All communities are listed below in date order (newest first), and can be searched using key words or fund type.
Our “Featured Communities” are from the most recent round of Generator funding.
Our Communities
Our communities
The GW4 Building Communities Programme aims to build research and innovation communities of scale and capability, delivering a step change in world-class research that could not be achieved by one of the institutions alone. The Programme has two funding schemes:
- The annual Generator Fund which awards GW4 communities up to £20K for 6 month projects (launched in 2020). This replaced the Initiator (up to £20K for 5 months) and Accelerator (up to £75K for 8 months) funding schemes, which ran from 2014 – 2019.
- The Development Awards which support new, and advance existing, collaborations across GW4 by funding single activities or resources with up to £5K. This is a rolling scheme, with no closing date.
More details of both schemes, and how to apply, can be found at the links above.
Building Communities funding supports both the creation of new GW4 communities and the development of the strongest ideas emerging from our existing communities, and is open to any academic area. To date, the GW4 Alliance has invested over £3.4M in 125 collaborative research communities, which have generated £87M in research income. This means that for every £1 GW4 spends on collaborative research communities, GW4 captures an impressive £25 in external research awards.
Research integrity
The GW4 Alliance has adopted the Russell Group Research Integrity Statement of cooperation in cross-institutional research misconduct allegations, which aims to support the efforts of researcher communities to foster research integrity (also known as good practice in research or the responsible conduct of research).
Explore our communities
Featured Communities
All-solid-state lithium-ion batteries with cellulose enhanced solid polymer electrolytes (ALLIANCE)
STEM
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Young people’s self-harm and suicidal behaviour: Developing qualitative research to understand the influence of context and culture
HASS
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Fabrication and Testbed Network for Next-Generation Optical Brain Computer Interfacing
STEM
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Physical, psychological and social factors influencing musculoskeletal injury and wellbeing in Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professional students
STEM
Learn More
22 results found
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Funds
Types
GW4 R WELL (Researcher Wellbeing Evidence and Learning Lab)
Development Award
Overview
GW4 R WELL aim to build a network of academic and professional service staff across GW4, to share multi-disciplinary experience, knowledge, research, policy and good practice on researcher distress/(secondary) trauma and wellbeing.
Community lead
University of Bath: Tina Skinner (PI), Sarah Halligan, Kristine Brance, Jade Bloomfield-Utting, Rachel Arnold
University of Bristol: Natasha Mulvihill, Myles-Jay Linton
Cardiff University: Josie Henley
University of Exeter: Rachel Fenton, Ernesto Schwartz-Marin
Awarded
October 2023
South West Anthropology Network (SWAN)
Development Award
Overview
SWAN aims to bring together anthropologists across the region, to facilitate networking and discussion.
Community lead
University of Bristol: Amy Penfield
University of Exeter: Susannah Crockford (PI)
Awarded
September 2023
Management Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Conference
Development Award
Overview
This project aims to enhance the awareness and interest of academics in GW4 Universities about Management Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (mKTP).
Community lead
University of Bath: Hong Bui
University of Bristol: Xialong Shui
Cardiff University: Paul Thomas
University of Exeter: Bach Nguyen (PI)
Awarded
July 2023
Climate Justice Education Research Network (CJERN)
Development Award
Overview
This project aims to bring together current research in climate and environmental justice with work in environmental education across the GW4 institutions.
Community lead
University of Bath: Rachel Wilder, Shona McIntosh
University of Bristol: Tracy Helliwell (PI), Alison Oldfield, Terra Sprague, Loz Hennessy (RA)
Cardiff University: Esther Muddiman, Rhian Barrance
University of Exeter: Lindsay Hetherington
Awarded
July 2023
Architectures of Alterity
Development Award
Overview
The Architectures of Alterity Community aim to establish and further expand an interdisciplinary research network for studying historical and contemporary architectures of alterity, or how architectural design may confirm and defy social and cultural orders, and support more diverse and inclusive forms of dwelling.
Community lead
Cardiff University: Dimitra Ntzani (PI), Nick Mols
University of Exeter: Yue Zhang
UWE: Sophia Banou
Awarded
May 2023
GW4 Psychology Network
Development Award
Overview
This community aimed to improve links between academics in psychology departments across the GW4 institutions.
Community lead
University of Bath: Graeme Fairchild
University of Bristol: Christopher Jarrold (PI)
Cardiff University: Katherine Shelton
University of Exeter: Natalia Lawrence
Awarded
April 2023
Island of Ireland Contemporary History and Politics Network
Development Award
Overview
The community aims to bring together GW4 colleagues to collaborate on new research, public and media engagement opportunities related to our research expertise on Northern Irish and Irish contemporary history and politics.
Community lead
University of Bath: Sophie Whiting, Jennifer Thomson
University of Bristol: Neil Matthews
Cardiff University: Thomas Leahy (PI), Huw Bennett, Jonathan Kirkup, Giada Lagana, Eleanor Williams
University of Exeter: Henry Jarrett
Awarded
April 2023
GW4 Library Directors
Development Award
Overview
The community aims to identify new areas for collaboration and shared resources across the GW4 Library network.
Community lead
University of Bath: Kate Robinson
University of Bristol: Ed Fay
Cardiff University: Tracey Stanley (PI)
University of Exeter: James Anthony-Edwards
Awarded
February 2023
LanGW4
Development Award
Overview
LanGW4 aims to facilitate the exchange of good practice in language teaching through their annual Colloquiums on Innovation in Modern Languages Education.
Community lead
University of Bath: Irene Macias
University of Bristol: Vera Castiglione, Chloe Laborde
Cardiff University: Marie Gastinel-Jones (PI)
University of Exeter: Isabel Moros
Awarded
February 2023
CLIMA-Lev
Development Award
Overview
The community aims to gather a cross-disciplinary group of scientists to discuss the impact of climate change on built heritage and bridge the gap between natural weathering and laboratory accelerated aging.
Community lead
University of Bath: Ismale Justo Reinoso
University of Bristol: Fai Fung
Cardiff University: Cristina De Nardi (PI)
University of Exeter: Richard Betts
Awarded
January 2023