Tag: UWE Bristol Research

UWE Bristol academic awarded Rai UK Enterprise Fellowship to realise a new cloud-based software-as-a-service

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

Professor Lars Kunze, Professor in Safety for Robotics and Autonomous Systems at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory at UWE Bristol, has been awarded an Enterprise Fellowship by Responsible Ai UK (RAi UK).

The funding will accelerate the transformation of cutting-edge research into real-world solutions that embed responsibility and trustworthiness in AI deployment. This initiative is a key component of RAi UK’s mission to maximize the impact of responsible AI research across the economy, society, culture, policy, health, the environment, and quality of life.

Lars’ project, PACER (ProActive Causal ExplaineR), aims to realise a new cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS), which will leverage and analyse recorded event-data logs to anticipate safety issues, provide causal explanations, improve safety, and enhance the understanding and trust of developers, operators, and/or other stakeholders.

Lars commented:

“Unlocking the full potential of AI-enabled systems in society requires more than just data and compute. PACER will make these systems explainable, accountable, and safe – and it will do this at scale.”

With a £35 million UKRI investment, RAi UK is a program dedicated to delivering interdisciplinary research and fostering an international ecosystem for Responsible AI research and innovation. Through extensive consultations across the UK, RAi UK has identified emerging challenges in responsible AI and has deployed over £17 million into projects aimed at accelerating the adoption of responsible AI practices and technologies. RAi UK brings research-based expertise that is connective, adaptive, and world-leading through field-building, and engagement with communities, publics, industries, and governments. RAi UK is led from the University of Southampton and backed by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), through the UKRI Technology Missions Fund and EPSRC. 

Professor Gopal Ramchurn, RAi UK CEO, Professor of Artificial Intelligence from the University of Southampton said:

“The RAi UK Enterprise Fellowships represent our commitment to transforming groundbreaking research into tangible solutions that address real-world challenges while demonstrating a responsible approach to deploying AI. Researchers are rarely encouraged to become entrepreneurs, and this is our first step in changing that mindset.

By supporting these visionary researchers, we’re not just funding projects, but fostering an AI ecosystem that prioritizes ethics, accountability, and societal impact. We are extremely grateful to the Royal Academy of Engineering for supporting this initiative.”

Learn about the other Enterprise Fellows:

Responsible Ai UK Awards over £300,000 to Enterprise Fellows to Advance Responsible AI Innovation – Responsible AI

UWE Bristol Part of an Innovative Spinout Pilot Supporting Creative and Social Ventures – STAGE

Author katcorbett2 | Posted on

UWE Bristol has been selected as part of a pioneering initiative to support the growth of self-funded spinouts in the creative and social sciences sectors. The university was successful in securing funding from Research England Development (RED) fund’s Connecting Capability Fund (CCF) as part of a new consortium led by the University of the Arts London (UAL).

The funding will support the ‘Shared Technology Transfer Office to Accelerate the Growth of Self-Funded Spinouts (STAGE)’ pilot, a groundbreaking project designed to accelerate the development of spinouts, particularly within universities that currently lack infrastructure for early-stage spinout development. By focusing on commercialising ventures in SHAPE disciplines (Social Sciences, Humanities, and the Arts for People and the Economy) and social enterprises across all research fields, STAGE provides a much-needed framework to help bring innovative research to market.

This initiative offers a new pathway for researchers to explore commercial opportunities in fields that have traditionally struggled to access conventional spinout support, ensuring that groundbreaking ideas are given the resources needed to thrive. As part of this programme, UWE Bristol academics are receiving dedicated support from an external Technology Transfer Officer to help advance their projects. The academics and their projects include:

  • Tavs Jorgensen – Advanced Clay Tooling
    Tavs Jorgensen’s research explores innovative manufacturing techniques for sustainable construction. His project, Advanced Clay Tooling, introduces novel low-carbon brick manufacturing methods, utilising robotic and digital fabrication processes to create highly efficient and sustainable construction materials. These techniques have the potential to revolutionise traditional building practices by significantly reducing carbon footprints. Read more
  • Tom Abba – Ambient Literature
    Tom Abba’s Ambient Literature project reimagines storytelling by blending digital technology with physical spaces. His research examines how literature can be experienced through location-based narratives, creating immersive reading experiences that bridge the gap between fiction and reality. This project is a unique exploration of how storytelling can evolve in the digital age. Learn more
  • IIIhem Berrou – Mintroot
    IIIhem Berrou leads Mintroot, a platform that fosters sustainable social enterprises by connecting innovators with resources and networks to drive social change. The project focuses on impact-driven solutions, supporting businesses that prioritise ethical, environmental, and social responsibility. Mintroot aims to empower entrepreneurs to create lasting change in their communities. Explore more
  • Rob Wilkes – Deaf Legal Theory
    Rob Wilks’ research addresses the critical intersection of law with deaf individuals globally utilising Deaf Legal Theory. His project seeks to bridge gaps in legal understanding and advocacy for the deaf community, developing frameworks that promote greater inclusion and accessibility in legal systems. This work has the potential to influence policies and practices worldwide. Find out more
  • Sofie Boons – Laboratory-Grown Ruby in Platinum Rings
    Sofie Boons’ project explores the intersection of science, sustainability, and jewellery design. Her research focuses on growing laboratory-created rubies directly within platinum settings, an innovative process that challenges conventional gemstone manufacturing while offering a sustainable alternative to traditional mining practices. Read more

Through the STAGE pilot, UWE Bristol continues to drive forward pioneering research with real-world impact, supporting academics in transforming their ideas into viable commercial ventures. By fostering innovation in creative and social sciences, this initiative is set to redefine the landscape of spinout development and create new opportunities for researchers in traditionally underrepresented fields.

Contribution to the UN 2030 sustainable development goals

UWE Bristol is proud to align our research to the UN sustainable development goals. The above research aligns with the following goals:

New £6.2 million programme to build and test new capabilities for sensitive data research

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has awarded £4.94 million towards a £6.20 million programme, TREvolution, to advance the development of key technical requirements and capabilities for UK Trusted Research Environments (TREs) as part of DARE UK.

Awarded under the DARE UK (Phase 2) Transformational Programme, TREvolution will be jointly led by five leading research institutions in the UK: the Universities of Dundee, Manchester, Nottingham, Swansea and West of England.

UWE Bristol will lead on enhancing the disclosure control processes that ensure research outputs (especially AI) protect private data and keep it secure.  UWE researchers  will also play a significant role in ensuring the exciting new capabilities offered to researchers, and how these changes are managed, are acceptable to three key groups: data owners, stakeholders such as TRE staff and researchers, and mostly importantly, the public, whose data it is.. This work builds on a series of collaborations between the Computer Science Research Centre and the DRAGoN at the interface where AI meets Privacy Preservation to enable research for the public good. 

The programme of work will be delivered in collaboration with NHS Scotland, Lancashire Teaching Hospital, Durham University, Lancaster University, University College London, University of Queensland, University of Basel and University of Cape Town.

TREvolution will address challenges associated with enhancing data access and analysis within TREs – secure environments where approved researchers can access sensitive data for research to benefit the public, such as national public health and population-level surveys.

TREs in the UK are internationally renowned for establishing the Five Safes framework, but they have some limitations for researchers. The manual application processes and disclosure checks make it challenging to keep up with today’s scientific needs, like federated learning, analysis across sectors and research domains, and large-scale correlation studies.

TREvolution will address these challenges to evolve UK TRE capabilities across three themes:

  • TRE reference architecture and implementations: Standardising UK TRE architectures to enable seamless interoperability.
  • AI and semi-automated output checking: Enhancing research output review processes to ensure non-disclosure of personal information.
  • Federated analysis: Enabling secure analysis of datasets stored in multiple TREs located across the UK.

This project builds on existing work done by the delivery partners, with experience across the themes, as well as the DARE UK (Phase 1) Driver Projects, which developed initial versions of some of the key components of TREvolution.

The funding call leading up to the award invited teams that delivered specific DARE UK Driver Projects to take the projects to the next stage of maturity. A single joint bid was submitted by TREvolution, a collaboration that builds on synergies between the Driver Projects teams to enhance the components, make them fully interoperable, and transition them into capabilities ready for use in UK TREs.

After an independent panel review process involving key experts and the public, £4,940,092 was awarded, being 80% of the full economic cost (£6,150,739) to support TREvolution from March 2025 to March 2027, ensuring that the outputs developed can be tested, refined, and adopted in real-world research settings.

TREvolution is the first of three initiatives under the DARE UK (Phase 2) Transformational Programme, advancing the further development and testing of core TRE components and capabilities developed in the first phase of the DARE UK programme.

Alongside TREvolution, further funding will be provided to support the early adoption of these capabilities by UK TREs and data services and to demonstrate their application through real-world research exemplars. The goal is to showcase the potential for a connected and efficient national network of secure data infrastructures.

DARE UK Interim Director, Professor Emily Jefferson, said:

TREvolution marks a step change in our efforts to transform the UK’s secure data research ecosystem. This important work will ensure that key capabilities—such as federated analysis and enhanced output checking supporting the training of AI models—are not just theoretical advancements but practical, real-world solutions that enhance the UK’s ability to do impactful research. We look forward to working closely with the TREvolution team to advance these innovations and drive meaningful progress in how sensitive data is accessed and used for the public good.

UWE Bristol lead Professor Jim Smith commented:

At UWE Bristol, we are committed to advancing privacy-preserving AI and robust governance frameworks to ensure that the next generation of Trusted Research Environments can empower researchers while maintaining public trust. TREvolution is a crucial step towards a more secure, interoperable, and future-proof data ecosystem for research that truly benefits society. and we are excited about continuing to be a part of this vital work.

The TREvolution team will work closely with the DARE UK Delivery Team and early adopter TREs, fostering stronger collaboration and synergy as these critical capabilities are integrated into the UK’s secure data research infrastructure ecosystem.

Follow DARE UK on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter), and subscribe to our newsletter to follow TREvolution’s progress.

DARE UK is a data research infrastructure programme empowering data custodians, scientists, and technology experts working alongside the public to deliver a national network of secure data infrastructures for better research outcomes in the UK. DARE UK is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the Digital Research Infrastructure Programme and led by Health Data Research (HDR UK) and ADR UK (Administrative Data Research UK).

African Research Excellence Fund Scholar joins UWE Bristol

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

We are pleased to welcome Dr Blessing Obinaju Effiong, recipient of the 2023/24 African Research Excellence Fund (AREF) Research Development Fellowship to UWE Bristol. Dr Effiong is joining UWE Bristol on a nine-month fellowship from the University of Uyo in Nigeria where she is a Senior Lecturer in Medical Biochemistry at the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences.

Dr Effiong’s PhD research is focused on improving infectious disease detection/monitoring using Vibrational Spectroscopy and finding alternative therapies to reduce the burden of diseased due to antimicrobial resistance. She was awarded PhD by Lancaster University where her research investigated the use and application of biospectroscopy techniques to study sublethal toxicity caused by environmental exposure to toxicants (PAHs).

She will be joining the research group of Professor Emmanuel Adukwu, Deputy Head of the School of Applied Sciences to carry out a project investigating the role of Role of Indigenous Bioactive Plant Products against Infectious Pathogens and Exploring the Use of Combination Therapy.

Dr Effiong is joining UWE Bristol as our first AREF Research Development Fellow. The AREF scheme supports emerging research leaders in Africa working on important challenges for human health and their skills development as researchers.

“Receiving the Research Development Fellowship by the African Research Excellence Fund is a significant milestone in my research journey. It validates my commitment to reducing the burden of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance, particularly in Low- and Middle-Income Countries where the overuse and misuse of antibiotics remain a pressing challenge.  Joining the Adukwu Research Group at The University of the West of England is an exciting opportunity to learn, collaborate, and explore alternative therapies that can address this global health issue.

While this marks a slight deviation from my Biochemistry/Toxicology background, I am eager to embrace the multidisciplinary approach of the group and expand my expertise in tackling antimicrobial resistance. I look forward to the learning and networking opportunities this fellowship provides.” 

Dr Effiong will be joining an interdisciplinary team developing and conducting internationally recognised research in antimicrobial stewardship and resistance as well as the bioactive capabilities of plants and herbal compounds.

Professor Emmanuel Adukwu commented

“I am pleased to welcome Dr Blessing Effiong to UWE Bristol and to our research group where she will be bringing her skills and talent to help us develop better understanding of the role that some bioactive herbs can play as complementary therapies. She will also be bringing her insight and experience as a recognised emerging academic leader in Africa to support our work to enable student success for our student, especially our international students.”

Professor of Robot Ethics, Alan Winfield, attends Paris conference on Safe and Ethical AI

Author katcorbett2 | Posted on

Alan Winfield, Professor of Robot Ethics, recently attended the Paris Conference on Safe and Ethical AI. In the below guest blog post he writes about his experience:

Earlier this month I was privileged to part of the inaugural conference of the International Association for Safe and Ethical AI. The two day conference was held in Paris, on February 6th and 7th, and hosted by the OECD.  The timing and location of the conference was arranged to directly precede the governmental AI-summit on February 10th and 11th. I was one of around 650 invited representatives from academia, civil society, industry, media, and government. It was a remarkable meeting, with terrific keynote talks, including three from Nobel prize winners, Geoffrey Hinton, Maria Ressa and Joseph Stiglitz.  

As someone who has been worrying about robot and AI ethics for longer than most who attended I was *very* pleased that there was a strong consensus around the need for regulation, supported by standards, alongside urgent concerns over the huge energy and water costs of AI that are completely at odds with sustainable development goals.

The conference concluded by publishing a Call to Action for lawmakers, academics, and the public ahead of the AI Summit, with ten critical action items. Overall, the action items are very good. I’m especially pleased to see ‘mandatory reporting of incidents’ in action 5. This is something I lobbied for. My one disappointment however is that the call for action statement has no explicit mention of the need to mitigate the energy costs of AI.

Here below are a few photos from the conference.

A slide from Joseph Stiglitz’ wonderful keynote: AI and Economic Risk: Assessment and Mitigation.

A slide from Kate Crawford’s excellent keynote: Hyperscaled: The Global Challenge of Sustainability in AI.

Cover photo at the top: Professor Alan Winfield with Oxford colleague Pericle Salvini presenting their work on accident investigation.

AI and Animal Welfare: Spotlight on the Centre for Machine Vision  

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

UWE Bristol research on AI and Animal Welfare was recently featured in an article in Science.org.  

The article featured the research from Professor Mel Smith, Professor of Machine Vision and Co-Director of the Centre for Machine Vision on an AI-powered system designed to recognise individual pigs emotions and monitor their emotional and physical well-being in real time.  Other members of the Centre for Machine Vision including Professor Lyndon Smith , Dr Ajmal Shahbaz, Dr Mark Hansen, Dr Wenhao Zhang , and Dr Disi Chen have also contributed to the research.

The IntelliPig system is currently being developed between UWE Bristol and Scotland’s Rural College. The system analyses the faces of pigs as they enter feeding stalls, using AI to identify any emotions the pig may be experiencing. With its ability to detect subtle facial expressions, IntelliPig can alert farmers if an animal needs immediate attention. The system is part of a larger trend where AI is used to decode animals’ emotional states—something humans have struggled with for centuries. While this technology is still evolving, it shows great promise in improving animal welfare. UWE Bristol are also working with Agsenze Ltd who hope to commercialise the technology developed as part of IntelliPig. UWE Bristol previously worked Agsenze Ltd to develop HerdVision. 

In addition to recognising emotional signs, IntelliPig also aims to provide a general animal health check, including biometric identification, assessment of body condition, and a weight estimation. 

By analysing the faces of animals—much like how researchers study human facial expressions—AI can determine the emotional wellbeing of that particular animal. The potential applications of this technology extend beyond farming, with AI already proving its effectiveness in monitoring pets, such as dogs and cats, for emotional triggers.

As the work at UWE Bristol demonstrates, the future of animal welfare could very well be shaped by AI, ensuring that animals receive individualized care based on their emotional needs. This system doesn’t just promise better care for farm animals; it could also redefine the relationship between humans and their animal companions, offering a new level of understanding and compassion. 

Professor Mel Smith commented, “The ultimate aim is to ensure that animals not only live free of stress, but that they lead happy lives, too.”  

UWE Bristol awarded funding to support sensitive data research 

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

UWE Bristol is leading one of six community groups awarded funding to advance sensitive data research from the DARE UK (Data and Analytics Research Environments UK) programme, funded by  UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).  

This new funding round builds on the achievements of the 2024 pilot funding round, which saw four community groups—three interest groups and one working group—successfully deliver activities and outputs over a five-month period. These initiatives laid the groundwork for a stronger, more collaborative sensitive data research ecosystem in the UK. 

The team led by Professor Jim Smith, Professor in Interactive Artificial Intelligence, won funding to continue the statistical disclosure control community, including data privacy practioners and developers of (semi)-automated tools to enhance the safeguarding of research outputs and reduce disclosure risks.  

This follows on from the funding received in 2023 to investigate Semi-Automated Checking of Research Outputs (SACRO). 

This funding round represents a significant step in advancing a community-led approach to sensitive data research. By empowering community groups to tackle pressing challenges, DARE UK is reaffirming its commitment to fostering collaboration, innovation, and trust in the UK’s data research ecosystem. 

DARE UK community groups hub  

UWE Bristol’s Data Research, Access and Governance Network (DRAGoN) has been endorsed by DARE UK as part of their community groups initiative. Their information is now listed on the DARE UK community hub. DARE UK community groups are collaborative initiatives co-creating pieces of work that align with the DARE UK vision. Focusing on open communication and knowledge sharing, these groups are working to enhance sensitive data research in the UK. 

The communities of practice are self-managed, community-driven, and independent but operating within the scope of the DARE UK programme. 

Public Webinar: DARE UK Community Groups: Strengthening Collaborations, Driving Impact  

DARE UK are hosting a public webinar on Monday 24 February, which will bring together all new and existing DARE UK community groups to celebrate their achievements and introduce their plans for the latest funding round.  

The event will offer a unique opportunity to explore the broader DARE UK Community Groups initiative, why it is critical to the DARE UK vision, and how it aligns with the overall programme strategy.  

UWE Bristol research evaluates the accessibility and inclusivity of voluntary carbon markets in the UK

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

Dr. Rounaq Nayak, Senior Lecturer in Farming Systems, recently completed a project funded the National Innovation Centre Rural Enterprise (NICRE) that aimed to identify the mechanism whereby emerging natural capital investment markets can contribute to a successful rural economy.

 This was achieved in two ways. First, by examining how rural enterprises navigate voluntary carbon and other natural capital investment markets and how they overcome and exploit potential limitations and barriers. Secondly, by identifying priorities related to the enterprise and innovation potential of natural capital investment markets and the resources required to achieve this.

Through an infographic and animation, the project helps to inform local and regional policies and support rural enterprises’ engagement with carbon markets.

The project infographic.

The findings point to the need for clearer ethical guidelines, stronger partnerships with rural communities, and better support for diverse land ownership models.

To help address these issues, an animated guide offering ten practical tips for entering the carbon market and an infographic explaining key principles for navigating these opportunities were produced.

View the tips and view the full research report.  

UWE Bristol research project launches policy briefing outlining findings from a legislative and policy analysis of Welsh educational documentation 

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

A collaborative research team, led by UWE Bristol, has produced a policy briefing based on findings from a legislative and policy analysis of Welsh educational documentation. The project team consists of researchers from Cardiff Metropolitan University; Swansea University, University of South Wales and UWE Bristol.  

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded project has challenged the issue of translating policy intention into education practice with a focus on young children’s participation rights and how these are enacted in classroom contexts.  

The policy briefing recommends the following to better support young children’s participative rights in Welsh policy:  

  • Future education policy in Wales should continue to account for children’s participative rights.  
  • Children should be recognised as active rights holders in the ‘now’ in all future legislation and policy in Wales.  
  • Education policy should consider the ‘how’ of children’s participative rights.  

View the full policy briefing

Read the policy briefing in Welsh

Principal Investigator Sarah Chicken commented on the briefing:

“Findings from our policy analysis indicate a strong ongoing commitment in Wales to children’s participative rights but there is currently a gap between the policy ambition and classroom practices. The aim of this briefing is to bridge that gap by providing actionable insights for policymakers and educators” 

The team have also created a series of infographics which are designed to present the project findings in an accessible and visual manner. Currently, we have two infographics available:  

Find out more about the Children’s Participation in Schools project:  

Global Migration Network Seminar Series 2025

Author Anna Jones | Posted on

The Global Migration Network, a research group at UWE Bristol chaired by Dr Emily LeRoux-Rutledge, brings together 60+ academics and practitioners from across the university working on migration-related research. The aim is to facilitate and contribute to cross-disciplinary research on migration, inform policy and public debate, and engage with users of migration research.  

The Network has a fantastic seminar series lined up for Spring 2025, and attendance is open to all. The seminars are hybrid, but you are encouraged to come in person for sociability and community (if you are able). For more information please contact emily.leroux-rutlege@uwe.ac.uk.

Seminars:

Migration and Memory, how we prepare for and cope with loss and change

Wednesday 12 February 2025, 1:00pm – 2:00pm (3S803) – Nigel Williams

After offering case examples about how migration is anticipated, and losses are worked with this session will help participants to develop their own sense of the similarities and differences between intergenerational memory running in families, groups and organisations and longer-term transgenerational memory located in culture and bodies in deeper time. Using these cases and some of our own experiences we will explore how to go about addressing first, second, third generation (and beyond) responses to the challenges of migration as a complex multifaceted experience extended in time.

Nigel Williams is a Visiting Fellow in Psychology at the University of the West of England and is author of Mapping Social Memory a Psychotherapeutic and Psycho-Social Approach, in the Palgrave Psychosocial series and has recently published a chapter on generational memory in Studying Generations, Bristol University Press edited by Helen Kinston and Jennie Bristow.

Support for ‘replacement migration’? Region-level demographics and attitudes towards immigration in Europe

Wednesday, 12 March 2025, 1:00pm – 2:00pm (4D005) – Artjoms Ivlevs

Does demographic decline make Europeans more pro-immigration? Our longitudinal, regional-level analysis, drawing on the 2008-2019 European Social Survey (278 regions in 22 countries) and the 1999-2021 German Socio-Economic Panel (16 federal states, 96 planning regions), suggests that people become more favourable to immigration as regional birth rates fall and ageing indicators worsen. While this result would support the logic of replacement migration, we also shed light on the role of the natives/foreigners balance in driving this relationship and tentatively conclude that the link between demographic decline and attitudes towards immigration could also be explained by group conflict theory.

Artjoms Ivlevs is Professor of Economics at the Bristol Business School (UWE Bristol) and a Research Fellow at the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). His research interests include migration and subjective well-being, and more recently tourism. Artjoms is an applied microeconomist working with large-scale survey data; much of his work focuses on the post-socialist countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

Supportive local policy, hostile national policy: the integration experiences of refugees and asylum seekers in Wales.

Wednesday, 2 April 2025, 1:00pm – 2:00pm (3S803) – Sam Parker

 In 2001, following the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, four towns and cities in Wales became asylum dispersal locations and, as such Government has devolved responsibility in many social policy areas that impact upon refugee and asylum seeker integration. This seminar begins by outlining developments in UK immigration and asylum policy and highlights the ways in which successive Westminster governments have introduced legislation creating a ‘hostile environment’ designed to deter asylum seekers from entering the UK and encourage failed asylum seekers to leave the UK. Such policies have restricted the civil and social rights of asylum seekers whilst simultaneously the Westminster government has focused upon policies for the integration of those granted refugee status only. This seminar reports on the findings from interviews conducted with 19 refugees and asylum seekers in Wales, where in contrast to Westminster, the Welsh Government see integration as a process beginning on day one of arrival in Wales. The data are taken from a project focusing on refugee and asylum seeker integration in Wales and demonstrates how policies introduced in recent years have led to restrictions on the day-to-day lives of asylum seekers in Wales and their ability to integrate. It argues that in a system of multi-level governance, the Welsh Government’s vision of integration remains problematic when immigration and asylum remain matters reserved to the Westminster Government. It highlights ways in which Welsh Government policy diverges from that in England and argues that further use of devolved powers could be made to facilitate integration in Wales.

Sam Parker is a Senior Lecturer in Social Psychology at UWE Bristol and has previously worked at Cardiff University and Birmingham City University. Sam is also Chair of Trustees for Space4U Cardiff, a small community organisation that supports newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers in Cardiff.

Am I happier than you are? It depends on when you ask: Reflections on the need for longitudinal studies on the well-being of international students

Wednesday 14 May 2025, 1:00pm – 2:00pm (2A027) – Trang Trần

If an international student speaks English as their first language (EFiL) instead of as an additional language (EAL), would their predicted well-being be higher compared to their EAL peers? English language proficiency has been shown to significantly predict various indicators of mental health among international students. Our longitudinal data shows that during early arrival, EAL students scored significantly higher than their EFiL peers on their psychological well-being measures. While this may seem unexpected, it does align with some previous findings suggesting that UK home students’ well-being indicators are significantly lower than those of their international peers. However, further analysis of longitudinal data (collected at 3 time points over 18 months) showed that the trajectory of psychological well-being for EFil and EAL international students was reversed, with EFiL students’ wellbeing improving over time, while their EAL peers’ well-being score decreased over time. Despite the small sample, these findings invite further reflection on the importance of longitudinal studies, or at the very least, the need to contextualise psychological well-being in the timing of students’ journey, alongside other contextual factors.

Trang Trần is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at UWE Bristol. Her research interests include international students’ coping strategies and psychological well-being.

From Harm to Hope: Examining Migrant Integration Policies and Practices in the City of Bristol

Wednesday 11 June 2025, 1:00pm – 2:00pm (4D005) – Ryan Lutz

Integration has been a heavily critiqued term with its history of creating exclusionary and racialized policies is well documented (Favell, 2022). Despite this, the term has remained and become stronger. The restrictive approach towards migrants has made way for a worrying trend of decreasing social rights, political inclusion and civil liberties for the citizens that migrants are supposed to be integrating into (de Noronha, 2022). Findings from co-produced mixed methods research, this research attempts to show that the lens of social harm (Hillyard et al., 2004) allows for a bottom-up approach to integration and investigates the efficacy of localized integration policies and how much they can make up for failures at the national level.  

Ryan Lutz is a PhD student in Social Policy at the University of Bristol’s School for Policy Studies in the UK. His research looks at integration, social harm, and the binary between citizens and migrants. Previously Ryan was an Assistant Manager of Research and Strategy at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, received his master’s in public administration from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.  

Contact the Global Migration Network for more information.