New guide launched to support effective research collaborations
A new online guide designed to support productive and effective research collaborations has been developed with input from researchers across the GW4 Alliance (Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter universities).
The Collaboration Guide covers all aspects of working together, from finding collaborators and generating ideas to maintaining momentum and reviewing success. It also looks at the benefits of collaboration, especially interdisciplinary collaboration in order to develop the innovative solutions required to tackle some of the most complex and pressing challenges facing society and the environment.
GW4 researchers from a range of disciplines have shared why they collaborate and how bringing in different perspectives and communities strengthens their work and its potential to have impact.
The Collaboration Guide was launched to coincide with the 2025 GW4 Generator Showcase, which launched GW4’s eight newly-funded research communities and showcased the collaborative efforts and achievements of previous communities.
Collaboration is at the heart of GW4 and it makes us greater together than the sum of our parts. GW4’s strength is bringing together researchers and external partners from different disciplines to work at pace and scale to gain new insights and develop innovative solutions. GW4 works with other universities, businesses and civic bodies, acting as the anchor institutions to support a knowledge-intensive economy. GW4’s 25:1 return on research investment highlights not only the transformative power of seed funding, but also the importance and value of collaboration.
While designed with input from GW4 researchers and GW4 collaborations in mind, the content can be applied more widely and the guide is free and accessible for all to use.
