08:00:00 +0000

New research suggests that concerns about relying too heavily on Chinese manufacturing are shaping climate policy - and could even delay the adoption of green technologies around the world.

The study by Dr James Jackson from The University of Manchester, working alongside Dr Mathias Larsen from the London School of Economics, examined how China’s rapid rise as a clean-technology powerhouse has transformed the global energy transition.

While Chinese investment and industrial policy have helped reduce the cost of renewable energy technologies, the research - published in the journal - found that geopolitical tensions are increasingly influencing how governments respond.

For households and businesses, the impact of China’s manufacturing boom has been clear - solar panels, electric vehicle batteries and other low-carbon technologies are far cheaper than they were a decade ago. According to the researchers, this is partly because China has built enormous production capacity through long-term industrial planning, state investment and support for domestic manufacturers.

Those policies helped create the global supply chains that many countries now rely on to roll out renewable energy systems, making the technologies needed for climate action more accessible worldwide - but the study argues that this success has also created new political tensions.

As Chinese firms dominate key sectors of the clean technology economy, governments elsewhere are increasingly concerned about dependence on overseas supply chains for critical infrastructure. Solar panels on rooftops, batteries in electric cars and components used in renewable energy systems often trace back to factories in China.

According to the researchers, this has changed how climate policy is debated. Instead of focusing only on environmental targets, policymakers are also asking where the industries of the green transition will be located - and which countries will benefit economically.

The result is a push in some countries to build domestic clean technology industries, including batteries and electric vehicles. Governments in Europe and North America are investing heavily in new factories and supply chains to try to compete with China’s industrial strength.

While these policies aim to boost economic security and protect local jobs, they can also create tensions in climate policy. Producing technologies domestically can be more expensive and slower than importing them from established global suppliers, creating a difficult balancing act.

“The fastest way to cut emissions may be to deploy the cheapest technologies available, many of which are produced in China - however, political pressure to reduce reliance on foreign manufacturing may encourage governments to prioritise local production, even if this delays deployment” said Dr Jackson. “As the world works to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy, the success of climate action may depend not only on technological innovation, but also on how countries manage growing competition over the industries that power the transition.

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Infected Blood Inquiry Memorial goes to University of Manchester

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 13:43:40 +0000

The formal handover of the Inquiry Memorial to the University of Manchester will take place on Tuesday 24 March. The University is providing a permanent home for the Inquiry Memorial.

The Inquiry Memorial is located in a central location that has limited space so we will livestream the formal handover for Inquiry participants who would like to follow online or watch the recording afterwards.

The livestream will begin at 14.00 on Tuesday 24 March. Sir Brian Langstaff will make remarks as part of the event. If you wish to watch the livestream, please go . The recording will be available on the Inquiry website.

From Wednesday 25 March, it will be possible to visit the Inquiry Memorial at the University of Manchester. The Inquiry Memorial is in the Old Quadrangle of the University of Manchester, on the ground floor of the Whitworth Building which is open weekdays 7am – 5:30pm. The Inquiry Memorial is also visible from the Old Quadrangle without entering the Whitworth Building.

Five 91ֱ�� academics become Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 12:34:02 +0000

The Academy of Social Sciences has elected five experts from The University of Manchester as Fellows in recognition of their significant contributions to social science, highlighting the relevance of the social sciences in understanding and addressing the many varied societal challenges facing the UK and the world today.

Professor Lucy Frith is a leading bioethicist whose work spans socio-legal studies and health research. She is internationally recognised for her work in empirical bioethics and her research on the social and ethical implications of reproductive donation, and the governance of emerging reproductive technologies.

Lucy is Co-Director of the University’s Centre for Social Ethics & Policy, and she serves on the Executive Committee of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). She has held visiting professorships at the Centre for Medical Ethics and Law at The University of Hong Kong and at Charles University, Prague, and is Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Medical Ethics.

“I am delighted to be elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, and I am grateful to the Society of Socio-Legal Studies for the nomination,” said Lucy. “I am looking forward to working with colleagues across disciplines and further integrating bioethical analysis into the social sciences, as such interdisciplinary research is increasingly vital to addressing complex global challenges.”

Professor of Politics James Pattison is an international political theorist specialising in ethical issues relating to peace and conflict. His research examines moral responsibility in war, including humanitarian intervention, private military force and economic sanctions, with his current work focusing on ethical responses to rising global authoritarianism and the challenges posed by a shifting international order.

James is the author of several influential books that have shaped both academic scholarship and policy debates on global peace and security. His work is widely recognised across political theory and international relations, contributing significantly to contemporary debates on war and intervention.

“I’m delighted and honoured to receive this award,” said James. “It means a lot to me to become a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences and I look forward to working to promote the social sciences further in my work, highlighting the vital role of social science in shaping the ideas and ethical frameworks that guide global responses to war, authoritarianism, and mass atrocities.”

Professor of Innovation Studies Elvira Uyarra is a leading expert on innovation policy, regional development, and public procurement. Her research examines how public policy can foster innovation, support economic transformation, and enable sustainability transitions.

Elvira has played a key role in major interdisciplinary research programmes and contributed extensively to academic and policy debates on innovation and regional growth. Her work has helped inform government strategies on innovation-led development and strengthening regional innovation systems.

“I’m honoured to be elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences,” said Elvira. “This recognition reflects not just my own work, but the value of collaborative research on innovation, place, and public policy. I look forward to continuing to contribute to the social sciences community.”

Professor of Politics and Development Sam Hickey is a leading scholar of the political economy of development. His research examines how political institutions, governance and elite incentives shape poverty reduction, social protection and inclusive growth, particularly in Africa.

Sam has played a major leadership role in international research programmes, including the Effective States and Inclusive Development Research Centre, and has advised organisations such as the World Bank and UNICEF. He has also contributed to influential books and policy debates on governance and development, helping shape contemporary approaches to inclusive development.

Professor of International Relations Oliver Richmond is a leading figure in peace and conflict studies. His research focuses on peacebuilding, international intervention, and post-conflict political order, and he is known for developing critical approaches that emphasise local agency and “hybrid peace.”

Oliver has authored numerous influential books which have helped reshape scholarly and policy understandings of peacebuilding. His work has had a major global impact on debates about how sustainable peace is formed and maintained.

91ֱ�� conference to re-examine Falklands/Malvinas conflict nearly 45 years later

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:44:05 +0000

On Thursday 16th April and Friday 17th April, The University of Manchester is hosting a major conference about the Falklands/Malvinas conflict.

44 years have passed, but the conflict still resonates deeply in both the UK and Argentina. Once a little-known far-flung archipelago for the British, the islands became emblematic of the UK’s pride and military strength in the face of declining post-imperial influence. For Argentines, the islands remain a unifying symbol of national identity under ‘la causa Malvinas’.

Now, as the 45th anniversary approaches, it enables us to pose and address histories, legacies and a number of questions through multiple lenses: What is the importance and legacy of the conflict forty-four years on? How have scholarly and popular works regarding the conflict and the continued territorial dispute been represented since? What is the current shape and future scope of a nascent Falklands/Malvinas scholarship?

This conference will be particularly interested in, but not limited to, media coverage and military aspects of the conflict and thereafter.

The event hopes to build upon the success of the last conference held at The University of Manchester in 2019, and provides an opportunity for veterans from both sides, experienced and independent scholars, early career academics and postgraduate students, to share their ideas and present their research in a supportive and interdisciplinary environment.

The event seeks to draw upon researchers from across the North-West and beyond, and possibly to initiate a ‘Falklands/Malvinas Network’ that might consider further projects and publications as the 45th anniversary of the conflict draws near.

Presenting the conflict from both sides, the conference has keynote speakers including Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King’s College London, who is a leading authority on strategic theory, international history and nuclear policy, and has served as the official historian of the Falklands Campaign and adviser on major UK defence inquiries.

Also speaking will be Professor Virginia Gamba - a senior United Nations official and Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict who has more than three decades of global experience in disarmament, peacebuilding, and human security - and Rear Admiral Jeremy Larken DSO, a Cold War submariner and senior Royal Navy commander who played a key operational role in the Falklands Campaign as Captain of HMS Fearless and Chief of Staff to Commodore Michael Clapp, the amphibious Maritime Force Commander, bringing firsthand expertise in crisis management and high-level military leadership.

Together, they represent an exceptional breadth of insight into warfare, diplomacy and strategic decision-making at the highest levels.

The full conference programme and ticket information can be found at , or you can follow @fm44conference on X (Twitter) and @fm44conference.bsky.social on Bluesky.

Conference sponsors: British Commission for Military History (BCMH), Society for Latin American Studies (SLAS) and The University of Manchester’s Student Enhancement Fund.

Why community voices could make or break world’s forest restoration plans

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:19:54 +0000

A new study has revealed a critical gap between global promises to restore forests and what is happening on the ground for the communities who depend on, manage and care for them.

The research, led by researchers from The University of Manchester and published in the journal , is based on a detailed assessment of national policies in Mexico. It found that while governments are increasingly committed to restoring ecosystems and tackling climate change, indigenous peoples and local communities are recognised in policy but rarely given any meaningful decision-making power in restoration projects.

Forest Landscape Restoration is seen as a key solution to biodiversity loss, climate change and environmental degradation worldwide. Yet the study shows that even when policies acknowledge the importance of community participation and rights, they often lack the institutional mechanisms needed to translate these commitments into real authority on the ground.

The researchers reviewed 24 government policies created between 1988 and 2024 to see how well they support forest restoration and whether local communities are truly involved in decisions. They found that while many policies talk about protecting nature and improving people’s lives, far fewer actually give communities a real say in what happens. Only a small number - less than 30% - treat them as equal partners, and just one gives them full control over restoration decisions.

This gap matters because communities already manage large areas of forest globally. In Mexico alone, around 60% of forests operate under community-based land tenure, but relatively fewer than 6% of documented restoration projects report meaningful participation beyond consultation. Without community leadership, restoration efforts risk being less equitable and less effective.

The study also identified structural barriers that limit progress, including fragmented coordination between government agencies, limited institutional capacity, short-term funding cycles, and insufficient guidance for implementation at local level. These factors make it difficult to turn ambitious national commitments into practical action within communities and landscapes.

At the same time, the research highlights opportunities. Many policies increasingly recognise Indigenous rights, traditional ecological knowledge and the potential for restoration to support livelihoods and climate resilience. Strengthening cross-sector collaboration, funding and governance could help bridge the gap between policy ambition and real-world outcomes.

“You can recognise indigenous rights in policy, mandate consultation, and still never transfer decision-making power to the people who manage these forests,” said lead researcher Mariana Hernandez-Montilla. “Our research shows this is exactly what's happening - consultation is treated as participation, but it's not the same as authority.”

Although focused on Mexico, the findings have global relevance as countries accelerate restoration pledges and international initiatives led by organisations such as the United Nations. The researchers hope their work will help policymakers to design fairer, more effective restoration strategies, ensuring that efforts to restore nature also strengthen communities and deliver lasting benefits for people and the planet.

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University of Manchester to lead accelerated research project tackling violence against women and girls

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 14:18:01 +0000

Content warning: References to sexual violence, domestic abuse, sexual harassment and homicide.

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) remains a widespread and underreported issue across the UK. According to official statistics, more than 200,000 sexual offences were recorded by UK police in England and Wales in 2024/25, and 2.2 million women aged 16+ experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2025.

In response to this crisis, – a new project hosted by , and – has been awarded £625,000 from to accelerate national efforts to prevent and respond to VAWG. Bringing together leading researchers, practitioners and policymakers, RISE will feed in to the delivery of the and recent which aim to halve VAWG within a decade.

The project will consist of four team‑led research projects covering primary prevention (working with men and boys), women’s safety in public spaces, management of domestic abuse perpetrators and child-parent homicides. RISE will also provide to enable researchers and practitioners across policing, third sector and policymaking to collaborate and pilot new approaches.

RISE draws on the expertise of and , whose influential research on abuse of women runners was recently cited in Parliament, , a leading authority on domestic abuse and masculinities, and , co‑director of and specialist in crime data analysis.

The project is further strengthened by NSEC and SALIENT Principal Investigator , who will support the team in securing complex multi‑agency research data, and privacy expert and SPRITE+ director, who will lead stakeholder engagement and lead an in-depth evidence review of primary prevention strategies.

More information on RISE

Website:
Email: spriteplus@manchester.ac.uk

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‘The Plastic Divide’ - how carrier bag bans impact the poorest communities

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:11:00 +0000

A new study from The University of Manchester has shed light on an unexpected consequence of plastic bag bans in East Africa, and why well-intentioned environmental laws may actually be making life harder for the people they aim to protect.

Anthropologist Dr Declan Murray spent nine months in Tanzania’s capital city Dar es Salaam, following the everyday journeys of plastic bags from small shops and street food stalls to people’s homes and workplaces. Tanzania banned plastic carrier bags in 2019, joining more than 120 countries around the world attempting to tackle plastic waste – but six years later, the ban has produced surprising results.

Despite the law, small thin plastic pouches - used to package everyday essentials like flour, oil and cooked snacks - remain a lifeline for millions of residents. For many families who live day-to-day, buying small amounts of food is the only affordable option. Without these cheap pouches, there is no practical way for shopkeepers to portion out food.

The research - which has been published in the - shows that the ban has removed large plastic bags from supermarkets and wealthier neighbourhoods, but the poorest communities have been left with few real alternatives. Paper, cloth and woven bags are too expensive, too big, or not suited to carrying wet or hot foods. As a result, small plastic pouches continue to circulate quietly, helping people to manage the daily “search for life” - a Swahili phrase many Dar es Salaam residents use to describe the struggle to earn enough money each day.

The study introduces the idea of “The Plastic Divide” - the gap between those who can easily switch away from plastics, and those whose livelihoods depend on them. Well-off residents can afford reusable bags and buy pre-packaged goods from supermarkets, but low-income families rely heavily on small shops, street food vendors and local markets - all of which depend on these plastic pouches to function.

It also highlights how many people make a living from plastics. Small-scale manufacturers, market sellers and bicycle-riding wholesalers all depend on selling the pouches. Others reuse plastic creatively - as fuel for cooking fires, rain protection, or even as a way to keep insects away from food. For these groups, plastics are not simply waste - they are tools for survival.

“Plastic pollution is a real problem, but these findings show that bans which don’t consider everyday life can hit the poorest communities hardest,” said Dr Murray. “People aren’t using plastic because they want to harm the environment - they’re using it because it’s the only option that works for them.”

The study raises important questions for governments, charities and environmental groups worldwide. It suggests that reducing plastic waste must go hand-in-hand with supporting people’s daily needs - whether through affordable alternatives, changes to food supply systems or involving low-income communities in designing solutions.

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Northern researchers and Whitehall unite to tackle the SEND crisis through connected data

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:22:39 +0000

On the day the government published its Every child achieving and thriving white paper on reforms to the schools and SEND systems in England, policymakers, researchers, clinicians and frontline practitioners gathered in 91ֱ�� to demonstrate how connected data can turn that ambition into reality.

The Child of the North Data Showcase, held at the Whitworth Art Gallery at The University of Manchester, brought together nearly 100 delegates from NHS trusts, local authorities, universities, and the voluntary sector to examine how linking data across education, health, and social care can get children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities the support they need earlier, and more effectively.

The event was convened by Child of the North, the N8 Centre of Excellence for Computationally Intensive Research, and the Northern Health Science Alliance, in partnership with the Centre for Young Lives and in collaboration with the Department for Education, the Department for Health and Social Care, and the Ministry of Justice.

Child of the North has spent several years convening researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to analyse the evidence on children’s outcomes across the North of England. That evidence has played a significant role in shaping national SEND reform. The Independent Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group (NDTFG) report published alongside the white paper draws heavily on Child of the North analyses, and informs both the Schools white paper and the government’s SEND reform consultation, Putting Children and Young People First. The Child of the North Data Showcase builds on this momentum by demonstrating how connected data can now deliver the practical change the system needs.

Professor Mark Mon-Williams of the Child of the North Leadership Group said: “The Schools White Paper has set a bold ambition as we seek to build a country that works for all children and young people. Today's event brought together a coalition of academics, clinicians and policymakers to explore how we can support these ambitions through effective use of connected administrative data. The day was truly inspirational and will ensure that government can rely on the best possible evidence as it addresses the SEND crisis.”

Presentations came from major northern data programmes including Born in Bradford, Connected Bradford, #BeeWell, and the Children Growing Up in Liverpool cohort, alongside research collaborations funded by NIHR and the ESRC, including the Health Determinants Research Collaborations, and the ESRC Vulnerabilities and Policing Futures Research Centre, whose involvement underlines that unmet SEND need has consequences reaching well beyond education into the criminal justice system. Clinical perspectives came from NHS trusts including Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust and 91ֱ�� University NHS Foundation Trust.

For too many children with SEND, needs go unidentified until crisis point. Families describe battling complex, fragmented systems. Support arrives too late. The evidence-backed argument made today is that when services can see a fuller picture of a child's life, they can intervene earlier, reduce crisis responses, and improve outcomes that last a lifetime.

Haroon Chowdry, Chief Executive of the Centre for Young Lives, who chaired the event, said: “We were delighted to support this data showcase. It pulled together a vast array of ground-breaking initiatives to show that data linkage and connected public services are increasingly prevalent, and are already generating rich insights to inform SEND and other policies."

A short report for national government will be produced following the event, drawing on the insights of all participants. It will set out what linked administrative data can achieve, what infrastructure already exists across the North to support it, and what policy action is needed to scale it nationally.

The Business Case for Nature: Confronting Biodiversity Risk

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 13:05:15 +0000

Magnitude of challenge

Professor Nalin Thakkar opened the event, introducing keynote speakers Andrea Ledward CBE, Director of International Biodiversity and Climate at DEFRA, and Dr Katie Leach, Biodiversity Specialist at IPBES. Both speakers emphasised that biodiversity loss is accelerating and requires a collective response. Ledward highlighted the magnitude of the challenge, while Leach questioned how we can collaborate effectively to create real change. Their insights underscored the need for alignment among scientific evidence, policy goals, and business efforts to accelerate nature recovery.

Panel insights

An expert panel session led by KatieJo Luxton, Director of Global Conservation at the RSPB, brought together a range of perspectives from across sectors. Panellists included Dr Tom Burditt, Chief Executive of the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, 91ֱ�� and North Merseyside; Javed Siddiqi, Senior Lecturer at Alliance 91ֱ�� Business School; Anna Gilchrist, Lecturer in Ecology at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Jo Harrison, Director of Environment, Planning and Innovation at United Utilities; and Ed Pollard, UK Business & Biodiversity Forum CIC.

Nature connectedness

The panel focused on the realities of landscape restoration, emphasising its incremental, place-based nature whilst balancing with the role of technology and data, while highlighting the importance of understanding ecological systems rather than relying on simplistic solutions. Gilchrist also reflected on the human dimension of biodiversity recovery, noting that “we need to invest deeply in nature connectedness”, encouraging people’s love of nature to cross boundaries and extend into the workplace.

Humanities interpretation

A recurring theme across these contributions was the importance of communication. Not just more communication, but clearer, accessible messaging that bridges disciplines and facilitates a shared language among organisations.

As the event was concluded by Fiona Divine, discussions explored the role of the humanities in this effort. While science provides the evidence, the humanities help interpret and turn it into action. This interdisciplinary view emphasised that biodiversity recovery is not solely a scientific or technical challenge but fundamentally a human one.

MIE Academic Recognised in International Top 50 Voices in Higher Education 2026 List

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:35:37 +0000

Dr Miri Firth, Senior Lecturer in Education at the 91ֱ�� Institute of Education (MIE) in the University of Manchester's School of Environment, Education and Development, has been recognised internationally as one of the Top 50 Voices to Follow in Higher Education for 2026 by . The list celebrates educators, researchers and leaders whose work is shaping the future of higher education globally. Miri’s inclusion reflects her national and international leadership in employability education and flexible assessment. As Academic Lead for Assessment in the University of Manchester's Flexible Learning Programme, she has driven institutional reform through the development of Manchester’s Assessment Toolkit, now supporting thousands of staff and students across the University.

Nationally, she led the QAA-funded project, collaborating with the University of York, UCL and Imperial College London to explore student choice in assessment design. The outputs from this work have been adopted by multiple universities and have contributed to sector-wide conversations around inclusion, flexibility and future-focused learning.

Dr Firth also chairs the GFI (formerly AGCAS) , supporting careers professionals and academics across the UK in enhancing employability pathways for creative graduates.

In addition to this recognition, she was named in the for 2026, highlighting the reach and impact of her scholarship and public engagement.

This achievement reinforces MIE’s national and international standing in educational leadership, assessment innovation and graduate employability.

What the economic impact of Hurricane Katrina means for businesses today

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:19:10 +0000

When Hurricane Katrina struck the USA in 2005, nearly 2000 people lost their lives and the cost of the catastrophe exceeded $100 billion. Now, 21 years later, new research from The University of Manchester has found that Katrina left another, less visible legacy long after the storm clouds had cleared.

The study, published in the , has revealed that in the months and years after Katrina, many businesses in affected areas began paying their suppliers later than usual. These delays had real consequences – fewer jobs, more business closures and financial stress spreading from one company to the next.

Using detailed data on individual business locations across the Gulf Coast region of the USA, Professor Viet Dang, Professor Ning Gao and Dr Hongge Lin from Alliance 91ֱ�� Business School tracked how payment behaviour changed after Katrina. They focused on whether companies paid their bills on time - something that matters deeply to suppliers operating in competitive markets who rely on steady payments to cover wages, rent and materials.

The results were notable - businesses located in counties hit hardest by Katrina were significantly more likely to delay payments to their suppliers. On average, payment reliability fell by more than four percent, which may not sound dramatic, but delays of this magnitude can tip the balance for businesses with tight margins and weekly payrolls.

Companies that delayed payments were more likely to cut jobs or shut down entirely. Their suppliers – often businesses located far from the hurricane zone – also suffered, reporting weaker cash flow and poorer financial health. In other words, a storm in Louisiana could hurt a supplier in another state, simply because money arrived late.

The findings highlight payment delays within supply chains as a key cause of Katrina’s widespread and lasting economic footprint. They also underscore the importance of corporate financial management across the supply chain.

“In a fast-moving economy, companies must manage their cash flows effectively,” said Professor Gao. “Punctual payment not only enables companies to meet their bill-payment obligations but also directly affects their credit scores and borrowing capacity, as suppliers and lenders closely monitor payment behaviour to assess financial health.”

The lessons are especially relevant today. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and more severe, from hurricanes along the US coast to wildfires and floods elsewhere. Modern businesses are deeply interconnected, meaning that disruption in one place can quickly spread to many others, affecting even workers and communities that never experienced the events directly.

“Faster access to emergency funding, more resilient supply chains and better disaster planning could help prevent payment delays from turning into job losses and business failures.”

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New EU Report on Non-Discrimination by Law experts at the University of Manchester

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:30:59 +0000

EU equality law prohibits not only direct discrimination but also giving instructions to discriminate against others. This rule applies broadly, covering all forms of discrimination and many areas of social and professional life. Yet despite its wide reach, the meaning and practical implications of “instructions to discriminate” remain unclear. There is no case law from the EU courts clarifying the concept, and decisions at national level are limited and rarely examined in depth.

As a result, important questions remain unanswered. These include who is protected by the rule, who can be held responsible when discrimination occurs following an instruction, and what kind of relationship must exist between the person giving the instruction and the person who follows it. Different EU Member States have taken different approaches to these issues.

This report, authored by and , seeks to improve understanding of EU law on instructions to discriminate and to clarify both its limits and its potential. It offers practical guidance and recommendations for strengthening the concept at EU level, alongside a comparative overview of how all 27 EU Member States regulate and apply this form of discrimination in their national legal systems.

AI could rebalance power between people and the services they use

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:39:53 +0000

Artificial intelligence could help people who feel overwhelmed, excluded or disadvantaged when dealing with everyday tasks like paying energy bills or booking healthcare appointments, according to a new study involving researchers from The University of Manchester.

The research - published in the - explored how “personal AI agents” could work on behalf of individuals, helping them to navigate complex systems, make better decisions and gain more control.

Vulnerability or overwhelm can affect almost anyone, whether through illness, financial pressure, language barriers or difficulty interpreting complex information.

The research team - including experts from The Universities of Manchester, Queensland, Oxford, Cambridge and Heriot-Watt - argue that advances in AI create an opportunity to rebalance power between organisations and the people who rely on their services. Instead of technology being used mainly by companies, personal AI tools could act in individuals’ interests, making purchases and helping them to compare options and understand information.

In the cases of an older person choosing an energy tariff, a patient managing multiple appointments or a parent navigating the benefits system, a personal AI assistant could interpret information, suggest choices and communicate decisions with service providers on the user’s behalf.

The study brings together research on customer experience, vulnerability and emerging AI technologies to show how this could work in practice, proposing a framework for designing systems that support people when they feel they lack control.

Researchers say the key is not just smarter tools, but ones that genuinely represent users’ interests. Personal AI agents could improve access to services, reduce stress and simplify everyday decisions.

Four possible roles for personal AI are outlined, from a “service organiser” coordinating everyday tasks to a “protective” system safeguarding users’ interests and flagging risks. Together, these approaches could help ensure fairer treatment and clearer information when interacting with companies and public services.

“As digital systems increasingly shape daily life, the real promise of AI may lie not in enabling large organisations to make incremental efficiency gains, but in helping individual people achieve greater confidence and control in their lives,” said Dr Jamie Burton, Professor of Marketing at Alliance 91ֱ�� Business School.

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CreaTech Network 2026: Exploring Creativity & AI in Entertainment, Heritage, and Open Tools

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 15:48:14 +0000

The CreaTech Network series returns in 2026, led by in collaboration with and the . This three-part event series, running between February and June 2026, is designed to strengthen connections across the CreaTech ecosystem in Greater 91ֱ�� and the North West, and to support collaboration between the University and the wider creative and cultural industries community.

The theme of this year’s series is Creativity and AI, exploring how artificial intelligence is shaping creative and cultural practice. Across a series of in-person events, the programme brings together researchers, creatives, technologists, and industry partners to examine emerging opportunities and challenges. The 2026 series will focus on AI in entertainment, cultural heritage, and free and open-source tools.

If you’re curious about what’s coming in 2026, take a look back at previous CreaTech Network events from 2024 and 2025, which explored AI across music, publishing, fashion, and other creative areas. Those past programmes show the exciting mix of ideas, collaborations, and experiments that have shaped the Network and give a hint of the conversations and creativity to expect this year.

Creativity and AI: Entertainment

🗓️🕒 Thursday 26 February l 14:30 - 17:00
📍Contact Theatre, Space 0, Oxford Rd, 91ֱ�� M15 6JA

The first event of the 2026 CreaTech Network Series will focus on how AI is currently being used across the entertainment sector, particularly in film, television and games. It will look at practical uses of AI in areas such as animation, screen production and creative workflows, alongside some of the challenges this raises for creative practice.

Hear from academic and industry speakers in short lightning talks, followed by a panel session and an open Q&A inviting audience participation.

Creativity and AI: Cultural Heritage

🗓️🕒 Thursday 30 April l 14:30 - 17:00

The growing use of AI in cultural heritage raises important questions around data, ethics and partnership. This event examines how galleries, libraries, archives and museums are working with AI, and the implications for practice.

Creativity and AI: Free and Open-source AI Tools and Platforms

🗓️🕒 Thursday 25 June l 14:30 - 17:00

What role do free and open-source AI tools play in creative and cultural practice today? This event examines how open technologies enable collaboration and shared innovation.

Nature as therapy: research shows how the outdoors can help us to heal

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:33:36 +0000

Nature-based therapy may help people to find hope, meaning and a deeper sense of connection, according to new research from The University of Manchester.

The study - published in journal - examined a form of outdoor therapy called ‘ecotherapy’ which includes activities such as walking in woodland, spending time near water, gardening or sitting quietly in nature with a trained therapist. By reviewing studies from around the world, the researchers explored how people described their most meaningful moments during these experiences.

Many people spoke about moments in nature that helped them process pain, let go of the past and rediscover a sense of purpose. Rather than techniques or theories, participants described simple experiences - watching trees grow and decay, feeling the wind on their face or sitting quietly in a forest and feeling part of something larger.

Some described nature as a mirror for their own lives. Seeing natural cycles of growth and renewal helped them accept difficult experiences and feel more present. Others spoke about a strong sense of connection and belonging which brought comfort and made personal problems feel more manageable.

Importantly, these experiences were not linked to religion - people from different backgrounds described spirituality in their own words, focusing on connection, awe and meaning rather than belief.

The study suggests these moments can have lasting effects, helping people accept themselves, release emotional pain and find new direction. At a time of widespread anxiety about the future, the study highlights how connecting with nature may support mental health and foster hope.

Ecotherapy does not replace traditional talking therapies, but the researchers say it may offer something different - space, perspective and a reminder that people are part of a wider living world.

“At a time when many people feel overwhelmed or anxious about the future, these experiences often helped people reconnect with hope and a sense of purpose.”

“This research shows that therapy doesn’t always have to happen in a room,” said co-author Professor Terry Hanley. “For some people, being outdoors creates the space they need to reflect, heal and move forward. As mental health services face growing demand, nature-based approaches could be a valuable part of a wider, more humane response to wellbeing.”

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Gorton and Denton by-election: Reform could benefit from split vote on the left

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 16:55:05 +0000

A by-election has been set for February 26 in the 91ֱ�� constituency of Gorton and Denton. This will be a big test for Keir Starmer’s Labour party and a temperature check on the state of multi-party politics in the North. Although Labour won the seat comfortably in 2024, some early polls are could win.

By-elections are awkward beasts and don’t necessarily follow the usual rules. What makes things harder in this case is that Gorton and Denton is a new constituency. It was in 2024 from parts of three different constituencies (Gorton, Denton & Reddish and 91ֱ�� Withington).

When we try to understand what might happen in a by-election, we rely on the constituency’s past election results as a marker, which is obviously limited to just one election in this case. Gorton and Denton is also “a bit of a Frankenstein’s monster”, .

It has an elongated shape and combines areas with huge socio-demographic differences. Its Tameside wards are predominantly white, with a sizeable working class while its 91ֱ�� wards have a much higher student and Muslim population.

Labour has everything to lose

Ordinarily, this would be a constituency which Labour should easily win. 91ֱ�� is a Labour heartland through and through. Its other five constituencies are all held by Labour MPs, it boasts all but a handful of seats on the City Council and Andy Burnham trounced his opponents in the city’s last mayoral elections .

But by-elections are difficult for governments and Keir Starmer’s track record so far is not good. Labour lost a by-election in the Cheshire constituency of in May 2025 to Reform’s Sarah Pochin. Pochin won on a narrow margin of just six votes but had managed to . That makes Labour’s majority of 13,000 in Gorton and Denton look less than secure.

The real danger here is that Labour finds itself in the squeezed middle. It risks losing voters to Reform on the right and the Greens on the left. This is what happened in the in November, which saw Labour pushed back into third place behind Reform and winners Plaid Cymru.

Reform has everything to prove

Nigel Farage’s party has the momentum at the moment. Polls suggest they are outperforming Labour nationally right now and the recent high-profile defections of and have increased the size of their parliamentary group to 8 MPs.

The Reform candidate in Gorton and Denton, former university academic and GB News presenter Matthew Goodwin, may be the most recognisable candidate to voters, but his political views may not go down well throughout the constituency.

His views on the white working class being may resonate in some of Manchester’s Tameside wards, but his and what it means to be British will not play well in others, something the Greens in particular are trying to capitalise on.

Pitching the by-election as a “referendum” on Starmer’s leadership is a sensible strategy by Goodwin, especially as a recent YouGov poll showed that think the prime minister is doing a bad job. Reform may struggle to bring together enough voters ready to sign up to all the party stands for, but may be able to borrow the votes from those who nevertheless want Labour out and would benefit from a split on the left.

Victory in Gorton and Denton would not only mean that Reform will equal the SNP in party group size in the Commons, it will be a further pull for disgruntled or panicking Conservative (or Labour) MPs, ahead of the Farage has imposed on MPs thinking about defecting to his party. But there is a sizeable chunk of voters across the UK , and who could vote tactically for Labour just to keep Reform out.

Green performance could be key

The Greens did not perform brilliantly in Gorton and Denton at the 2024 elections, but nationally the party received 7% of the vote and they hold over 800 seats on local councils. Since the election, they have , Zack Polanski, who has been instrumental in raising the Green voice in the media.

Their candidate is Hannah Spencer, a councillor in the region who stood for mayor in 2024 and finished in fifth place, behind Reform.

Polanski is confident that only the Greens can beat Reform in Gorton and Denton. And while that’s a bold claim, his supporters will be buoyed by the in a Derbyshire local by-election last year.

And even if they don’t win, a solid Green performance could be very bad news for Starmer.

, Senior Lecturer in Politics
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

UK expert in energy and climate governance joins The University of Manchester

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 11:04:51 +0000

The University of Manchester has appointed Professor Rebecca Willis as Chair of Energy and Climate Governance – a role which bridges the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Science and Engineering through the and the for Climate Change.

A leading academic and thought leader in environment, climate, energy policy and politics, Rebecca will also bring a team of highly regarded researchers and academics to join her at the University. Rebecca leads the Climate Citizens research group, which investigates public engagement and citizenship. She is a co-investigator for the Centre for Joined-Up Sustainability Transitions (JUST), the Energy Demand Research Centre, and a new initiative, PACT (Production and Consumption Transformations) which provides decision support to government departments.

Rebecca Willis has previously been a professor at Lancaster University and is an expert advisor to the Climate Change Committee and Innovate UK’s Net Zero Living Initiative.

Speaking on her appointment, Rebecca said: “The wealth of expertise based here at 91ֱ�� is highly valued around the world. I am excited to be part of a community working on global challenges with practical outcomes for people, planet and society.

Professor Claire Alexander, Head of the School of Social Sciences added: “We’re delighted to be able to welcome Rebecca and her team to the University of Manchester. Rebecca brings significant insight and expertise in terms of applying policy to innovation in the challenging fields of energy and climate governance. She will be working closely with colleagues in the Sustainable Consumption Institute, a collaboration between the School of Social Sciences and Alliance 91ֱ�� Business School, who are leading the way in terms of the economic and social and policy dimensions of climate justice and environmental sustainability.”

Professor Sarah Cartmell, Head of the School of Engineering said: “Through the Tyndall Centre, Rebecca will strengthen our capacity to link cutting-edge engineering, climate science, social science and governance insights with policy that works in practice. Her expertise will help accelerate the impact of our work, deepen our partnerships and enhance 91ֱ��’s role as a leading contributor to the UK and global climate policy landscape.”

Radical measures needed to close arts class gap in Greater 91ֱ��, inquiry finds

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Working class creatives are struggling to break into and are leaving the arts, a new inquiry has warned.

, led by Chancellor of The University of Manchester Nazir Afzal OBE and Avis Gilmore, former Deputy General Secretary of one of Europe’s biggest trade unions, found that barriers preventing working class talent from succeeding included class-based discrimination, low pay, a lack of connections and exploitative practices.

Less than half of creatives surveyed (44%) said they earned enough to make a living, with many requiring second jobs; 51% of respondents said they had experienced bullying, harassment or bias based on their social class; just 18% of respondents said they saw their lived experiences widely represented in the art form they practice and only 22% said they personally knew anyone working in the arts when they were growing up.

Featuring over 150 hours of interviews with artists ranging from teenage musicians and mid-career arts workers to globally recognised playwrights and BAFTA and Emmy winning screenwriters, the Inquiry found anger, despair and seeds of hope in the voices they heard.

Co-Chair Nazir Afzal OBE, who is also the Chair of the Lowry theatre, said this was an opportunity for Greater 91ֱ�� to lead the way on a national challenge and build a better sector “where talent is discovered everywhere, nurtured properly, paid fairly and allowed to rise.”

Among the Inquiry’s 21 recommendations are measures to include class as a protected characteristic, the appointment of a Class Champion, a drive to increase apprenticeships, measures to decasualise labour and a co-ordinating body led by the GMCA to marshal resources, spot gaps and join up best practice.

Although the Equality Act does not recognise class as a protected characteristic, Afzal said that 91ֱ�� should look to unilaterally recognise people from working class backgrounds as having protected characteristics. “As a former prosecutor, I have seen our region do this before,” he said. “When Sophie Lancaster was killed, Greater 91ֱ�� Police broke new ground by offering people from alternative sub-cultures hate crime protection – and other police forces eventually followed suit. This was the right thing to do and we need to be equally bold. Because we are not going to break down barriers that are crushing creativity until we build an arts sector that treats class as a core inclusion issue.”

But as well as highlighting structural failings, the Inquiry also shines a light on many changemakers who are working hard to widen participation and make a difference. Co-chair Avis Gilmore said she was particularly inspired by institutions like the Co-op stepping up on the back of the report to campaign for more apprenticeships. “I’m thrilled that the Co-op has agreed to lead a campaign to significantly boost creative apprenticeships in our region,” she said.

Claire Costello, Chief People and Inclusion Officer at Co-op explained: “Our Co-op believes everyone, whatever their background, should be able to access opportunities in the arts and creative sector throughout Greater 91ֱ��. Apprenticeships can provide a ‘stepping stone’ for future careers, that’s why Co-op is encouraging Greater 91ֱ�� employers to share unspent apprenticeship levy funds to raise £3 million over 3 years to support 200 new apprenticeships in the arts and creative sector throughout Greater 91ֱ��.”

The inquiry’s findings are being launched on January 26^th at an event at the Whitworth Art Gallery at The University of 91ֱ�� in collaboration with research platform Creative 91ֱ��, where the Mayor of Greater 91ֱ��, Andy Burnham, is due to speak.

The report can be downloaded .

New Funding to Catalyse Devolved Cultural Policy Making: The Mayoral Authorities Creative Health Network

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Working with the Mayoral Authorities Creative Health Network (MACHN), convened by Greater 91ֱ�� Combined Authority and Greater London Authority, the network will map policy alignment and challenges across mayoral areas and establish a first of its kind framework for embedding creative health for growth into devolved strategy. The project is titled ‘’.

2026 Co-Lab Policy Network Awards

The programme based at has today announced the results of the 2026 : an ambitious intervention to reorientate place-based cultural policy making in a new context of and the .

The awards mark a pivotal opportunity to deliver devolution and community-led innovation not just as buzzwords, but as practical tools for better place-based policymaking. Together, the four awards mark a timely shift in how we understand innovation, community, and collaboration across the UK.

The programme will fund 4 new to support innovative cross-sector cultural policy networks in devolved nations and regions of the UK.

Co-Lab Policy Network Awards 2026

The Co-Lab Policy Network Awards will create new spaces for deliberation on complex cultural challenges and opportunities—from culture-led regeneration to creative health—building devolved policy infrastructure that will enable better outcomes. The networks will work across sectors to ensure that people in devolved settings become not just participants in policy but the co-creators of it.

The AHRC Creative Communities programme will bring the four networks together to host a devolution and cultural policy summit in December 2026. The programme will publish a Policy Priority Paper from each network award in March 2027. The papers will make new policy recommendations direct to devolved administrations to strengthen delivery and create new capacity for devolved policy exchange within and between the nations and regions of the UK.

About Creative Communities

is a major multi-million pound research programme based at Northumbria University in Newcastle. The investment builds a new evidence base on how cultural devolution can enhance belonging, address regional inequality, deliver devolution, and break down barriers to opportunity for communities in devolved settings across all four nations of the UK.

91ֱ�� finds strong link between teacher wellbeing and pupil achievement

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:34:55 +0000

A new study from The University of Manchester has found that happier teachers help create happier pupils - and better learning - as ten schools across the UK embrace a groundbreaking approach to wellbeing.

The research, led by Dr Alexandra Hennessey and Dr Sarah MacQuarrie from the 91ֱ�� Institute of Education, explored how the schools adopted the Well Schools framework - a national movement run by the Youth Sport Trust that puts wellbeing at the heart of education.

The Well Schools project, which began in 2020, has grown into a thriving community of more than 2,000 schools across the UK. This focused on ten schools that took part in a detailed evaluation of how the framework supports wellbeing among both staff and pupils.

Their findings, published in , show that when schools focus on the health, happiness and connectedness of both pupils and staff, classrooms become more positive, productive places to learn and teach.

The report highlights inspiring examples from schools that have introduced everything from daily “active learning” sessions and outdoor lessons to staff recognition schemes, mental health first aid training and after-school wellbeing clubs. These initiatives, tailored to each school’s needs, are helping teachers feel valued and pupils more engaged.

One headteacher told the research team: “If staff are happy and relaxed, the lessons they teach are better. You can feel the buzz in the building - it just feels different.”

Schools involved ranged from small primaries to large secondaries and special schools across England, Scotland and Wales. Despite their differences, all shared a commitment to supporting wellbeing as part of their school culture - and saw real benefits in attendance, focus and morale.

The study found that wellbeing programmes worked best when led by senior school leaders but shaped collaboratively by staff and pupils. Initiatives such as ‘keep, tweak or ditch’ reviews helped teachers cut unnecessary workload, while pupil wellbeing ambassadors and parent workshops extended the benefits beyond the classroom.

“This research highlights the power of schools working as communities - not just institutions that deliver lessons, but places that nurture people,” added Dr MacQuarrie. “The schools we studied created a sense of belonging, where staff and pupils alike feel heard and supported.”

Dr Hennessey concluded: “Wellbeing and learning go hand in hand. Schools that invest in the health and happiness of their staff and students aren’t just improving education - they’re shaping stronger, kinder communities.”

Music Department hosts 'Re:locating the Arts' event with researchers and leading industry partners

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 11:43:24 +0000

On 4th November, the University’s Music Department hosted Re:locating the Arts, a symposium which explored research and current practice on themes of location in the output of arts organisations, co-organised with partner organisation 91ֱ�� Camerata. With contributions from academia, postgraduate researchers, and professionals working in industry, the event provided an opportunity for a disciplinary diverse range of voices to interrogate current thinking around the role of geographical location in designing and delivering effective arts programmes.

With representatives from theatre, music, orchestral production, and music education, the event began with a roundtable discussion that examined routes to finding a home within a community. Presentations covered a breadth of topics spotlighting current initiatives and relocations in arts organisations; experimental AI in collective practice; festival partnerships; the positioning of the arts within (and by) universities; civic capital in classical music outreach projects; ethics, rights, and regulations in the University of Sheffield’s Access Folk’s participant-led research; and preliminary findings from the University’s research partnership with English National Opera.

This symposium was the third in an ongoing series of Think Tank events, in which themes emerging from a collaborative PhD project are discussed and interrogated by a diverse range of voices and disciplines. The Think Tank series will continue in 2026 with an event focusing on the theme which was considered the most urgent for further interrogation: community.

This event was funded by the North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership, part of the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Thanks also to Creative 91ֱ�� for their generous support.

For more information on the Think Tank series, please email Rebecca.parnell@manchester.ac.uk

When Power Replaces Law: Venezuela, the United States, and the Fragility of the International Legal Order

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 09:00:00 +0000

This intervention is not merely controversial or politically debatable; it is unlawful under the core rules governing the international use of force. That conclusion holds regardless of arguments based on U.S. domestic law, moral claims about Maduro’s governance, or strategic interests in the region. If international law is to retain any meaning, it must be applied consistently — even, and especially, when doing so is politically inconvenient.

I. The Illegality of the Use of Force Against Venezuela

The prohibition on the use of force is one of the foundational principles of modern international law. Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter forbids states from using force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state. Only two narrow exceptions exist: self-defence under Article 51, and authorisation by the UN Security Council.

Neither applies in the case of Venezuela. Venezuela did not attack the United States, nor was there an imminent armed attack that could justify anticipatory self-defence. Likewise, there is no Security Council mandate authorising military action. On that basis alone, U.S. strikes on Venezuelan territory constitute an unlawful use of force.

The same conclusion applies to the goal of removing Nicolás Maduro from power. International law explicitly prohibits intervention in the internal affairs of another state, including the forcible determination of its political leadership. Whether a government is unpopular, authoritarian, or widely regarded as illegitimate does not grant other states a legal right to impose regime change through military means.

The capture of Maduro and his wife therefore compounds these violations. Conducting arrests on foreign soil without the consent of the territorial state or authorisation by the Security Council constitutes an unlawful extraterritorial exercise of enforcement jurisdiction. Such actions also breach international human rights law, which prohibits arbitrary detention and requires adherence to established legal procedures. Kidnapping individuals across borders does not become lawful simply because it is carried out by a powerful state.

Arguments invoking benevolent motives do not alter this legal assessment. Claims that intervention is justified by drug trafficking, human rights abuses, or economic mismanagement do not create exceptions to the prohibition on the use of force. There is no recognised doctrine of a transnational “war on drugs” that permits military attacks on other states, nor does international law generally accept unilateral humanitarian intervention as lawful. Strategic or economic interests — such as access to oil — are even more clearly excluded as legal justifications.

II. Domestic Law Is Not a Defence Under International Law

Much of the defence offered for U.S. actions rests on domestic legal arguments: U.S. criminal indictments against Maduro, executive authority memoranda permitting extraterritorial arrests, or precedents such as the 1989 invasion of Panama to capture Manuel Noriega. These arguments misunderstand the relationship between domestic and international law.

International law is explicit on this point. A state may not invoke its internal law as justification for failing to comply with its international obligations. Even if U.S. courts permit prosecution following an unlawful apprehension, and even if U.S. executive branch lawyers conclude that such actions are permissible under domestic law, this does not erase the underlying violations of international law. The state remains internationally responsible for its conduct.

Historical precedent does not cure illegality either. The fact that the United States previously invaded Panama and prosecuted Noriega does not retroactively legalise that action, nor does it create a lawful template for future interventions. Repetition of unlawful conduct does not transform it into law.

III. Maduro, Accountability, and the Limits of Lawful Enforcement

None of this is a defence of Nicolás Maduro or his record in office. One may simultaneously believe that Maduro should not be governing Venezuela and recognise that foreign military intervention to remove him is illegal. His government has been credibly accused of serious human rights violations, repression, and corruption. These allegations matter and international law provides mechanisms to address them.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has been investigating crimes committed in Venezuela since 2018. Within the boundaries of international law, the ICC could have pursued accountability through arrest warrants, trials, and cooperation with states parties. Such processes are slow, imperfect, and politically constrained, but they are lawful. They preserve the distinction between justice and vengeance, between accountability and domination.

International law does not promise perfect outcomes. It does not guarantee that every abusive leader will be swiftly removed or punished. But its value lies precisely in its restraint: it channels power through rules, procedures, and institutions rather than raw force. Abandoning those constraints because they are frustrating or incomplete undermines the very conditions of international stability.

IV. The Cost of Disregarding International Law

The broader danger of the Venezuela intervention lies not only in its immediate consequences, but in the precedent it sets. If powerful states may unilaterally decide when international law applies and when it does not, the legal order collapses into selective enforcement and strategic convenience.

A world in which the use of force is justified by unilateral claims of necessity or moral superiority is a world of profound instability. If Venezuela can be attacked without condemnation nor consequence, there is no principled basis for objecting when other states do the same elsewhere—whether in Ukraine, Taiwan, Greenland, or beyond. Once “might makes right” replaces legal constraint, no state, however small or distant, is truly secure.

International silence or half-hearted responses exacerbate this risk. Vague expressions of “concern” or selective condemnation signal that violations will be tolerated when committed by allies or powerful actors. That erosion of consistency is itself corrosive to the rule of law.

V. Consistency as the Minimum Condition for Legitimacy

International law cannot survive as a menu of optional rules. Its legitimacy depends on consistent application without fear or favour. States cannot credibly condemn violations by adversaries while excusing or endorsing the same conduct by partners or themselves.

Respecting international law does not require believing it is flawless. It requires recognising that, despite its limits, it remains the only framework capable of restraining violence, protecting sovereignty, and reducing the risk of global anarchy. The alternative is not a more just world, but a more dangerous one.

The intervention in Venezuela is therefore not only about Venezuela. It is a test of whether international law remains a meaningful constraint on power, or whether it will be discarded whenever it becomes inconvenient. If the answer is the latter, the consequences will not be confined to one country or one region. They will shape the future of global order itself.

An earlier, simplified version of this analysis was published on the Substack

Lack of coordination is leaving modern slavery victims and survivors vulnerable, say experts

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 08:30:00 +0000

Researchers at The University of Manchester are calling for stronger, coordinated partnerships to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking, warning that gaps between organisations risk leaving victims and survivors without consistent protection and support.

Their appeal comes in a new review commissioned by , which examines how organisations across the city region work together to identify, safeguard and support people affected by modern slavery and human trafficking. The review focuses on partnerships involving local authorities, statutory services, law enforcement, housing providers and voluntary and community sector organisations.

The authors argue that tackling modern slavery depends on robust, long-term collaboration rather than ad hoc arrangements. While organisations across Greater 91ֱ�� have developed innovative partnership approaches, the review finds that these are not always embedded consistently across the system. Among the review’s key recommendations, the authors are calling for:

- Clearer strategic governance to strengthen modern slavery and human trafficking partnerships at a Greater 91ֱ��-wide level.
- More consistent roles and responsibilities across organisations, so victims/survivors do not fall through gaps between services.
- Improved information-sharing and referral pathways, ensuring concerns are acted on quickly and safely.
- Sustainable funding and resources to support partnership working, rather than reliance on short-term arrangements.
- Stronger links between safeguarding, housing, immigration advice and criminal justice responses, reflecting the needs of victims.

The review suggests that where partnerships are well established, outcomes for victims are more likely to be improved. Such embedded collaboration enables earlier identification of exploitation, better safeguarding responses and coordinated support to help individuals recover and rebuild their lives. Strong partnerships also support disruption of criminal activity by improving intelligence-sharing and joint working.

However, the authors highlight challenges which can weaken partnership arrangements including variations in local practice, capacity pressures and funding uncertainty. Frontline professionals reported that without clear structures and shared accountability, collaboration often relies on personal relationships, making it fragile and difficult to sustain.

The researchers also note that victims and survivors of modern slavery often face overlapping vulnerabilities including insecure housing, mental ill-health and immigration insecurity. Without joined-up working across sectors, these complexities can delay support and increase the risk of re-exploitation.

The authors stress that the findings have national relevance due to a relatively cohesive modern slavery partnership approach in Greater 91ֱ��. As awareness of modern slavery grows, public bodies across the UK face pressure to demonstrate good quality partnership responses. The review positions Greater 91ֱ�� as a potential leader, but cautions that this requires investment in governance, coordination and shared learning.

India shows how urban forests can help cool cities – as long as planners understand what nature and people need

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 13:48:24 +0000

For many years, I lived in the Indian city of Chennai where the summer temperatures can reach up to 44°C. With a population of 4.5 million, this coastal city is humid and hot.

Its suburbs are home to 600 Hindu temples and there’s a wildlife reserve called Guindy national park in the heart of the city. of the streets but green parks are few and far between – as is the shade.

As and the rest of , urban forests become more vital. These clusters of trees in parks, gardens, public spaces and along roads and rivers have multiple benefits – from cooling the surrounding air to providing homes for wildlife and creating space for people to enjoy nature. Yet they are often overlooked by city developers.

shows that, in Chennai, there are 26 square miles of tree and other vegetation cover, mainly accounted for by formal green spaces such as Guindy wildlife reserve. On the outskirts of this city, an area of nine square miles of unused land is ideally suited to creating more urban forest. Similarly, there is more potential space for urban forests in other fast urbanising Indian cities like Coimbatore and Tiruchirapalli.

recommend having at least 30% tree cover in urban areas. suggests that cities should allow for nine square metres of urban tree cover per person. Most Indian cities .

Improving urban forests in India has been a challenge for many years due to high land prices, lack of urban planning and little public participation .

Policies introduced by the Indian government to “green” urban areas often equate tree planting with cooling cities and building climate resilience. But it’s not that simple. The success of urban forests depends on factors such as rainfall, understanding interactions with local wildlife and people’s needs.

A warns that in hot, dry cities with limited water availability like Chennai, trees slow the cooling process by water evaporation from leaves and instead contribute to urban heat. Urban heat comes from the reflection and absorption of sunlight by buildings and land surfaces. This is particularly high in smaller Indian cities with populations of 1 to 5 million.

Planting trees with the sole aim of cooling cities could negatively affect wildlife too. Not all birds, bugs and mammals depend on trees for food or shelter. A from researchers in Bengaluru, India, shows that non-native tree species contribute little to bird richness. Meanwhile, urban grasslands and marshlands that are often misclassified as “waste land” support wildlife and help regulate flooding.

In India, cities and villages have open “common” land where people graze their cattle or harvest fuelwood from trees that grow naturally there – tree-planting initiatives in these open land areas can displace poorer communities of people who rely on open lands for grazing and fuel wood collection.

Design with nature

Urban forests can be planned to meet the needs of people, birds and other wildlife.

In 1969, Ian McHarg, the late Scottish landscape architect and urban planner came up with the concept of “design with nature”, where development has a minimal negative effect on the environment. His idea was to preserve existing natural forests by proposing site suitability assessments. By analysing factors such as rivers and streams, soil type, slope and drainage, to identify which areas suit development and which are best preserved for nature.

This approach has advanced with new technology. Now, geographic information systems and satellite imagery help planners integrate environmental data and identify suitable areas for planting new trees or conserving urban forests.

Using the principles of landscape ecology, urban planners can design forest patches in a way that enhances the connectivity of green spaces in a city, rather than uniformly planting trees across all open spaces. By designing these “ecological corridors”, trees along roads or canals, for example, can help link fragmented green spaces.

Planting native tree species suited to dry and drought-prone environments is also crucial, as is assessing the local community’s needs for native fruit-bearing trees that provide food.

Growing urban forests

By 2030, one-third of India’s electricity demand is expected to come from cooling equipment such as . Increasing urban forests could help reduce this .

National-level policies could support urban forest expansion across India. In 2014, the government of India released its urban greenery and flagship urban renewal programmes such as the have tried to increase tree cover. But guidelines often overlook critical considerations like ecological connectivity, native species and local community needs.

In 2020, the government of India launched (a scheme to improve tree cover in cities) with a budget of around US$94 million (£70 million). It aims to create urban forests through active participation of citizens, government agencies and private companies. But there is little evidence that urban forest cover has improved.

Urbanisation reduced tree cover in most Indian cities, and much of it was rather . But by protecting and planting more trees, citizens can live in greener, cooler cities. By shifting urban forest policy from counting trees to designing landscapes, plans that enhance climate resilience, nature conservation and social equity can be put into practice.

, Postgraduate Researcher, Climate Adaptation,
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

Time spent on gaming and social media not to blame for teen mental health issues

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 08:00:00 +0000

A major new study from The University of Manchester has found little evidence that social media use or video gaming are causing mental health problems in young teenagers, challenging one of the most widespread concerns among parents and teachers today.

The research - published in the - is based on the experiences of more than 25,000 pupils across Greater 91ֱ��, and is one of the largest and most detailed studies of its kind. The team followed young people aged 11-14 over three school years as part of the #BeeWell programme, which focuses on understanding and improving young people’s wellbeing.

For several years, headlines have warned that time spent on TikTok, Instagram or gaming platforms could be driving a rise in anxiety and depression among teenagers - but the 91ֱ�� researchers say their findings paint a much more nuanced picture.

“We know families are worried, but our results do not support the idea that simply spending time on social media or gaming leads to mental health problems - the story is far more complex than that,” said lead author .

The study tracked pupils’ self-reported social media habits, gaming frequency and emotional difficulties over three school years to find out whether technology use genuinely predicted later mental health difficulties. The researchers found no evidence that heavier social media use or more frequent gaming caused increases in symptoms of anxiety or depression over the following year - for boys or girls.

However, the study did uncover other interesting patterns. Girls who gamed more often went on to spend slightly less time on social media the following year, and boys who reported more emotional difficulties were more likely to cut back on gaming in the future - a pattern the researchers suggest could be linked to losing interest in hobbies when feeling low, or parents limiting screen time when they notice their child is struggling.

The research team also explored whether actively chatting on social media or just passively scrolling made a difference, but the overall picture remained the same - technology habits alone did not appear to drive mental health difficulties.

The authors emphasise that this does not mean online experiences are harmless. Hurtful messages, online pressures and extreme content can all have real impacts on wellbeing, but they argue that focusing simply on screen time misses the bigger picture.

DOI:

91ֱ�� research reveals how global laws can give workers real power

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 09:00:00 +0000

A new study in the has revealed that European ‘due diligence’ laws designed to make multinational companies accountable for labour and environmental abuses are beginning to give a voice to some of the world’s most vulnerable workers.

Focusing on South Africa’s wine industry, the research - led by Professor Matthew Alford from The University of Manchester’s Alliance 91ֱ�� Business School, in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Cape Town, University of Wurzburg and TIE Germany - found that farm workers and local unions are using Germany’s Supply Chain Due Diligence Act to push for better working conditions and corporate accountability.

The 2023 law requires German companies to ensure human rights are respected throughout their global supply chains - from vineyards in the Western Cape, to supermarket shelves in Berlin.

The research team discovered that South African trade unions and community organisations have started invoking this legislation to open direct talks with farm owners and European retailers. In one case, the Commercial, Stevedoring, Agricultural and Allied Workers Union (CSAAWU) used the new law to press a local wine farm to address dangerous working conditions.

“Workers were suffering back injuries, lacked clean drinking water and were exposed to pesticides,” said Dr Alford. “By referencing the new German law, local organisers were able to secure regular meetings with management - something that hadn’t happened before - and win concrete improvements.”

These changes included safer equipment, better sanitation and running water for workers’ homes. According to one union organiser interviewed for the study, “For many of the workers, it is the first time ever that they sat at the table and had a discussion with a white person…in the beginning, the workers were a bit shy but once they saw that the management would actually listen to them and even respond to their demands, they got very confident.”

The research also highlights how South African campaigners are using the same laws to challenge European chemical companies which export pesticides to the country that are banned in the EU. The Women on Farms Project has joined forces with German partners, including Oxfam Germany, to explore using the legislation to seek compensation and push for stricter oversight.

The study demonstrates that the laws are opening up new possibilities for workers thousands of miles away from Europe to hold powerful companies to account, but it also shows how their effectiveness depends on awareness, solidarity and cross-border cooperation. It also warns that while Europe’s new regulations hold promise, they are still at an early stage and risk being weakened by political pushback.

Announcing the launch of the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Innovation

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Alliance 91ֱ�� Business School (AMBS) is delighted to announce the launch of the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Innovation (CTLI), a new hub dedicated to advancing educational excellence and innovation across our community.

Under the leadership of Professor Ali Owrak, the CTLI will serve as a catalyst for transformative education at AMBS, supporting both educators and learners through a wide range of services and opportunities. The Centre’s mission is to foster pedagogical excellence, drive innovation, and champion inclusive partnerships that empower our academic community.

Empowering Educators and Students

The CTLI offers practical support for academic staff seeking to enhance their teaching and student engagement. Services include tailored workshops, one-to-one consultations, and access to resources for course design, assessment strategies, and the effective use of digital tools in the classroom.

Educators can also benefit from interactive workshops, peer observation training, and the pedagogical innovation series. The voluntary peer observation scheme will provide a supportive environment for sharing feedback and learning from colleagues.

Values

At the heart of the CTLI are the values of Excellence, Partnership, Inclusivity, Curiosity, and Trustworthiness. The Centre is committed to developing equitable learning environments, accessible teaching practices, and forward-thinking approaches that support staff and students.

Professor Ali Owrak:

“This marks an exciting new chapter for AMBS. Our vision is to create a collaborative hub where colleagues can explore innovative approaches to teaching, share ideas, and engage in reflective practice. I look forward to welcoming colleagues and working together to shape the future of education at AMBS.”

Professor Ken McPhail:

“At a time of rapid change, it is vital that we continue to innovate in how we teach, learn, and collaborate. The Centre will embody our commitment to educational excellence, inclusivity, and partnership—ensuring that our staff and students are equipped to thrive.”

For more information, visit the CTLI page on the AMBS intranet or contact the team (based on the sixth floor at AMBS, room 6.030) or by emailing CTLI@manchester.ac.uk.

Iran protests have put the country’s political system on trial

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 18:51:01 +0000

Protests that began in late December over rising prices and a collapsing currency have now spread to most of Iran’s 31 provinces, with demonstrators taking aim at the country’s rulers. The demonstrations signal a deep challenge to a political order that many Iranians see as incapable of delivering stability, dignity or a viable future.

The unrest poses the most serious challenge to since 2022. That year, nationwide protests erupted over the death of 22-year-old in police custody after she was arrested for violating hijab rules. Those were ultimately suppressed through force.

Iran’s political establishment has for decades defined itself through permanent confrontation on multiple fronts: with , the and what it sees as global imperialism. This posture has reshaped domestic life by subordinating the economy, governance and social stability to ideological resistance.

What the latest protests reveal is not simply frustration with the hardship that has accompanied this political stance. They seem to reflect a growing consensus among Iranians that this order into something functional and must therefore be replaced.

This has been apparent in the language used by the protesters. Many demonstrators have linked their daily hardships to the regime’s foreign policy priorities, expressed perhaps most clearly that has echoed through the streets of various Iranian cities in recent days: “Not Gaza, not Lebanon, I sacrifice my life for Iran.”

The slogan is a rejection of the regime’s official stance that sacrifice at home is necessary to fulfil ideological goals of “resistance” abroad. Iran has long pursued a policy of supporting militant groups like Hamas and Hezbollah to counter the influence of the US and Israel in the Middle East.

Chants of – a reference to Iran’s ageing supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – are yet more evidence of the broad rejection of the political order among the Iranian population. They signal that many Iranians now view their economic survival as inseparable from fundamental political change.

The protests have spread across wide sections of Iranian society. What began as strikes by bazaar merchants and shopkeepers in Iran’s capital, Tehran, quickly drew in students, professionals and business owners elsewhere in the country. Protests have in Qom and Mashhad, cities whose populations have traditionally been loyal to the state.

The state’s initial response to the protests was muted. The government recognised the protests and to the “legitimate demands” of the demonstrators. However, despite a warning from US president Donald Trump of US intervention should security forces “kill peaceful protesters”, at least 36 people have . Over 2,000 more people have been detained.

Donald Trump posts on his Truth Social media platform in response to the protests in Iran.

Post-war paralysis

The protests come six months after Iran’s brief but destabilising war with Israel. This conflict severely strained the state’s capacity to govern, with Khamenei largely withdrawing from public view since then due to heightened fears over his safety. Major decisions in Iran require Khamenei’s approval, so his absence has slowed decision-making across the system.

The effects of this have been felt nationwide. Universities and schools have been hampered by repeated closures, shortened schedules and the sudden suspension of in-person classes. Transport networks have faced repeated disruption and economic planning has become nearly impossible.

Prices are . The official annual inflation rate stands at around 42%, with food inflation exceeding 70%. The prices of some basic goods have reportedly risen by more than 110% compared with a year ago, and are further in the coming weeks.

Iran’s authorities have also intermittently suspended routine daily and weekly activities since the end of the war, such as school days, public office hours, transport services and commercial operations. They , pollution or security concerns as the reasons for doing so.

Underlying these disruptions is a governing system braced for the possibility of renewed war, either with Israel or possibly the US. The regime is operating in a prolonged state of emergency, which has pushed Iranian society itself deeper into crisis.

Iran’s governing paralysis has been strained further by intensifying competition within the ruling elite. The war with Israel led to the deaths of several senior Iranian military and security figures, which has created gaps in networks of power.

With authority fragmented, rival political, military and security factions have sought to position themselves for influence in a post-Khamenei order. Networks associated with figures such as former president Hassan Rouhani, former foreign minister Javad Zarif and current president Masoud Pezeshkian are pursuing negotiations with western powers to address Iran’s foreign policy challenges.

But others appear to be engaging in talks aimed at securing backing from ideological allies such as Russia and China. These include people in security and intelligence circles, along with figures ideologically aligned with Khamenei like his second-eldest son Mojtaba, current speaker of parliament Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf and conservative clerics such as .

These rival strategies have not produced coherent governance. Instead, they have reinforced perceptions among the Iranian public that the system is preoccupied with survival rather than addressing everyday breakdowns in basic administration, public services and economic coordination.

Iran stands at a crossroads. One path leads toward deeper militarisation, elite infighting and prolonged paralysis. The other points towards a reckoning with a political order that large segments of Iranian society no longer believe can deliver stability or welfare.

The protests suggest that the central question for many Iranians is no longer whether the system can be repaired, but whether continuing to live under it is viable at all. What is clear is that Iran is at a critical political moment, with significant changes likely to unfold in the weeks and months ahead.

, Research Fellow at the Global Development Institute
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

British Ambassador to China Opens 91ֱ�� Photo Exhibition in Zhengzhou

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 14:11:03 +0000

The exhibition displayed the 30 finalists in the 7^th annual UK-China International Photography Competition, founded and run by the University of Manchester’s 91ֱ�� China Institute.

Ambassador Wilson thanked the He’nan University of Technology for hosting the exhibition and spoke glowingly of the 91ֱ�� China Institute as a truly remarkable beacon of excellence for its work promoting China studies in the UK, and mutual understanding between the British and Chinese peoples. He also spoke highly of the exhibition, emphasizing its ability to showcase the universal values of sportsmanship and teamwork that resonate across cultures.

Joining the event virtually, Professor Peter Gries, Director of the 91ֱ�� China Institute, delivered a speech in Mandarin to introduce the exhibition and the Institute’s vision. He highlighted how photographs can promote perspective taking and empathy, bridging linguistic and cultural divides, to remind Chinese and British audiences alike of our common humanity.

Other distinguished guests present at the opening ceremony included Professor Wu Zhishen, President and Vice Chancellor of He’nan University of Technology, Mr Dominic McAllister, the British Consul General in Wuhan, senior officials from the He’nan provincial government and Zhengzhou municipal government, underscoring the significance of this cultural event.

“The Spirit of Sports” exhibition uses the universal language of sports to promote dialogue and understanding between the peoples of Britain and China. Through powerful imagery, the exhibition celebrates shared human experiences—competition, collaboration, and resilience—while deepening appreciation of each other’s perspectives.

This initiative reflects the 91ֱ�� China Institute’s commitment to building meaningful connections through cultural exchange. The University of Manchester was the first - and remains the only - British university to set social responsibility as a core goal.

New book highlights human toll of the Kenyan property boom

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 12:28:37 +0000

As Nairobi’s skyline climbs ever higher, life for those living on the city’s edges is being transformed - and not always for the better.

In a powerful new book, , Dr Peter Lockwood of The University of Manchester tells the human stories behind Kenya’s rapid urban expansion and the families being left behind.

Based on years of living and working alongside residents in Kiambu County - an area just north of Nairobi where farmland is giving way to housing estates and shopping malls - Lockwood’s book captures a quiet but profound social upheaval. It reveals how fathers, once proud smallholders, are selling off ancestral plots of land, leaving their sons landless and adrift in a volatile economy.

“Land in Kiambu has become unimaginably valuable,” says Lockwood. “For some families, it’s a ticket out of hardship. For others, selling land means losing not only their home but their history.”

Through vivid portraits of everyday lives - farmers, young jobseekers, mothers struggling to make ends meet - Peasants to Paupers explores what happens when the dream of a stable, middle-class future collides with the harsh realities of unemployment, soaring land prices and changing family values.

The book opens with Mwaura, a young man watching his father sell their family’s land to a private developer. What follows is both a personal tragedy and a reflection of a wider trend: as land becomes a commodity, generations of Kenyans are being cut off from the security that once defined rural life.

The book tells a deeply human story of hope and heartbreak. It shows how moral ideas about family, work and responsibility are being tested as young people face shrinking opportunities and elders grapple with impossible choices between survival and legacy.

Lockwood, a Hallsworth Research Fellow in Political Economy at 91ֱ��, brings a journalist’s eye for storytelling to his anthropological research. His work has previously been published in leading journals, and he co-curated Nairobi Becoming (2024), an ethnographic portrait of the Kenyan capital.

Peasants to Paupers is published by Cambridge University Press as part of the prestigious International African Library series and is freely available online under open access, ensuring that readers in Kenya and around the world can engage with its findings.

Konger FC: How Football Is Helping 91ֱ��’s Hong Kong Community Find Home and Voice

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 12:17:25 +0000

A Saturday morning football club in 91ֱ�� is doing more than just scoring goals - it’s helping a community rebuild its identity.

Founded in 2021, Konger FC is a football team made up of Hong Kongers who have relocated to 91ֱ��, many on British National (Overseas) passports. Their move was prompted by increasing restrictions on activism and cultural expression in Hong Kong. Now, through football, they’re finding new ways to connect, integrate, and express themselves.

The club is at the heart of a new research project which received Community Partnership funding from the , led by University of Manchester academics, from the and from . The project, which includes short films and a multimedia documents the 2024/25 season of Konger FC and lays the foundation for a full documentary film.

But this is more than just a sports story. The researchers have embedded themselves in the club’s activities - attending matches, training sessions, and interviewing players, sponsors, and fans. Their goal is to amplify the voices of Hong Kongers in 91ֱ��, showcasing how they preserve their culture, build community networks, and contribute to civic life.

The project also taps into resources at the University of Manchester’s , offering the Konger FC community tools and expertise to share their story with wider audiences.

Through everyday activities like football, the Hong Kong diaspora in 91ֱ�� is practising a quiet form of activism - championing democratic values and human rights while resisting the pressures of political repression back home. The upcoming documentary and website aim to shine a light on their journey, highlighting both the challenges and triumphs of starting anew in Britain.

Konger FC is proving that football can be more than a game—it can be a lifeline, a platform, and a powerful way to say, “We’re still here.”

Inspiring global careers in international politics

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 13:29:11 +0000

The Politics Department is excited to share the success of their inaugural event on careers in international politics, which attracted an impressive student turnout, highlighting the growing interest in global career opportunities among our students.

The event featured inspiring speakers from the United Nations, Amnesty International, the FCDO, Chatham House, Global Weekly, EY, and the Department for Education. Most of these speakers are proud 91ֱ�� alumni, a testament to the quality of education they received here, which helped them thrive in competitive international roles.

This initiative reflects the University’s commitment to having a global impact as part of its 2035 strategy. Dr Jasmin Ramovic, organiser of the event, said:

Given the overwhelming response, the Politics Department will be making this an annual event and looks forward to expanding it even further in the future.

International Recognition for Innovative Assessment Research

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:20:57 +0000

Dr Miri Firth’s pioneering work on rethinking assessment through choice and purpose continues to shape national and international conversations on assessment design. On 22 October, Higher Education Digest featured her research on optionality in assessment, exploring how flexibility and purpose-driven assessment can improve student engagement, wellbeing, and achievement.

In November, Dr Firth will share this work across a series of prestigious events: as a keynote speaker at the Advance HE Assessment and Feedback Symposium (4 November); a keynote at the World Conference on Research in Teaching & Education (16 November); and as an invited panel member for Universities UK’s national event on Access, Participation and Student Success (20 November).

Together, these invitations highlight both the relevance and the impact of her research, which has already influenced assessment practice in more than a dozen universities. Her continued leadership demonstrates the Faculty of Humanities’ contribution to transforming assessment and enhancing the student learning experience across the higher education sector.

Evidence of sector use of this work to date :

University of Liverpool&�Բ��;—&�Բ��;Formal Flexible Assessment Guidance and Code of Practice define flexible assessment and parity/equivalency expectations.
Sheffield Hallam University — Public guidance on Assessment Choice (students choose questions/methods; emphasis on inclusivity and parity).
University of Glasgow&�Բ��;—&�Բ��;Flexible Submission Guidance adopted institutionally; reported reductions in extensionsand improved manageability.
Teesside University — LTE guidance on Flexible / Hybrid Assessment (choice and authentic formats aligned to hybrid delivery).
Loughborough University — Case study on student choice of assessment format (poster, vlog, infographic, etc.) to remove barriers.
University of Sussex — Case study on introducing optionality for accessibility and inclusion (student reflections).
University of Northampton&�Բ��;—&�Բ��;Assessment snapshot: optionality embedded and signposted across a programme to build assessment literacy.
University of York — Institutional workstream on assessment optionality; staff resources and funded projects exploring subject-specific cases.
UCL — Digital Assessment Team blog series on optionality, reflecting work with 91ֱ��, York and Imperial in the QAA project.
Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) — Policy/guidance updates and staff hub referencing flexible assessment practice (plus public comms on assessment reform).
Newcastle University — Curriculum framework and learning-and-teaching resources highlight programme-level assessment design aligned with inclusive/flexible practice.

Sector-level foundation / cross-institutional reference

QAA Collaborative Enhancement Project – Optionality in Assessment (Firth et al., 2023): report and resources underpinning many of the above adoptions.

2025's news highlights from the Faculty of Humanities

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 15:10:00 +0000

2025 has been another great year for The University of Manchester's Faculty of Humanities, and has again seen some significant achievements and initiatives. Here are some of the key highlights:

January

The year started with research from Professor Jamie Woodward which revealed that England’s major water and sewage companies are misleading the public and Government by using strategies which mirror those of the tobacco and fossil fuel industries. His study uncovered widespread use of greenwashing and disinformation tactics by England’s nine major water and sewage companies, and was covered extensively in the national media.

January also saw the launch of a major new study to assess the impact of smartphones and social media on young people, and research which found that vast areas of the UK’s peatlands are under threat due to climate change. It also brought the news that The University of Manchester ranks in the top 50 globally for Social Sciences, Business Economics, Engineering, Arts & Humanities and Medical & Health.

February

In February, one of the world’s largest school-based trials found that an intervention to help students normalise their everyday emotions is the ‘most promising’ of several approaches for supporting mental health in children and young people. The Education for Wellbeing trial involved 32,655 students in 513 English primary and secondary schools, testing five interventions.

Research launched in February also found that polling in Ukraine contradicted Donald Trump, who claimed that Volodymyr Zelensky’s approval rating stood at 4% - the study put his approval rating at 63%, making him the most popular politician in the country. This story received widespread media coverage.

March

Internationally acclaimed novelist and short story writer Sarah Hall joined The University of Manchester in March as a Professor of Creative Writing. Sarah joined a prestigious teaching team at the University’s Centre for New Writing made up of novelists, poets, screenwriters, playwrights and non-fiction writers, including Jeanette Winterson, Ian McGuire, Jason Allen-Paisant, Beth Underdown, Horatio Clare, Tim Price and John McAuliffe.

Also during this month, experts called on the government to make urgent changes to the UK’s bus network in an appearance at a Transport Select Committee inquiry. The group – including Professor Karen Lucas, Head of the Transport and Mobilities Group at The University of Manchester – spoke about the detrimental impact of poor bus connectivity and the need for immediate government action. A new research centre was also launched to promote socially just, people-centred sustainability transformations by collaborating with communities, governments and businesses to develop low-carbon living initiatives.

April

In April, The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) - the UK’s largest funder of economic, social, behavioural and human data science - appointed 91ֱ��’s Professor Cecilia Wong as a member of its Council. Professor Wong brought a wealth of expertise and an exceptional track record to her role - her extensive research encompasses strategic spatial planning, policy monitoring & analysis, urban & regional development and housing & infrastructure planning.

The month also saw the launch of a new report from , which has surveyed 130,000 young people since 2021, which highlighted the experiences of pupils in mainstream schools with Special Educational Needs (SEN). The study found that across a range of headline metrics – mental wellbeing, life satisfaction, self-esteem and emotional difficulties – young people with SEN experience worse outcomes.

May

May saw the launch of a major new partnership with the Bank of England which will see existing teachers offered free training to deliver A Level economics alongside their core subject. The three-year programme, which will be piloted in the North West before eventually being rolled out across the UK, aims to make the subject more accessible to students from a wider range of backgrounds.

Also in May, the Government announced changes to the Winter Fuel Payment after being presented with research from The University of Manchester which found that their plans were going to leave many more older people in poverty, putting their health and wellbeing at risk. The month also saw 91ֱ�� being officially recognised as one of the UK’s new Policing Academic Centres of Excellence (PACE), as part of a national initiative to embed world-class research into frontline policing and community safety.

June

June brought two major archaeology stories - firstly, experts from 91ֱ�� played a leading role in the rediscovery of the ancient city of Imet in Egypt’s eastern Nile Delta, uncovering multi-storey dwellings, granaries and a ceremonial road tied to the worship of the cobra goddess Wadjet. This story received widespread coverage. The month brought news of a new project to explore the discovery of Wales’ first complete ancient chariot.

The same month also saw the launch of two reports into children's mental health - one found that while teens from disadvantaged neighbourhoods do face lower life satisfaction, they don't actually face more emotional problems. The other found that physical activity is critical for children's happiness.

July

July brought the extremely sad news that Lord David Alliance CBE had passed away. Lord Alliance’s belief in the power of philanthropy, education and research to drive positive change inspired generations of students, staff, alumni and partners. The renaming of Manchester Business School to Alliance 91ֱ�� Business School in 2015 stands as a testament to Lord Alliance’s transformative impact and support for The University of Manchester and its students over many years.

The month also saw Alliance 91ֱ�� Business School's Professor Timothy Michael Devinney being elected as a Fellow of the British Academy, the UK’s leading national body for the humanities and social sciences.

Also during this month, several Humanities academics were leading policy conversations about major issues - including Professor Jamie Woodward who spoke at Westminster about the impact of microplastic pollution on our environment, and Professor Pamela Qualter who co-authored a World Health Organization (WHO) report calling for urgent action to tackle loneliness and social disconnection around the world.

August

During August, an historian from The University of Manchester was named as one of six authors shortlisted for the 2025 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize, which celebrates the best popular science writing from across the globe. Vanished: An Unnatural History of Extinction by Professor Sadiah Qureshi was named as one of the finalists at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Two leading criminologists from The University of Manchester also joined a groundbreaking national research project designed to tackle fraud in the NHS, which costs the UK taxpayer an estimated £1.3 billion each year.

There was also media interest in a study which found that a single sheet of 1,100-year-old parchment may have been used to heal a dangerous royal rift in Ancient England.

September

The start of the new academic year was marked by the appointment of three academics from The University of Manchester as Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences. Professor Liz Richardson, Professor David Richards and Professor Anupam Nanda were named in recognition of their excellence and impact, and their advancement of social sciences for the public good.

The month also saw The University of Manchester being appointed as the UN's Academic Impact Vice-Chair for SDG10 research, meaning the University will play an essential role in advancing the implementation of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Some major research was also launched in August which found that ‘Levelling Up’ left many southern areas behind, a mentoring programme was giving a big mental health boost to LGBTQIA+ teens, and cities needing to do more to support older people who want to stay in their own homes as they age.

October

October saw three major pieces of research into schools - studies were published into school isolation rooms damaging pupil wellbeing, a third of new teachers quitting within five years of qualifying and the discovery of a significant and lasting link between the subjects young people study in school and their political preferences.

Also during October, a study was launched by Dr Louise Thompson which found that outdated rules in the House of Commons shut smaller parties out of key decisions, leaving millions of voters effectively unheard. This led to several of those parties - including the SNP, Plaid Cymru and Reform - raising the issue, as well as media coverage across the UK.

November

The University’s Professor Hilary Pilkington was one of the authors of the final report of the Independent Commission on Counter-Terrorism Law, Policy and Practice, which in November called for a comprehensive overhaul of the UK's counter-terrorism policies. This received widespread media coverage across the country.

The University also launched new research as part of the N8 Child of the North campaign in November, which found that the post-Covid school attendance crisis is hitting disadvantaged children hardest - the story led to regional and national media coverage.

The month also saw studies into Buddhism in mental health care, stronger communities being linked to better health, and the rise of ‘authoritarian peacemaking’ and its implications for Ukraine.

December

The final month of the year saw the launch of a major new collaboration with the University of Oxford which will bring together an expert team of textual scholars, book historians, computer scientists, library data experts and research software engineers to explore whether computers ‘see’ books and prints the same way as people do, and asks whether the AI algorithm can be made to see in the same way as humans.

A major global study led by Dr Francesco Rampazzo also found that younger generations around the world are embracing a more diverse and fluid understanding of sexual identity than ever before. The research - which analysed data from over 900,000 users of the queer women’s and nonbinary dating app Zoe - offered one of the first truly global pictures of how people identify their sexuality in 122 countries, from the UK and the US to Brazil, South Africa and Taiwan.

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

Justice Hub wins ‘Educational Institution of the Year’ award

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:08:48 +0000

The at the has won ‘Educational Institution of the Year 2025’ at the recent Greater 91ֱ�� Pro Bono Awards. Through partnerships with students from across the , academics, lawyers and local charities, the Hub delivers free legal support to those most in need.

Around 650,000 people in the region fall into the ‘justice gap’ because they cannot access legal aid or afford private representation.

The Justice Hub’s important work exposes lawyers of the future to the injustices faced by many and the importance of access to justice and helps to transform lives across Greater 91ֱ��.

The Awards, now in their second year, celebrate the regions’ lawyers, law students and legal professionals who are transforming lives through free legal advice and representation.

Hidden bias gives ‘swing state’ voters more influence over US trade policy

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:08:02 +0000

Americans living in political “swing states” have a significantly louder voice in national trade policy - effectively making their votes worth more than others - according to a new study published in the .

Professor Karim Chalak from The University of Manchester, Professor John McLaren from the University of Virginia and Professor Xiangjun Ma from Liaoning University found that US governments of both parties tend to shape their trade policies to favour industries based in states that could decide presidential elections.

Using decades of economic and political data - from the Clinton years through to the Trump trade wars - the team found that US tariffs are consistently biased toward industries located in swing states such as Florida, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

According to their estimates, the welfare of a voter in a non-swing state is treated as being worth just 82 percent of that of a voter in a swing state when national trade decisions are made.

“Our research reveals the extent to which US policymakers cater to the welfare of swing-state workers relative to others with similar jobs elsewhere,” explains Professor Chalak. “This bias is a byproduct of the US’s electoral system - economic policies are shaped partly by political geography.”

The researchers describe how this pattern was illustrated clearly in the 1990s, when the Clinton administration negotiated special tomato trade protections for Florida ahead of a tight election. Similar patterns reappeared during later trade disputes involving steel and manufacturing tariffs.

“People often claim that the Electoral College protects small states, but the evidence is that it just penalizes people for not living in a swing state,” said Professor McLaren, “and even for swing states, the best evidence is that small states do not benefit from the bias.”

By combining theoretical modelling with real-world data on tariffs, industries, and voting patterns, the team developed what they call the “Swing-State Theorem.” The theorem predicts that in majoritarian systems like the US, policy naturally tilts toward the interests of swing regions - even without explicit lobbying.

The findings shed light on how political incentives can distort economic policy in ways that are both inefficient and hard to justify as fair, and they may help to explain why trade wars and protectionist measures often appear inconsistent with broader national welfare. The authors suggest the same logic could apply to other areas of policy, from infrastructure spending to defence contracts.

Exhibition celebrates works of Manchester City Architect’s Department

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 10:17:36 +0000

A new landmark exhibition has opened in the first floor gallery of Manchester Central Library which celebrates the contribution that the City Architects made to 91ֱ�� and its citizens over the 101 years of the Department.

The first City Architect, Henry Price, was appointed in 1902 – between then and 2003, only six others held the prestigious post. Price oversaw the design and construction of many of the city’s wash houses and baths, including the Grade II* listed Victoria Baths of 1906 on Hathersage Road.

It is worth remembering how much of the city’s operations were governed from the town hall. 91ֱ�� Corporation once controlled gas and electricity undertakings, tramways and trolleybuses, schools, police, fire and ambulance services, waste collection, parks and recreation, housing, libraries and more. The City Architect’s Department designed for all of these.

Over 350 images of plans, adverts, brochures, press clippings official and amateur photography, are on display and show the incredible breadth of the Departments influence, as well as their geographic reach. The exhibition focuses on the city and its suburbs, not just the centre.

Much of the show features buildings constructed between 1945 and 1974 – the end of the Second World War and the creation of Greater 91ֱ�� Council – and illustrates the incredible transformation of the city in that period.

Celebrated schemes, like the restoration of the Free Trade Hall in the 1950s, sit alongside more macabre utilitarian buildings, such as the City Mortuary, reminding us of the things a city needs to function.

The latter days of the Department were characterised by the upkeep of existing estate, libraries, schools and housing, and renewed attention on the public realm – the creation of Castlefield Urban Heritage Park, the pedestrianisation of Market Street, pocket parks along the River Irwell and in China Town.

Finally, as commissions increasingly fell to the private sector, the City Architect became an instrumental figure in the stewarding of large investments that saw Olympic bids and the delivery of the Commonwealth Games.

"This exhibition celebrates the work of City Architects who made their mark on the city skyscape and its suburbs from 1903," said Councillor John Hacking, Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure. “It is a fascinating look back at how instrumental they were in shaping the city and showcases their vision in making 91ֱ�� the city that we live in today.”

“It is easy to forget the wonderful, weird and sometimes straightforward contributions that local authority architects made to the city and the lives they shaped,” said Professor Richard Brook from Lancaster University. "To get this research out in public and in partnership with Archives+ hopefully casts new light on the city and the collections.”

The exhibition runs until 28 February 2026. The curators, Dr Martin Dodge and Professor Richard Brook, have created a dynamic composition to which they will continually add material during its run.

Researchers awarded funding from Schmidt Sciences for 'Envisioning Print with AI Computer Vision' project

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 11:06:03 +0000

The project aims to teach computers to identify differences between examples of early printed documents and artworks, that is, to be able to discover minute instances of difference in otherwise-identical prints from the same printing surface. It explores whether computers ‘see’ books and prints the same way as people do, and asks whether the algorithm sees (or indeed, can see, or can be made to see) the same way as humans.

The researchers aim to develop AI tools that can understand the differences between multiple versions of prints throughout history, allowing scholars to understand how early imagery was made and circulated, along with the practices of printers and their workshops.

The team consists of (Professor of Italian and Director of the John Rylands Research Institute at the University of Manchester); (Professor of Computer Science and Head of Engineering Research at the University of Manchester); (Head of the Digital Development Team at the University of Manchester Library); (Senior Software Developer in the University of Manchester Library’s Digital Development Team); (Senior Researcher in Digital Humanities at the University of Oxford); (Royal Society Research Professor and Professor of Computer Vision Engineering at the University of Oxford); and (Software Engineer at the University of Oxford).

Professor Richard Curry, Vice-Dean for Research and Innovation in the University's Faculty of Science and Engineering, said: "It's fantastic news that the 91ֱ��-led project Envisioning Print with AI Computer Vision, has been selected for this Schmidt Sciences award. This project is an exemplary, highly interdisciplinary collaboration between humanities researchers and computational experts, and its cutting-edge mixed methodologies will shape future innovation with real-world impacts in line with the University's 91ֱ�� 2035 ambitions."

Wendy Schmidt, co-founder of Schmidt Sciences, added: “Our newest technologies may shed light on our oldest truths, on all that makes us human – from the origins of civilization to the peaks of philosophical thought to contemporary art and film, Schmidt Sciences’ Humanities and AI Virtual Institute (HAVI) is poised to change not only the course of scholarship, but also the way we see ourselves and our role in the world.”

Schmidt Sciences has awarded $11 million to 23 research teams around the world who are exploring new ways to bring artificial intelligence into dialogue with the humanities, from archaeology and art history to literature, linguistics, film studies, and beyond. As part of the Humanities and AI Virtual Institute (HAVI), these interdisciplinary teams will both apply AI to illuminate the human record and draw on humanistic questions, methods, and values to advance how AI itself is designed and used.

Schmidt Sciences is a nonprofit organisation founded in 2024 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt that works to accelerate scientific knowledge and breakthroughs with the most promising, advanced tools to support a thriving planet. The organisation prioritises research in areas poised for impact, including AI and advanced computing, astrophysics, biosciences, climate, and space – as well as supporting researchers in a variety of disciplines through its science systems program.

First global study finds young people redefining sexuality around the world

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 13:24:58 +0000

A major new global study led by a researcher at The University of Manchester has found that younger generations around the world are embracing a more diverse and fluid understanding of sexual identity than ever before.

The research - which analysed data from over 900,000 users of the queer women’s and nonbinary dating app Zoe - offers one of the first truly global pictures of how people identify their sexuality in 122 countries, from the UK and the US to Brazil, South Africa and Taiwan.

The study, published in , found that lesbian and bisexual are the most common identities - but it also shows that younger users are far more likely to describe themselves using newer or broader terms such as queer, pansexual or asexual, suggesting that traditional labels are evolving rapidly.

“Younger generations are showing us that sexuality is not a fixed category - it’s a spectrum,” said Dr Francesco Rampazzo, lead author and Lecturer in Social Statistics at The University of Manchester. “Across the world, more young people are comfortable describing their identities in diverse and fluid ways.”

The research highlights how openness about sexuality often depends on cultural and social context. Countries in Europe, North America and Oceania show the greatest diversity of identities, while users in some parts of Africa and Asia were less likely to share information about their sexuality - likely reflecting differences in social acceptance or legal protection.

“Where people feel safe, they are more likely to express who they really are,” said Dr Canton Winer, co-author from the Northern Illinois University. “In places where LGBTQ+ identities remain stigmatised or even criminalised, that freedom is much narrower.”

The team emphasises that the study is not just about numbers - it’s about visibility. Behind each data point is a real person choosing to be seen.

The findings also show a small but visible proportion of users identifying as asexual, an often-overlooked orientation that’s now appearing beyond Western contexts. This hints at a growing global recognition of lesser-known identities.

By working directly with Zoe, which shared anonymised, aggregated data for research, the study marks a new frontier in demographic research. Rather than relying only on national surveys - which often miss sexual minorities - digital data from dating apps can help paint a more inclusive global picture.

“At Zoe, we have always believed that responsible collaboration between industry and academia can produce insights that genuinely benefit LGBTQ+ communities,” said Milan Kovacic, the former CEO of Zoe. “Studies like this show how data, when handled with care and respect, can deepen our understanding of people’s experiences and help create safer, more inclusive digital spaces. We are proud to support research that contributes to that goal.”

The study was conducted by researchers from The University of Manchester, Northern Illinois University and the Zoe App, and is part of ongoing efforts to build a more global understanding of LGBTQ+ identities.

Newsroom University of Manchester

91ֱ�� researchers shape major parliamentary report on Women, Peace, and Security

References:

report

Written evidence from Dr Georgia Holmes (Open University) and Dr Laura McLeod (The University of Manchester):

Written evidence from Professor Toni Haastrup (The University of Manchester:

Oral evidence from Professor Toni Haastrup at the International Development Committee, House of Commons, Tuesday 18 November 2025:

Written evidence from Dr Jamie J Hagen (The University of Manchester):

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UK expert in energy and climate governance joins The University of Manchester

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2026 Co-Lab Policy Network Awards

Co-Lab Policy Network Awards 2026

About Creative Communities

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Inspiring global careers in international politics

International Recognition for Innovative Assessment Research

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Exhibition celebrates works of Manchester City Architect’s Department

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First global study finds young people redefining sexuality around the world