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
Maritime Advancements through Research and Innovation in Powertrains and Power Systems (MARINPOWER)
STEM
Learn More
196 results found
GW4 Cytometry Networking Group: Fostering Excellence in Research and Collaboration
Development Award
Overview
The GW4 Cytometry Networking Group is spearheading an initiative to create a network of excellence in cytometry across the GW4 universities and beyond in Southwest. This endeavour seeks to enhance research capabilities, share innovative resources, and encourage interdisciplinary studies in cytometry.
Community lead
University of Bath: Michael Zachariadis
University of Bristol: Andrew Hermann
Cardiff University: Catherine Naseriyan
University of Exeter: Raif Yuecel (PI)
Awarded
February 2024
South West and Wales Africa Research Network (SWWARN)
Development Award
Overview
The South West and Wales Africa Research Network is a cross-disciplinary research network for researchers with an interest in the continent of Africa.
Community lead
University of Bath: Naomi Pendle
University of Bristol: Isabella Aboderin
Cardiff University: Ambreena Manji
University of Exeter: Stacey Hynd (PI)
With additional collaborators at Bath Spa University: John Strachan & Victoria Ellen Smith
Awarded
February 2024
Isoform-level psychiatric genomics
Development Award
Overview
The project will use a workshop to unify the growing interest in isoform-level psychiatric genomics across the GW4.
Community lead
Cardiff University: Elliott Rees, Michael Owen, Nicholas Bray, Alexandros Rammos, Eilidh Fenner, Alexandros Delimichalis, Valentina Escott-Price
University of Exeter: Nicholas Clifton (PI), Rosemary Bamford, Szi-Kay Leung, Eilis Hannon, Kartik Chundru, Robin Beaumont, Jonathan Mill
Awarded
January 2024
Fintech Research Network
Development Award
Overview
This community will bring together experts and early career researchers specializing in data science, cloud computing, AI, finance and management to cultivate a fresh perspective and vision for the interdisciplinary research in Fintech.
Community lead
University of Bath: Xiaohan Xue
University of Bristol: Jin Zheng (PI), Richard D F Harris
Cardiff University: Qingwei Wang, Aman Eshraghi
University of Exeter: Jane Shen
Awarded
January 2024
Diversity and Human Capital Workshop: Wellbeing
Development Award
Overview
The community will organise a workshop to promote discussions of ongoing research on the economics of diversity, inclusivity and human capital.
Community lead
University of Bath: Joanna Clifton-Sprigg, Eleonora Fichera, Sayli Javadekar
University of Bristol: Uta Bolt, Sarah Smith, Christine Valente
Cardiff University: Ezgi Kaya, Luisanna Onnis, Serena Trucchi
University of Exeter: Javier Garcia-Brazales (Co-PI), Laura Munoz-Blanco (Co-PI), Sonia Oreffice, Sanchari Roy,
Awarded
January 2024
GW4 Human Tissue Community
Development Award
Overview
The project will establish a Human Tissue Authority (HTA) Research Licence Community across GW4 institutions.
Community lead
University of Bristol: Susan Ring
Cardiff University: Phil Stephens
University of Exeter: Jacqueline Whatmore (PI)
Awarded
November 2023
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
