Author: Anna Jones

UWE Bristol research helping to shape new EU Air Quality Directive 

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

The European Union has recently adopted a new Air Quality Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/2881), aimed at improving ambient air quality and tackling environmental inequalities across Europe. The new directive directly cites research co-authored by Professor Jo Barnes, Professor of Clean Air and Dr Laura de Vito, Senior Research Fellow from 2018 in a report titled Unequal Exposure and Unequal Impacts: Social Vulnerability to Air Pollution, Noise and Extreme Temperatures in Europe.  

The report explored how air pollution disproportionately affects people of lower socioeconomic status due to both their greater exposure and higher vulnerability.  

Access the full report.  

What the Directive Says 

In the new directive, the European Commission acknowledges these findings explicitly: 

“According to the European Environment Agency Report No 22/2018 entitled ‘Unequal exposure and unequal impacts: social vulnerability to air pollution, noise and extreme temperatures in Europe’, the health of people of lower socioeconomic status tends to be more affected by air pollution than the health of the general population, as a result of their both greater exposure and higher vulnerability. This Directive takes into account the social aspects of air pollution and the socioeconomic impacts of measures taken.” (Directive, p. 4, Whereas (21)) 

This recognition marks an important shift. For years, the research highlighted that air quality policies often overlooked the social dimensions of pollution. In the 2018 report, they specifically noted a limitation in the previous air quality directive: 

“However, socio-economic factors have not been included in the Directive as a topic for consideration when developing air quality plans.” (EEA Report, p. 57) 

The fact that this new directive directly addresses the socioeconomic aspects of air pollution—a gap pointed out by Jo and Laura—is a significant step forward for both environmental policy and social equity. 

Why This Matters 

Air pollution is not just an environmental issue; it is a social justice issue. Communities with lower incomes often live in areas with higher pollution levels, while also being more vulnerable to its health impacts due to factors like limited access to healthcare or pre-existing conditions. Recognising and addressing these inequalities is essential to creating healthier, fairer societies across Europe. 

The new directive signals progress in this direction, aligning air quality policy with the lived realities of people most affected by pollution. By embedding social considerations into air quality plans, the EU takes an important step toward ensuring environmental policies leave no one behind. 

Professor Enda Hayes, Director of Research and Enterprise, School of Architecture and Environment commented:

“It is fantastic to see UWE Bristol research on environmental inequalities being used to influence such an important piece of legislation.

This new EU Directive will set the agenda over the coming decades on how air quality will be managed for 450 million EU inhabitants. While the immediate impact may be in shaping the Directive, the future impact on the environment, public health and society will be substantial”

New programme set to boost health & social care innovations in West of England universities & NHS

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

A West of England partnership comprising five universities, the NHS and private investors have been awarded funding from Research England to deliver SpinOutWest – a new six-month pilot programme to strengthen research commercialisation and increase spin-out activity in health and social care.

SpinOutWest will be led by the University of Bath in partnership with higher education partners in the universities of Bath Spa, Bristol, Gloucestershire, West of England and SETsquared, QantX, Angel Investors Bristol, West of England Combined Authority and the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust

Through sharing best practice, training and development, the programme will provide the knowledge and skills necessary for universities, which are traditionally less research-intensive yet are still a hotbed of new ideas and thinking, to embed new ways of working and a culture which supports spin-out activity.

Marty Reid, Executive Director, SETsquared says: “This project is a great example of regional partners bringing together their unique strengths to benefit the West of England’s higher education and innovation ecosystem. SETsquared brings over 20 years of research commercialisation experience and a track record of delivering innovation and investment training. Linking the programme to the investment community through QantX and Angel Investors Bristol from the start will provide invaluable insights to help shape these ventures into compelling investment propositions essential for them to get established and grow.”

Less research-intensive universities face unique challenges that can limit research commercialisation and spin-out development. Whilst they still have strong research which has the potential to provide new health technologies, devices and therapies – they simply don’t have the time, resources or knowledge to be able to consider the commercial potential of these innovations.

In practical terms, the programme will consist of Innovation Discovery Workshops to establish the commercial market for research or technology, Intellectual Property and Sector Review panels, development of shared ‘how to’ guides and standardised legal templates and joint workshops on building capacity for commercialisation activities.

Lucy Wicksteed,  Assistant Director of Research, Business and Innovation at the University of the West of England, comments: “SpinOutWest is a wonderful opportunity to pilot new ways of working across the region that will help catalyse spin-out activity from teaching-intensive, research ambitious institutions such as UWE Bristol.

We are well known for working closely with end-users and stakeholders in the health and social care sector to deliver research with impact, but our capacity to spin-out those opportunities is limited, particularly in less traditional routes such as Community interest Companies and other Social Enterprises. We look forward to working in partnership to cost-effectively and sustainably increase the volume and diversity of spin-outs and, most importantly, get important innovations into healthcare settings where they can have the most impact.”

Professor Richard Graham, Director of Research and Innovation, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, adds: “NHS Trusts face similar commercialisation challenges. Managers are focused on continuously improving service efficiency by adopting best practices, often from other hospitals, reducing the time they have on developing ‘in-house’ innovation. This can effectively result in outsourcing innovation activity to third parties such as  the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme which supports individuals to pursue commercialisation of ideas. Clinicians/researchers have significant time commitments, further inhibiting innovation discovery. SpinOutWest will support our NHS Trust to unlock and capitalise on existing much-needed intrapreneurial innovation to transform patient care.”

UWE Bristol academic awarded a Parliamentary Academic Fellowship

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

Professor Maisuria was shortlisted for two Parliamentary awards for his work as a Fellow preparing Parliament for the General Election.

In 2022, Alpesh Maisuria, UWE Bristol’s Professor of Education Policy, was awarded a Parliamentary Academic Fellowship (PAF) in the UK Parliament. The PAF is administered by Parliament’s Knowledge Exchange Unit with the objective of fostering closer relations between academic researchers and Parliament.

The PAF has enabled Professor Maisuria to work in the House of Commons Library as an education subject specialist. His work has entailed writing impartial policy briefings for politicians. These briefings are also publicly available and widely used by journalists. The experience is being used to develop a toolkit for academics to make their research more usable for those who write such briefings.

The House of Commons Library is more than a 200-year-old space filled with books, journals, artefacts, and subscriptions; it also offers a confidential enquiries service to all MPs, irrespective of Party, to source research and information about any parliamentary business they are engaged with. Enquiries commonly relate to a constituency matter, material for a speech, or preparation for a debate. Working on confidential enquiries has been a fascinating element of the experience and reveals the wide range of issues that MPs are expected to deal with.

Professor Maisuria has also worked as an Advisor and briefing writer for Ministerial sessions of the Education Select Committee. He has worked in this capacity for inquiries into math-to-18, and teacher retention, recruitment, and training. Select Committees serve a crucial function for scrutiny of the government’s performance. The work that goes into each meeting is extensive and diverse. There are meetings with the Committee chair to find their preferred steer of the meeting, meetings with government advisors who will prepare the Minister to ensure they can give a productive reply, preparing the media for their coverage, and working with the MPs who sit on the committee to ensure that the questions on the prepared brief are understood. The hard work is rewarded when the Chair calls “order, order” and the television cameras start rolling.

Perhaps the most unique experience of being in the ‘Westminster bubble’ is during a General Election. This year, an extraordinary 335 new MPs were returned for the first new government in 14 years. After 12 hours of training, Professor Maisuria was a New Members Buddy, working one-on-one with two new MPs. The new MPs are given an intense induction to being an MP, which includes procedural matters, Commons Chamber etiquette (e.g., bobbing and unparliamentary language), security and welfare, the behaviour code, and much more – the induction takes hours. Being an MP is challenging because of the variety and complexity of the work involved.

Former Prime Minister Harold Wilson observed that “a week is a long time in politics.” By July 2025, when the Fellowship will finish, there will have been at least five education secretaries, four PMs, and two monarchs. Being in Westminster during this time has been unique!

Alpesh Maisuria will present at the event, “Lessons from working with policymakers” 31 January 2025, 10-11am via Teams. Contact researchevents@uwe.ac.uk for more information.

He will also talk about the Fellowship at the College for Health, Science and Society Impact Showcase which will be held at EP1, Frenchay Campus, on 13 February 2025, (09:15-13:30). Book your place.

He can be contacted for further information about any aspect of this Fellowship, alpesh.maisuria@uwe.ac.uk

So you want to do a PhD?

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

This article is updated from a first version published as Have you ever thought of doing a PhD?, on 31/11/21 on Design@Open, a blog about design at the Open University.

By Professor Alice Moncaster, Professor of Sustainable Construction

What is a PhD and why might I want one?

A PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is awarded for postgraduate study in any subject (not only Philosophy) which involves substantial independent research that can be considered to be ‘adding to knowledge’ in your area. It usually takes 3-4 years full-time in the UK, produces a single-authored thesis of up to 100,000 words (depending on discipline), and is examined by two academic examiners through viva voce.

A PhD can be a life-changing event, a career-development opportunity, a career-changing opportunity, a chance to deeply explore  an area of interest, a chance to develop and demonstrate your expertise, a chance to both broaden and deepen skills you didn’t know you had, a chance to impress your nearest and dearest (although also a chance to bore them rigid with the details…), and many other things. It is also, of course, the first step to an academic job.

If you are currently thinking YES, that’s for me! but don’t know how to go about it, read on.

The application process

PhDs are academically challenging, across all universities and disciplines. Applicants therefore need to persuade potential universities and supervisors that they are going to be capable of success.  They are usually expected to have a good first degree and evidence of some previous research (such as a master’s dissertation), although exceptions can be made for significant ‘real world’ experience in a relevant area.

Some institutions and supervisors will consider accepting self-funded students, who are often studying part-time while also working.  Funded PhDs are usually although not always full-time.  In the UK funding covers the tuition fees and a minimum stipend of £19,237 per year (2024-25 figures), usually for three years. This isn’t a loan, unlike for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, and you don’t have to pay it back.

However finding funding can be difficult and is very competitive.  Funding might be offered by your company – you can always ask. Some universities have funding for a few studentships each year.  Some funded research projects also include funding for PhD students.  Both of these routes are likely to be for specific, pre-determined research projects.  A good source of open and future positions is findaphd.com, where you will find opportunities which have already been defined to a greater or lesser extent, usually as part of a wider research project.  These are generally advertised throughout the year, although it’s worth noting that many deadlines will be early in the year for a PhD starting in October.

Most UK Government funding is now funnelled through Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs), which are held by one or more universities in partnership with one of the UK Research Councils. 

The University of the West of England is part of two DTPs:

For both of these DTPs, the research project is up to you.  This is harder work than the pre-defined positions, but potentially more satisfying as you get to design the research project which really interests you.

Note that the deadlines for UWE applications to the SWDTP are 14th January and applications to the SWWDTP are 20th January, for studentships starting the following October. 

Your research proposal

This is critical part of your application for the Doctoral Training Partnerships, for which you will need to have developed your own research proposal in some detail. This requires some work, including reading and reviewing the existing literature on your chosen area to see what has already been done (Google Scholar is a great source of academic research papers, which are increasingly open access).  Even for open approaches to individual supervisors, you should do some initial work on developing your own research ideas.

Once you have a first draft of your proposal (aim for one page), identify a potential supervisor by looking through individual profiles of academic staff.  The supervisor should be someone with demonstrable research experience and interest in the area you are proposing (check this by looking at their recent publications, which should be linked on their webpage).  They need to be willing to support your application and to work with you on the development of your proposal, and to agree to be your primary supervisor, so your draft research proposal is your first chance to impress them. 

Your supervisor will be your new best friend!

Well maybe not quite, but the relationship with the primary supervisor is really important. As well as discussing your own research ideas, you might want to ask questions about their supervisory style, and about other PhD topics they have supervised in similar areas.  If you are looking to do a PhD to move in to academia, you could ask them about any links with national and international groups and research projects which you might be able to get involved in. If your research idea is very industry-focused you could ask about their links with industry. At UWE, as with most universities, we expect students to have two or sometimes three supervisors; the primary supervisor is often the most involved in helping you develop the direction of your research, but you might want to ask about potential co-supervisors too.

Some final points:

  • A PhD is a long-term decision and commitment; you need to be sure that it’s right for you, and to spend some time investigating it.
  • For speculative applications, or for the DTPs mentioned above, you need to know what you want to research, and find a supervisor with the expertise and desire to support you in doing this.
  • Academics are usually pretty happy to discuss research with interested prospective students – early contact is not a way of gaining favour, and certainly doesn’t count towards a successful application, but it is a normal and expected part of the process.
  • However helping you develop your research ideas is quite a time commitment for an academic. Remember that your first email is your first step of application.  Send a brief overview of your research proposal and a short academic CV to persuade them that you are capable of doctoral research.
  • Remember (again) that academics are generally over-loaded, often receiving over 100 emails a day on multiple different issues. If they don’t get back to your first email, it’s worth trying sending it a second time in case they missed the first. After that accept that this is an indicator that they don’t have the time or interest.
  • Have a chat with your potential supervisor about your research.  This is really important for both of you.
  • If you feel at this point that the supervisor is looking for you to do something different to what you have set your heart on, or that their style of working won’t suit you, think twice about signing up to a three year relationship which won’t work for either of you.

Economic and Social Research Council Southwest Regional Engagement event

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

Registration for the ESRC Southwest Regional Engagement Event at UWE Bristol

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) would warmly like to invite you to register for its Southwest Regional Engagement they are hosting on Tuesday 21 January 2025 at UWE Bristol in Bristol.

The 1 day event, is the start of ESRC’s Regional Engagement programme and will showcase the ESRC’s role in the social sciences research ecosystem across the Southwest. It offers the opportunity to engage with people who are actively researching the “World of Work”, with the afternoon dedicated to ADR UK data and focused research.

The objective: to celebrate the body of ESRC funded work across the Southwest and foster collaborative endeavours to further build programmes of work around the “World of Work”.

What will be covered:

  • Talks from key ESRC funded organisations that can inform the “World of Work”,
  • Specific round table discussions to outline how different ADR UK data sets can be used to answer real world questions,
  • Breakout groups that either enable a better understanding of using administrative data in a research setting, or enable the establishment of key research questioning that uses administrative data to inform broader “World of Work” objectives.

Who should attend:

Anyone interested in how the ESRC supports programmes of work such as those involved with ADR UK; The Productivity Institute, Smart Data Research.

  • Researchers and students from the social science sector.
  • Research services and research technical staff that support social science research.
  • Local policymakers, decision makers or practitioners from business and the third sector.

Location:

The event will take place in EP1 on Frenchay Campus.

Register:

Please complete this form. Once registered we will be in contact in the New Year so you can indicate which afternoon breakout session you would like to attend.

If you have any questions, pleases contact Rhiannon Evans (rhiannon.evans@esrc.ukri.org) or Lola Brookes (lola.brookes@esrc.urki.org).

UWE Bristol academic co-produces new guide to Family Court Proceedings for domestic abuse victims

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

Emma Whewell, Senior Lecturer in Law, is part of the Domestic Abuse Advisory Group that has launched a new and freely available guide for any victims of domestic abuse going through a process that can too often feel confusing and frightening.

The “Guide to Family Court Proceedings for those who have experienced domestic abuse” has been created alongside people who have lived experience and their insights into the system; it is particularly targeted at those who have experienced domestic abuse and are navigating court proceedings without legal representation.

The guide will be available and distributed to Courts, the legal profession, councils, statutory and voluntary organisations supporting victims, healthcare services, education settings. It is also available to anyone supporting victims of abuse and their children, and the victim/survivors directly.

This guide is intended to eventually be rolled out nationwide for use within the court system. The advice it offers draws on the experiences of victim/survivors as well as the Judiciary, legal professionals and domestic abuse support services. It is intended as a trauma-informed and easy-to-understand document to help people navigate what can sometimes seem a bewildering and foreboding process.

Access the guide below:

LFJB DA Advisory Group Court Guide – FINALDownload

Emma commented:

“The Guide is the first output of Bristol’s Local Family Justice Board Domestic Abuse Advisory Group which in turn was created after a Conference on Domestic Abuse at UWE on 19th May 2023.  Its a hugely important piece of work and I very much hope that all those who have experienced domestic abuse will find the Guide useful.”

Her Honour Judge Cope, Senior Circuit Judge, Designated Family Judge based at Bristol Civil and Family Justice Centre has stated:

“This guide has been prepared by a group of professionals over a long period of time. The result is a clear, local guide aimed at assisting those who come to the court having experienced domestic abuse. It contains a wealth of information in a practical format which I am confident will help all those anxious about attending court. I am delighted to support it.”

About the Guide to Family Court Proceedings for those who have experienced domestic abuse

It is a victim/survivor-centred and victim-informed resource backed by senior members of the judiciary and the Children And Family Courts Advisory Support Service (CAFCASS). It will be made available to all, free of charge.

About the LFJB Domestic Abuse Advisory Group

The Domestic Abuse Advisory group was formed in 2023 to address issues of concern within local Family Justice proceedings and make recommendations to the Local Family Justice Board (LFJB). Members include the Judiciary, Legal Counsel, Domestic Abuse Advocates, Trauma Specialists, Adult and Children’s Social Care, and Academic and Research Specialists.

Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associate Spotlight: Taabish Khan 

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

Taabish is a Commercialisation Manager for Duku as part of our Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Duku and UWE Bristol. A KTP is a UK-wide, 3-way partnership between a business, a university and talented graduate, and aims to help businesses improve competitiveness and productivity, whilst also boosting the career prospects of the graduate.  

Duku is an innovative and entrepreneurial engineering design consultancy that take client ideas and develop them into full marketable designs. They have recently added an in-house EV charging technology division, developing new and unique electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, which has considerable potential as the only fully-accessible charging tech available, which conforms to the new BSI standard for accessible EV charging products.

The project aim is to embed a full commercialisation capability within the business and to exploit innovative in-house designed products. This will enable Duku to directly market their own products and offer a full-service idea-to-market capability for new and existing design consultancy clients. 

The KTP team caught up with Taabish to hear about their experiences of the KTP so far:  

What attracted you to the position? 

There are a few reasons why I was drawn to this role. First, it offered the opportunity to develop the commercialisation strategy for a product within the UK’s sophisticated automotive sector, which has been a medium-term career goal of mine. The second is the unique nature of the role. Being a management KTP, the role has allowed me to upskill as an industry consultant while collaborating with an academic institution like UWE Bristol. This partnership provided an added layer of research-driven insight and strategy formulation. Thirdly – working with Duku, a company innovating in the EV charging space and enabling users from all walks of life to access electric vehicles, also gives me a sense of purpose – knowing that my commercialisation efforts have a direct, positive impact on both the community and the planet. 

What are you most looking forward to? 

Six months into the KTP, we are transitioning from the planning into the action phase, which is something I’m particularly excited about. I’m looking forward to collaborating with industry leaders, academic researchers, and automotive OEMs to further advance our accessible charging solution. The goal is to make Duku’s products the gold standard for EV charging infrastructure while cementing our position as a thought leader in the space. The chance to see this project evolve from strategy formulation to commercial success is something I look most forward to. 

How is the partnership between UWE Bristol and the company working? 

The partnership between UWE and Duku has been highly synergistic. The academic team at UWE brings a strong research foundation, combining both academic and industry perspectives, which has accelerated the strategy development process. This collaboration has also created a feedback loop that allows for continuous validation of my deliverables, making the entire process more dynamic, accurate, and responsive. This partnership has also opened new doors for Duku, offering potential collaborations and expanding our contacts in areas such as accessibility and sustainability in EV infrastructure. 

What are the major benefits/support available from UWE Bristol ? 

The major benefits for me personally have been access to UWE’s resources, research capabilities, and academic expertise. Positioned in the middle, I bridge the gap between academia and industry, benefiting from both perspectives. This has allowed me to develop a holistic commercialisation strategy that considers both academic rigor and practical, real-world insights. Beyond the scope of the project, this experience has been transformative. Having recently completed my MBA, I am transitioning from execution roles to more strategic, planning-focused positions. The variety of perspectives I’ve been exposed to through this partnership is helping me upskill rapidly, and I’m confident I’ll emerge a more capable professional by the end of this KTP project. 

What do you enjoy most about your job? 

What I enjoy most about my role is the tangible impact my work has on Duku’s overall strategy. Taking complex data, reports, and insights and distilling them into actionable strategies is something I find highly fulfilling. Being in a management KTP role, I frequently get the opportunity to engage in activities like design thinking, competitive analysis, branding, marketing, and even sales leadership. These are skills that will serve me well throughout my career, and the diversity of the work keeps me constantly challenged and engaged. 

Find out more about KTPs at UWE Bristol.  

Research into student fears of public speaking in higher education is most read paper of all time in the Journal of Further and Higher Education

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

In July 2021, the lead researcher Dr Rob Grieve and academic colleagues Dr Stephen Hunt, Alison McKay and Dr Julie Woodley published a qualitative survey on student fears of oral presentations and public speaking in higher education in the Journal of Further and Higher Education (JFHE).  The research study is now the most read paper of all time in JFHE with just over 163K downloads and rising.

Oral presentations and public speaking are an important aspect of the student experience in UK higher education and oral presentations are a commonly used a form of assessment.  Previous research evidence has indicated that many students experience a fear in public speaking. The aims of this qualitative survey were two-fold. First, it sought to gather further insight into the fears experienced and strategies used by students who fear public speaking, including oral presentations. The second objective was to determine whether their fear affected their overall experience of higher education.

The main findings from this qualitative survey have clearly indicated that for those students with a fear of public speaking and oral presentations, public speaking tasks have an overall negative effect on learning and the student experience. Specifically, the findings have indicated that many students’ main fears are associated with being judged, uncertainty about the topic and physical symptoms. This survey also clearly indicated that most of the students in this study, although fearful of public speaking, were aware of the importance of practice and preparation. The findings clearly identified the lack of and need for further comprehensive support for students with a fear of public speaking.

Many of the findings from the study have informed the “Student Voices” in Rob Grieve’s book “Stand Up and Be Heard: Taking the Fear Out of Public Speaking at University” (Sage Publishing).

Leadership Wellbeing and Psychological Safety – Help to Grow: Management Alumni Event

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

On Wednesday 27th November, our Help to Grow: Management Team at UWE joined forces with the team at the University of Bath School of Management to host a collaborative alumni event at The Apex Hotel in Bath.

Having been funded by the Government and delivered by Business Schools across the country for four years now, the Help to Grow: Management course has provided thousands of business leaders with the opportunity to step back from their business for a few hours each week over twelve weeks, and meet likeminded business leaders in localised regions.

Bringing together Help to Grow alumni from both UWE and Bath cohorts (some of whom completed the course four years ago, and some who only recently completed the course) was such a wonderful opportunity and it was fantastic for our Project and Delivery teams to reconnect and catch-up with alumni from both schools.

The focus of the afternoon was Leadership Wellbeing and Psychological Safety. We heard from two brilliant speakers – Fiona Spillane and Charlie Unwin, both esteemed module leaders on the Help to Grow programme. Fiona delivered a though-provoking workshop on handling courageous conversations in the workplace, followed by Charlie who engaged the room with his experiences as a Performance Coach, exploring ways of achieving Psychological Safety with teams in the workplace and beyond.

Overall, it was a lovely day and a brilliant opportunity to bring everyone together ahead of Christmas, to celebrate successes since completing the course and to dive deeper into the really important topic of wellbeing in the workplace. We thoroughly enjoyed working with the team at the University of Bath, and look forward to our future collaborations.

Interested in Help to Grow: Management? Find out more.

Empowering Communities: The ALIBSA Network

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

The Ageing Lifestyle in Blacks and Asians (ALIBSA) network is a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to improving health literacy and reducing health inequalities within Black and Asian communities. Founded by Associate Professor Faatihah Niyi-Odumosu of UWE Bristol, the network focuses on empowering these communities to take control of their health by addressing the unique barriers they face in accessing healthcare.

ALIBSA emerged from a collective passion for reducing health disparities among its six core team members. These include Dr Niyi-Odumosu, who leads the initiative, alongside Dr Zheng Ma, a senior lecturer in public health who engages with Chinese ethnic minorities to promote health awareness. Other members include Alosh Jose, CEO of Cricketqube; two medical doctors, Dr Gisele Abissegue and Dr Abolanle Adesope; and doctoral researcher Oluwatobi Fatola. Together, this multidisciplinary team combines expertise to design culturally tailored interventions that enhance access to healthcare while fostering self-confidence and autonomy in managing health conditions.

The network operates through a variety of community-focused activities. One of its key initiatives is the organisation of monthly webinars that bring together experts to discuss health-related topics relevant to Black and Asian populations. These sessions serve as a platform for knowledge exchange, where participants can engage with speakers and share experiences. Beyond these events, ALIBSA maintains a vibrant WhatsApp group with over 120 members, which acts as a resource hub for sharing links to ongoing research, health services, and other useful information.

ALIBSA’s influence extends well beyond the UK. Participants and volunteers from countries including Nigeria, Ghana, the Netherlands, Canada, Malaysia, Australia, and the United States contribute to the network’s mission. Volunteers also serve as champions in their regions, advocating for health literacy and supporting local community initiatives. The network offers mentoring opportunities to early-career researchers and health professionals passionate about addressing lifestyle-related health conditions.

At its core, ALiBSA strives to be a global movement. Its vision is to establish health literacy initiatives led by communities, with a champion in every country. By empowering individuals through education and accessible resources, ALiBSA aims to reduce health disparities and ensure equitable access to healthcare services for Black and Asian populations worldwide.

Joining ALIBSA means becoming part of a collective effort to create a healthier, fairer future. Whether as a volunteer, researcher, or advocate, there are opportunities to contribute to this important work. Together, we can make a lasting impact.

To learn more about ALiBSA and how to get involved, visit their website or join one of their upcoming events.