UWE Bristol | Research and External Engagement

A Just Transition for Avonmouth: Using arts-based methods to bring business, community and environment into future-facing dialogue

Rima Khatun | 4 December 202516 December 2025

Researchers from UWE Bristol and the University of Bath are using arts-based methods, community voices and futures thinking to explore what a fair, sustainable transition could look like.

Led by Dr Judith Aston (Associate Professor of Film & Digital Arts, UWE Bristol), Dr Laura de Vito (Senior Research Fellow in Public Policy, UWE Bristol) and Dr Sophia Hatzisavividou (Reader (Associate Professor) in Politics at the University of Bath), the project A Just Transition for Avonmouth builds on several major strands of research that have taken place in the region over the last few years. Together, these strands have created a strong network of community, business, policy and environmental partners across the Portbury–Avonmouth–Severnside area.

The team is now using this foundation to co-create a shared theory of change for a just transition to net zero, one that reflects the lived experience of local residents and the ambitions of partners working towards a greener, fairer future. This initiative has been made possible through funding from UWE Bristol’s AHRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA).

Why Avonmouth, and why now?

Avonmouth is an area of national strategic importance. It plays a pivotal role in UK energy-from-waste infrastructure, logistics and green energy production. With this comes a significant opportunity: the potential for Avonmouth to become a model for just transition, a place that demonstrates how communities, businesses and the environment can move towards net zero in a way that is fair, inclusive and future-focused.

There are already inspiring examples of this ambition in practice. The nearby Ambition Lawrence Weston wind turbine, which is recognised nationally as a model for community energy, shows what’s possible when local vision and long-term sustainability align.

Yet the area also faces ongoing challenges. Stakeholders hold very different perspectives on what “a just transition” should look like, and there is a risk that short-term pressures overshadow longer-term environmental and social priorities. Many residents feel unheard or disconnected from decision-making processes, despite being deeply affected by the rapid industrial and environmental changes around them.

The project addresses this gap through facilitated documentary practices where local voices, business interests and environmental perspectives are brought into meaningful dialogue.

Community members seated inside Avonmouth Community Centre watching a screening of the interactive documentary, representing a diverse group of residents including older adults, families and long-term locals.

The documentary began in the Avonmouth Community Centre and is grounded in environmental and social justice, two issues which are of crucial importance to a sustainable future for the area. I am deeply impressed by this project, which builds on the documentary’s innovative form and extends its reach creating the all-important dialogue needed to ensure that the voices of Avonmouth are included.

Rachel Haig – CEO, Avonmouth Community Centre

Building on a strong foundation of past work

A Just Transition for Avonmouth weaves together three major pieces of prior research and engagement:

An interactive community documentary on life in Avonmouth
Led by Dr Judith Aston, this AHRC-funded impact project has produced a ground-breaking interactive documentary using the Stornaway.io platform. It captures a rich polyphony of voices, from long-standing Port workers and migrant warehouse staff, to young professionals and community activists.
This interactive format does more than share stories. It acts as a tool for dialogue, helping stakeholders better understand the diversity of experiences and concerns across Avonmouth.
Local Industrial Decarbonisation Plan (Innovate UK)
Led at UWE by Dr Laura de Vito, this work brought together local authorities, businesses and researchers to co-develop a place-based industrial decarbonisation plan for the West of England Industrial Cluster. It established strong working relationships with the Port of Bristol, SevernNet and wider business communities.
British Academy-funded research on Just Transition and biodiversity
Delivered by Dr de Vito and Dr Hatzisavividou, this project explored just transition through a biodiversity lens, with Bristol as one of its case studies.

Together, these projects have generated deep community relationships, valuable stakeholder insights and clear evidence of the need for more inclusive, long-term dialogue.

Arts-based methods as a catalyst for future-thinking

The development of these new methods incorporates substantial contributions from:

Dr Karen Boswall, Independent Filmmaker and Researcher
Rengin Gürel Ozmen, Design Specialist and PhD researcher, UWE

with additional support from:
Dr Abbie Tabor, Senior Lecturer, Health and Applied Sciences, UWE
Bharath Ananthanarayana, Environmentalist and PhD researcher, University of Exeter and UWE

and consultancy input from:
Bill Sharpe, co-creator of the Three Horizons Framework

By combining arts-based practice, community ethnography, futures methodologies and policy expertise, the team is creating a space where different perspectives can be acknowledged, understood and integrated.

In October, the team piloted this approach in a workshop hosted with SevernNet, with support from Bristol Port, Avonmouth Community Centre and the West of England Industrial Cluster. Using clips from the interactive documentary, participants explored sustainability themes and discussed how community perspectives can shape business and policy decisions.

Feedback was highly positive, with stakeholders noting that the format helped to “surface voices we don’t usually hear” and stimulated new conversations about shared priorities.

Participants at a business and community workshop in Avonmouth working in groups with large sheets of paper, while project leads present and a slide titled “Looking Ahead” is displayed at the front of the room.

What this project aims to achieve

Over the next year, the team will work toward several connected aims:

Co-develop a theory of change for Avonmouth’s just transition
Through workshops and collaborative sessions, stakeholders will map the changes needed to achieve fair, sustainable futures.
Enable meaningful conversations across sectors
Using interactive documentary footage and futures methods, the team will bring together residents, businesses, environmental groups and policymakers.
Strengthen partnerships across the region
With support from Avonmouth Community Centre, the Port of Bristol, SevernNet, environmental organisations, universities and WECA, the project will create a foundation for long-term collaboration.
Build a platform for larger research funding
The project will generate a proof-of-concept model that will inform an AHRC standard grant application spanning arts, humanities, social science and policy research.
Share learning beyond Avonmouth
Insights will feed into the Three Horizons Use Case Library, the University of Bath’s Institute for Policy Research, and potentially other UK communities navigating similar challenges.

This project brings businesses, local communities, and researchers together in a way that fosters shared understanding, dialogue and practical solutions. It will support the delivery of our Local Industrial Decarbonisation Plan by connecting industrial decarbonisation with community priorities, paving the way for a just transition towards low-carbon futures.

– Rhiannon Griffith – Chair of the West of England Industrial Cluster

A whole-system approach to change

What stands out in this project is the way creativity, community knowledge and policy expertise come together. Interactive media and arts-based methods sit alongside decarbonisation planning and environmental futures work, helping people see the issues through different lenses.

This cross-disciplinary approach reflects the collaborative nature of the team, who are drawing on a wide range of research traditions to support meaningful dialogue and explore practical routes toward a just transition.

As an anthropologist and specialist in energy futures, I am delighted to support this project as an international co-investigator. The team has produced outstanding work to date that resonates with my own research. It offers a genuinely innovative approach for building understanding, vision and action around a complex set of urgent and pressing issues.

Sarah Pink – Laureate Professor, Monash University

A collaborative future for Avonmouth

In a place where industrial activity, environmental pressures and community priorities often collide, this project offers something different: a way of working that is empathetic, inclusive and imaginative.

By weaving together arts-based research, applied policy expertise and community storytelling, A Just Transition for Avonmouth is helping stakeholders across the region explore – and begin to shape – a shared future.

Let’s Talk Health and Care: 10 Episodes, 15 Guests, Countless Insights

Rima Khatun | 3 December 20253 December 2025

A year in conversation, connection and compassion

What started as a conversation between two colleagues has grown into a podcast series that’s now carved out its own place in UWE Bristol’s health and care landscape.

Across 10 episodes, Let’s Talk Health and Care – hosted by Professor Peter Brindle and Professor Marc Griffiths – has taken listeners from 3D-printed food to neighbourhood health hubs, from smart socks to social justice. Along the way, it’s offered something rare in the world of systems, strategies and innovation: the human stories behind the headlines.

As Peter reflects:

“What I enjoyed most was hearing the personal stories behind the innovations – what motivated people to get into their line of work, and what keeps them going through difficult times. Behind every innovation, there’s a human story.”

From robots to real life

Over the past year, the Let’s Talk Health and Care podcast has given us a window into the people, projects and partnerships that are driving meaningful change across health and care.

Through conversations with founders, clinicians, academics and community leaders, we’ve explored how lived experience is fuelling innovation and how services are being reshaped not just around need, but around place, trust and compassion.

Across the series, we’ve seen how the podcast aligns with UWE Bristol’s civic mission and the ICA’s core values, bringing research and real life closer together:

Assistive tech and prosthetics powered by AI (Episodes 8 & 9)
Community-led health and neighbourhood models (Episodes 4 & 10)
Digital innovation grounded in compassion (Episodes 3, 5 & 6)
Honest conversations about inclusion, trust and cultural change (Episodes 2 & 7)

Each guest has brought their own insight – not just into what works, but why it matters.

A place to listen, learn and reflect

Whether you’re in healthcare, research, education, or just curious about the future of care, the series offers a genuine, thoughtful space to pause and reflect on where we’re going and who’s taking us there.

If you’re new to the podcast, this is the perfect time of year to catch up.
And if you’ve been with us from the beginning – thank you for listening, sharing, and helping us grow.

Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or SoundCloud

Introducing the 2025 Entrepreneurial Futures Award Winners

ripleywk | 2 December 20252 December 2025

Guest Writer Lily Majid Student Ventures

Thanks to the incredible generosity of UWE Bristol alumnus Peter Fane, who donated £250,000 to support our entrepreneurial ecosystem over five years, we’re proud to announce the 2025 recipients of the Entrepreneurial Futures Award. Each winner receives up to £20,000 in funding, plus tailored support from our Student Ventures team. These are resources that can make all the difference at the start of someone’s entrepreneurial journey.

This year’s cohort represents the remarkable breadth of innovation emerging from UWE Bristol. From marine conservation technology to regenerative agriculture, accessibility enhancing performance systems to AI powered recruitment solutions, these ventures are working across the board with creativity, technical expertise, and great social impact.

What unites these diverse entrepreneurs is their commitment to building sustainable businesses that matter. Each has demonstrated their entrepreneurial ability through UWE Bristol’s support programmes and shown a clear vision for growth beyond graduation.

Find out more about each of the Entrepreneurial Futures Award fund recipients below.

Entrepreneurial Futures Award winners 2025

Benjamin Mallinson – Signal Bridge

Signal Bridge is changing the way we collect underwater sound data. Traditional methods depend on surface buoys and frequent trips to retrieve recordings, which are expensive, risky, and often create noise that affects data quality. Signal Bridge solves these problems with a smart module that stays deep and quiet, only coming to the surface when it needs to send data or recharge using solar power. This simple approach cuts costs, reduces environmental impact, and delivers cleaner, more reliable acoustic data for marine research.

The system works seamlessly with existing Passive Acoustic Monitoring setups, allowing scientists to track ocean ecosystems for longer periods without interruption. By bridging the gap between sensors and researchers, Signal Bridge makes high-quality data collection easier and more scalable – helping us better understand and protect marine environments worldwide. With this innovative technology, ocean intelligence is becoming more accessible, affordable, and impactful than ever before.

Katie Hounsham – Barraquito

Barraquito is redefining Southampton’s coffee culture. Launched in July 2025, this independent specialty coffee and bar concept was created to tackle the city’s “Third Place Deficit” – the lack of welcoming spaces beyond home and work. In just three and a half months, Barraquito has become a local favourite, serving over 8,000 coffees and earning a 98.5% five-star review rate. By focussing on exceptional service, quality products, and genuine community engagement, they offer more than great coffee; it’s a vibrant social hub where people can connect, relax, and feel at home.

The mission behind Barraquito is bold: to lead a transformation in hospitality by creating a space where people feel welcome and connected. The team believes great coffee and brilliant service should go hand in hand with a strong sense of community. As they grow, their vision is to bring this experience to more cities across the UK, proving that hospitality can be warm, authentic, and consistent no matter the scale.

Billy Barker – Arquip

Arquip is reinventing the welding mask for a safer, smarter future. For decades, welding masks have barely changed – it’s bulky, limits visibility, and makes training harder. These outdated designs contribute to thousands of eye injuries every year. Arquip was born from real-world experience to solve these problems. Its next-generation mask uses dual cameras and a high-resolution digital display to give welders a clear, unobstructed view of their work. Trainees can see more, instructors can teach more effectively, and businesses benefit from reduced risk and downtime.

Since launching in early 2025, Arquip has moved quickly from concept to prototype. Now, with a fully sourced dual-camera stereoscopic design in development, the team is preparing for field testing with welding training centres already expressing interest. Arquip’s mission is simple: make welding safer, easier, and more efficient – starting with the mask that every welder depends on.

Christopher Russell Middleton – Mycobiome

Farming starts with healthy soil – and MycoBiome makes that possible through science. This biotechnology company is developing advanced biofertilisers that boost soil health, improve nutrient uptake, and reduce reliance on chemical inputs. Their approach combines microbial inoculants with expert advisory services, delivering measurable benefits like better yield stability, increased soil carbon, and long-term land resilience.

Behind MycoBiome is a multidisciplinary team blending engineering, mycology, and agricultural expertise. Since its launch, the company has initiated field trials with early adopter farms, designed a business model that integrates carbon credit schemes, and built partnerships with research institutions. Their mission is clear: make science-driven soil solutions accessible to every farmer, and lead the UK’s transition toward regenerative agriculture. By turning cutting-edge microbiology into practical tools, MycoBiome is paving the way for a future where farming works in harmony with nature.

Faizan Mir – Scootrr

Scootrr is making e-scooter riding safer and smarter. Micromobility is booming in cities, but with that comes challenges – high accident rates, risky rider behaviour, and compliance issues. Scootrr tackles these problems with an innovative on-vehicle camera system powered by Edge-AI. It spots hazards in real time, moderates speed, and encourages safer riding – all without relying on slow cloud systems. The hardware is designed to fit easily into existing scooters, making it simple for operators to upgrade their fleets.

In just a short time, Scootrr has shipped its first prototype to Voi, secured interest from major operators, and is preparing for pilot programs in Bristol. By combining cutting-edge technology with practical design, Scootrr is helping cities and operators reduce accidents, improve rider safety, and build trust in micromobility. It’s a big step toward making urban transport not just convenient, but truly safe.

Michael Fergie – Haptek

Haptek brings a new sensory layer to concerts, theatre, and immersive arts: sound you can feel. This tech venture is developing next-generation haptic floor systems that turn audio into precise vibrations and synchronised lighting. Their modular platform, Haptagon, creates environments where audiences don’t just hear music or performance – they experience it physically. Designed to be scalable and event-ready, Haptek’s system enhances engagement while making events more inclusive for d/Deaf, Disabled, and Neurodiverse audiences.

Haptek is led by Michael Fergie, who brings over a decade of experience in sound and haptic technology, including five years creating haptic floor systems for major UK venues like the Southbank Centre and Roundhouse Theatre. With strong feedback from accessibility advocates and immersive experience designers, Haptek is setting the stage for a future where performance is multi-sensory and shared by everyone. By combining cutting-edge engineering with inclusive design, Haptek is redefining what it means to feel the music.

Oliver Tyler – Shroot and Kabloom

From wildflower seed bombs to microgreen kits, Shroot creates eco-friendly, growable gifts that are as practical as they are beautiful. Designing and manufactures growable gifts across a small house of brands: Seedbom/Kabloom, Greens & Greetings, Bottle Farm, and Wildflower Wishes. Every product is assembled in-house to maintain quality and speed, using responsibly sourced materials like coir, a coconut by-product that supports fair trade in Sri Lanka and India. Their wildflower mixes are 100% wildflower and tailored for UK conditions, making each product a simple way to create habitats and support biodiversity.

Since acquiring the business in 2022, founder Oliver Tyler has grown Shroot into a trusted name with over 1,100 stockists and 850 brand partners, including Harrods, Liberty London, Kew Gardens – while scaling corporate campaigns with Vodafone and TK Maxx to tens of thousands of units. With 20% of profits funding Wild Britain, Shroot isn’t just creating gifts, it’s buying and protecting UK land for rewilding. Their vision is to become the UK’s leading eco gift house and a top 100 landowner for reviving nature.

Pedro Do Rosario – Rosent

Rosent is transforming recruitment by giving recruiters their time back. Instead of spending hours on repetitive admin tasks, recruiters can now focus on building relationships and closing deals. Rosent’s AI voice platform automates the most time-consuming parts of the job, freeing up nearly half a day and unlocking the potential to double billable revenue. This isn’t just efficiency; it’s a shift that can refine productivity and profitability in recruitment.

In just four weeks, Rosent attracted over 1,000 sign-ups to its waitlist and earned recognition as one of EU-Startups’ “Top 50 Promising Early-Stage Startups in Europe.” They are gaining traction in a market eager for smarter, faster solutions with their simple mission: make recruitment more efficient, more human, and more impactful by letting AI handle the heavy lifting.

Samuel Hodgson – Enviro IT

Enviro IT gives technology a second life whilst reducing e-waste. Based at UWE Bristol, the company refurbishes redundant IT equipment from local SMEs – primarily laptops – making high-quality, durable devices accessible to students, families, charities, and professionals at prices starting from £150. Unlike low-cost, short-lived alternatives, these refurbished devices are built to last, promoting reuse over replacement and cutting environmental impact. Every collection includes secure data destruction using industry-standard tools, with GDPR-compliant certificates for peace of mind.

Founded by Sam Hodgson, a Team Entrepreneurship graduate passionate about reducing IT waste, Enviro IT has already generated over £16,000 in revenue and sold more than 1,200 items through platforms like eBay. Their vision is to become Bristol’s leading IT recycling and refurbishing company – partnering with sustainability initiatives, creating training opportunities, and donating devices to those in need. By combining affordability, security, and sustainability, Enviro IT is proving that technology can be both accessible and responsible.

William Crewe-Turrell – Bio Drive/Bio-Agri Ltd

Bio-Agri Ltd is addressing one of the UK’s biggest agricultural challenges: over 100 million tonnes of organic waste produced annually by farms and anaerobic digestion (AD) plants. Conventional treatment systems are costly and inaccessible for smaller operators, leading to nutrient loss, water pollution, and rising compliance pressures. Their solution, the Bio-Recover System, is a compact, modular unit that transforms waste into clean water, liquid fertiliser, and dry compost-like solids. Designed for affordability and scalability, Bio-Recover helps farms and AD plants cut costs, meet environmental regulations, and embrace a circular economy.

Their vision is to make nutrient and water recovery as common on farms as tractors—an everyday tool that supports sustainable agriculture and energy. Over the next five years, they aim to roll out Bio-Recover units across the UK, proving that advanced waste treatment doesn’t require high cost or complexity. Looking ahead, Bio-Agri sees global potential, turning organic waste into a resource for clean water, affordable fertiliser, and renewable energy – reducing emissions, restoring water quality, and strengthening food and energy security worldwide.

To all our 2025 winners: congratulations, and here’s to your continued success. The future looks bright.

Want to follow in their footsteps? Keep an eye on the Student Ventures webpage for information about future Entrepreneurial Futures Award opportunities and other support programmes available to UWE Bristol entrepreneur

Enterprise that fuels progress: Bristol Sanctuary Theatre, Supporting Refugees Through Creative Expression.

ripleywk | 28 November 20252 December 2025

Renata Mendes is the founder of Bristol Sanctuary Theatre, a community-led company that supports refugees and migrants by creating a platform for joint artistic expression and co-creation. Bristol Sanctuary Theatre helps its community with integration and healing through the creation of original theatre works.

About the project

Bristol Sanctuary Theatre began when Renata, a UWE Bristol Drama and Acting student with a background in psychology and anthropology, connected her own experiences as an immigrant with the challenges faced by refugees and migrants in Bristol. Working with Dr Fahrudin Salihbegovic, who had been supporting refugees and migrants through drama, Renata witnessed people flourish through the art.

“I met a bunch of lovely people who are refugees and migrants, so for them it’s even harder… I say, what can we do here? What can we create?”

From there, Bristol Sanctuary Theatre was born, a Community Interest Company (CIC) with support from UWE Bristol’s Student Ventures programme.

Partnership in action

As Bristol proudly holds Sanctuary City status and UWE Bristol is a University of Sanctuary, Bristol Sanctuary Theatre builds on this foundation of welcome and support. The project brings together UWE Bristol, which provides academic support and student involvement through the Drama and Acting programme, alongside City of Bristol College, which engages refugee and migrant students in creative work. Bristol Beacon hosts performances and provides a platform for voices to be heard, while Bristol Refugee Festival helps connect the work with wider community initiatives.

In June, the company delivered a powerful performance at Bristol Beacon featuring refugee students from City of Bristol College alongside UWE students.

“We performed a play at Bristol Beacon about refugees with refugees, they are students at Bristol College … (it was a) really beautiful achievement for us, with very, very positive feedback… the audience cried and laughed so it was really yeah fulfilling our heart I would say.”

Aims and impact

Bristol Sanctuary Theatre creates a safe, inclusive space where cultural differences are celebrated rather than sidelined. Through storytelling and creative expression, the project challenges harmful narratives about refugees and migrants whilst providing opportunities for skill development and artistic growth. At its core, the work builds connections between diverse communities across Bristol, fostering understanding and respect. “The most important value we want to create,” Renata emphasises, “is a community that can accept the difference.”

Building confidence and capability

UWE’s Student Ventures programme has been instrumental in developing the enterprise. “Of course, there’s the budget,” Renata notes. “But also, and I think it’s the most important, were the mentors.”

The support helped Renata develop a clear mission, vision, values, and business plan. “They never told me, do that. You should do that. They said, there’s all those ways and you can choose. So it was really a freedom of choices but educated choices.”

For Renata personally, studying Drama and Acting at UWE was “really a revelation.” She found her voice and creativity while being embraced by staff and students. “I was thinking, am I going to a university in England? It must be so hard. It was the opposite. It was super lovely. It’s an explosion of creativity.”

Next steps

Bristol Sanctuary Theatre is now expanding to work with adults who have creative arts backgrounds, creating what Renata calls “a point of trust for them to come.”

“Bristol Sanctuary Theatre that’s not theatre, it’s arts,” she says with excitement. “And I’m very excited, I think it’s going to be brilliant.”

Bristol Sanctuary Theatre’s vision is a UK cultural landscape where the voices of refugees and migrants are essential, not sidelined—reclaiming narratives and celebrating new voices through collaborative art.

Meet the Business and Alumni Partnerships Team at UWE Bristol

bethjohnson | 25 November 202525 November 2025

Since our formation in Spring 2025, our team has been dedicated to building meaningful connections between UWE Bristol, our alumni community, and the wider business world. We exist to create and nurture partnerships that deliver real value – for our collaborators, our university, and our students.

Working across key sectors such as healthcare, engineering, and the creative industries, we support a wide range of partners – from recent graduates to established organisations – by understanding their goals, identifying opportunities, and guiding them through the unique landscape of higher education. We know that navigating a large university can be daunting, and we’re here to make that journey easier.

Whether you’re looking to host student placements, raise your company’s profile on campus, collaborate on research and innovation, or explore funding opportunities, our team is ready to help you make it happen. Below, you’ll meet the people behind the partnerships – each bringing their own expertise and passion to the table.

We look forward to connecting with you.

Meet the team

Verity Graham

I’m Verity and I lead the team, focussing on both alumni and business partnerships. Outside of higher education, my background is in Financial Services, and I now support our partnerships that fall under the umbrella of Professional Services – from finance and banking to law and consulting, I’m keen to work with businesses of all sizes to support their needs, and engage with alumni in these sectors for mutually beneficial opportunities.

Robert Hicks

I’m Rob, Business Partnerships Manager for Clean Energy at UWE Bristol. With an academic background in sustainable innovation, I focus on building strategic, mutually beneficial partnerships between the University and organisations across the sustainability sector. Whether you’re seeking research collaboration, student and graduate engagement, or workforce upskilling (or all of the above!), please do get in touch.

Jonathan Hall

I’m Jon, Partnerships Manager for Healthcare and Health Tech. I have extensive experience working with healthcare providers, health tech start ups and academics in this space. My background is in Skills and Apprenticeships but I’m also on hand to talk to employers about research, funding bids and activities that get you in front of our amazing students and graduates!

Amelia Davies

I’m Amelia, the Partnerships Manager for Advanced Engineering & Defence at UWE Bristol. I use specialist knowledge and insights to facilitate strategic collaborations and partnerships across industry and academia, driving innovation, student engagement, and regional growth. Let’s connect and explore how we can make a difference together.

Keily Elvin

I’m a Business Development Manager at UWE Bristol, working across agri-food tech and creative tech. I build meaningful connections between businesses and the university, helping drive innovation, collaboration, and growth. I’m passionate about unlocking potential through partnerships that make a real impact across sectors and communities.

Natalie Welch and Rose Adderley

We help alumni to stay connected with UWE Bristol – whether that’s for your personal career development, supporting your business, or helping our students succeed. We’re always on the lookout for great alumni speakers and success stories across all sectors, so if you’re an alum please update your details and keep in touch.

Case studies

Accelerated Knowledge Transfer (AKT) partnership

UWE Bristol recently announced a new Accelerated Knowledge Transfer (AKT) partnership with Bristol Drugs Project, co-funded by Innovate UK. This collaboration aims to develop and trial a digital communications campaign to facilitate engagement with early intervention in ketamine dependency. The development of the campaign will involve researching barriers to users’ engagement with the night/festival programmes, developing effective messaging and identifying media and influencers through which the campaign may be delivered.

This partnership was initiated after identifying Innovate UK’s AKT theme a funding theme on reducing harm from drug and alcohol use, and the team engaged with Bristol Drugs Project through existing networks to connect with their CEO, Lydia Plant. Working collaboratively, we explored their business needs and identified the project that would best support their objectives in this area. We’re confident this project will be highly beneficial for both organisations and pave the way for future collaborations. Find out more about Bristol Drug Project and the collaboration in our UWE blog.

Collaborative research partnership

UWE Bristol partners with businesses across sectors to deliver collaborative research that drives innovation and growth, combining academic expertise with industry insight to solve real-world challenges. For example, a joint PhD with a pharmaceutical company led to breakthroughs in microbial biofilm testing, resulting in new products and commercial licensing. In another project, UWE worked with the Office for National Statistics to develop an AI-driven tool that improved data quality and confidentiality, reducing the risk of breaches.

Research collaboration can take many forms, and the Business and Alumni Partnerships team is ready to connect you with the right expertise to address the challenges most relevant to your business.

Please get in touch at uwebusiness@uwe.ac.uk to connect with us.

UWE Bristol announce new Accelerated Knowledge Transfer with Bristol Drugs Project

Rima Khatun | 21 November 202521 November 2025

UWE Bristol is delighted to announce a new Accelerated Knowledge Transfer (AKT) partnership with Bristol Drugs Project, co-funded by Innovate UK. This collaboration aims to develop and trial a digital communications campaign to facilitate engagement with early intervention in ketamine dependency. The development of the campaign will involve:

Researching barriers to users’ engagement with the night/festival programmes.
Developing effective messaging.
Identifying media and influencers through which the campaign may be delivered

Ketamine use has risen dramatically among young people across the UK in the past few years. There is very little research around the methods and messages we use to engage people around their drug use. This campaign will bring together the expert support that BDP offer people who use drugs in Bristol with the expert researchers at UWE Bristol to develop a body of evidence around what messages connect with people who use ketamine with the aim of engaging them in treatment earlier to prevent long term physical health issues.

About Bristol Drugs Project Limited

Bristol Drugs Project (BDP) is a charity providing harm reduction and treatment for people who are experiencing a negative relationship with drugs and/or alcohol. With 39 years of experience, their goal is to support people towards the changes they want to see in their lives no matter what they may be.

BDP strives to support all members of Bristol in an open and inclusive service and are passionate about challenging the stigma faced by people who use drugs and alcohol wherever BDP see it.

The Project

With specialist support from the academic team based in the Bristol Business School at UWE Bristol, the project aims to increase engagement with the Bristol Drugs Project’s ketamine harm reduction interventions, via the application of social marketing (behaviour change) principles and digital marketing techniques.

“BDP are proud to deliver evidence-based interventions for people in Bristol around their drug and alcohol use. This project offers us an amazing opportunity to develop a body of evidence that will improve people’s engagement and experiences in treatment around their ketamine use. We are very proud to partner with researchers from UWE Bristol on this project.”

Lydia Plant – CEO of Bristol Drugs Project

Co-Funded by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency. Innovate UK drives productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas. Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation. For more information visit www.innovateuk.ukri.org

Find out more about KTPs.

WRMS 2026 Launch Event – 3 December

Rima Khatun | 20 November 202525 November 2025

Join the Women Researchers Mentoring Scheme (WRMS) Launch Event 2026/27 on Wednesday 03 December 2025, 12pm – 2pm at Frenchay Campus.

This event is open to all UWE Bristol staff, a great opportunity to learn more about the WRMS and find out how to become a Mentor (open to women & men) or a Mentee (open to women only) in the next cohort, starting March 2026. Please feel free to forward it to your colleagues.

Our guest speaker, Rachel Gardner-Poole, will launch the new call for WRMS with her speech, “Ready to Soar: How Mentoring Helps You Reach New Heights”. Rachel is an Environmental Consultant at NATS (National Air Traffic Services), a Board Advisor for Astroscale, and a Director of Aviascia. Rachel is passionate about building high-performing teams and creating cultures where people thrive. She’s also an aviation enthusiast with 15 years of private flying experience across four continents, so when she talks about flight, she really means it! Her story reminds us that soaring to new heights isn’t just about technical skill; it’s about lifting others through mentoring and empowering them to achieve extraordinary things.

Stay for lunch and network with other WRMS colleagues.
Whether seeking mentorship or the chance to mentor, WRMS offers an invaluable platform to explore and achieve career aspirations, gain tools to navigate academic challenges and feel supported in a community dedicated to women’s growth.

Light lunch will be provided. Spaces are limited. Register by Thursday 27 November 2025, midday using this form, so that we can organise catering: WRMS 2026 Annual Launch Event with Rachel Gardner-Poole

Skills that empower: How mentorship and strategy fuelled a leadership journey

bethjohnson | 20 November 202520 November 2025

Nicola Reeves is the Managing Director of Happy Hour Productions, a Bristol-based TV and video advertising agency that blends strategy, creativity and production under one roof. In 2023, she enrolled on the Help to Grow: Management Course at UWE Bristol, seeking to sharpen her leadership skills and steer her agency’s next chapter with confidence.

Olly Reid is a business coach, adviser and mentor, and Co-Founder of HUM4NS – an award-winning professional development organisation based in Bristol. A UWE Bristol alum, Olly completed his BA, MA and PGCE at the university, and is now an Equity Coach on the UWE Equity programme, where he delivers the session ‘Success Starts with You’.

We caught up with Nicola to explore how the Help to Grow: Management course helped shape her journey, and how a powerful mentoring partnership with Olly Reid, forged during the programme, fuels her growth today – and continues to add value to both of their businesses.

Nicola, please could you tell us a bit about yourself, your career journey, and what made you apply to join the Help to Grow: Management Course at UWE Bristol?

I studied English at the University of Bristol and whilst I was there, some of the big advertising agencies came to present their graduate recruitment programmes – I saw M&C Saatchi and thought yep, I want to work for an ad agency in client services!

From there, I got my first job at McCann – one of the big global agencies – and worked across brands like Cathay Pacific, SimplyHealth, Badger Ales and Unilever. I worked my way up for around seven years before going travelling and working at smaller independent agencies, including a great agency in Sydney too.

During my time at McCann, I’d met the Happy Hour team many times on TV production shoots and knew what a great bunch they were, especially Tom George, the founder and owner. So when I was approached by Tom to join Happy Hour as Client Services Director on their TV and video clients, I was excited for the new challenge of working in both advertising and production.

I’ve now been there for 13 years and took over the mantle of Managing Director in 2023. So, in that new role with newfound freedom to plan the strategic development of the business, I felt that the Help to Grow: Management Course would give me the support and new network that I’d need.

How was your time on the Help to Grow: Management Course?

It did just that! It was a great grounding in all the fundamentals of running a business – some of which you know you have nailed, and some you realise quite quickly that you don’t!

It gave me dedicated time to work on the business, instead of just in it. The course was also perfect for meeting great individuals from different businesses and sectors – the group coaching and support that comes from an outside perspective is invaluable.

Olly, could you tell us a bit about yourself and your career journey – from studying at UWE Bristol to co-founding your company, and becoming a mentor on the Help to Grow programme?

My early career was in hospitality leadership and management, but in 2008 I arrived at UWE Bristol as a mature student to train as a teacher and completed a degree in Education Studies. That experience was genuinely life-changing. During my time there, I was elected Vice President for Education at the Students’ Union – two incredible years that taught me a huge amount about people, leadership, and the power of purpose. After my term finished, I returned to complete my PGCE and later a Masters in Integrated Professional Development.

I’ve always been fascinated by how people learn, grow, and perform – that curiosity has really shaped everything I’ve done since.

After teaching, I began blending my experience in leadership, management, and education – first with The Prince’s Trust, then with the social enterprise Entrepreneurial Spark, before moving into the corporate world and leading the NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator across the Midlands, South West, and Wales . Working with leaders and business owners, I truly saw the power of mindset and culture in driving business success.

That passion led me deeper into coaching and leadership development. I went on to complete an ILM Level 7 in Executive Coaching and Mentoring and, over the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of coaching hundreds of leaders and business owners – from CEOs to founders – helping them strengthen their mindset, performance, and resilience.

In 2021, I co-founded HUM4NS, a personal and professional development company on a mission to help people and teams become happier, healthier, smarter, and kinder. We deliver programmes like HELP (the Empowered Leadership Programme), coaching for senior leaders, and team development experiences that build better humans, not just better businesses.

Alongside this, I’m Trustee at the Marmalade Trust and a proud mentor on the Help to Grow: Management programme, supporting SMEs across the UK to scale sustainably and lead with confidence. Watching leaders reconnect with their purpose and potential is what keeps me inspired every single day.

How did you find the mentoring aspect of the course, and how has your mentoring partnership continued since the course finished?

Nicola: I’d say the mentoring aspect of the course was the thing that makes it so valuable – you need that person to hold you accountable for putting into practice what you’ve learnt. Your mentor also gives you the personal, mental and emotional support you need as a leader.

There’s a reason they say it’s lonely at the top and having a mentor is such a good sounding board – if you get the right one!

I was lucky enough to find Olly who has stayed on as my mentor and coach since I finished the course over two years ago. We have regular 121 sessions and I’m also now on the 12-month HUM4NS Empowered Leadership programme (HELP) run by Olly.

Olly: Great mentoring is a two-way relationship. It only works when both sides show up. The best outcomes happen when there’s the right match: a mentor who listens, challenges and supports, and a mentee who’s open, curious and ready to put things into practice. That’s exactly what Nicola brought to the table. For me, the mentoring element of Help to Grow is where the learning becomes real leadership – it’s the bridge between knowing what to do and actually putting it into action. I joined Help to Grow to give back, but mentoring Nicola has turned into an unexpected long term partnership that has added value to both our businesses.

What have you been up to since?

Nicola: We’ve been busy at Happy Hour since Help to Grow!

We’ve refined our positioning, and overhauled the look and feel of our brand, including launching a new website, alongside fully integrating HubSpot to manage our pipeline.

We launched our own podcast – Happy Half Hour – where we chat to guests from production, advertising and media in our own purpose-build podcast studio. We’ve also launched ‘TV Essentials’, which is a lower cost entry point for first-time TV advertisers.

In the team, we’ve had a handful of new hires, as well as celebrating two 10-year anniversaries. We’ve made it to the number one spot in Campaign magazine’s Top Regional Agencies (and number 27 in the UK’s Top 100). We’ve also recently picked up a Cannes Dolphin for our work on Arsenal’s No More Red Campaign, a film promoting their work to reduce youth knife crime in London – something we’re incredibly proud of.

As for the future, perhaps another acquisition, and bringing a non-exec director on board to help focus our growth plans. Let’s see where the future takes us!

Olly: I’ve gone on to win two Help to Grow Mentoring Matters Awards, one for Innovation and the other for the Most Inspirational Mentor, alongside an Entreconf Award and being finalists at the National Start Up Awards, Great British Entrepreneur Awards and Bristol Life Awards.

HUM4NS has launched new programmes, expanded from Bristol, to Wales to Australia, and I’m continuing to support the Happy Hour team through coaching, workshops and SLT days.

Explore the Help to Grow: Management Course at UWE Bristol.

Innovation with impact: Matthew Freeman, Bridging Universities and Start-ups

ripleywk | 14 November 202514 November 2025

In this blog, Professor Matt Freeman, Centre Director of Future Space, UWE Bristol’s innovation centre for high-tech businesses, shares his journey from academic to start-up founder to university-business innovation leader, reflecting on what it truly takes to bridge these worlds and make collaboration thrive.

If you had met me a few years ago, I might have introduced myself as Professor Matt Freeman, a digital media academic who published books and led research at a university. I spent over a decade in academia, from completing a PhD and lecturing, all the way to running a research centre, leading REF and becoming a professor. Yet, despite the publications and promotions, I realised that being an academic was never really about the research for me, it was always about the role of innovation.

Along the way, I’ve learned a few lessons about what it takes to make university-business partnerships thrive. In this blog, I want to share those insights with both my university colleagues and our industry partners. My hope is that these reflections can spark ideas on how we innovate together across the academia-industry divide.

My journey from academia to entrepreneurship

My personal turning point came during a secondment to a £6.8m university-business R&D partnership (Bristol+Bath Creative R+D, itself led by UWE Bristol). There, I fell in love with bringing together commercial businesses, academic research, knowledge exchange and fresh student minds under one collaborative effort. I saw first hand how powerful it is when ideas developed in universities get tested and applied by industry and vice versa. In fact, I loved it so much that I took the leap into entrepreneurship myself. In 2021 I founded Immersive Promotion Design, an R&D-led marketing consultancy to help virtual and augmented reality creatives put cutting-edge ideas into practice. That experience, applying research insights to real business challenges; taught me more about bridging academia and industry than any journal paper ever could.

Fast-forward to today: I now run Future Space, an innovation centre on UWE Bristol’s Frenchay campus, where we support 70+ high-tech start-ups. It’s a role that lets me combine both identities: the academic and the entrepreneur, to drive university-partnered innovation. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that innovation is never a ‘bolt-on’ to business, it’s an all-encompassing reimagining of what can be done and how.

What makes innovation partnerships succeed

Working at the intersection of academia and industry, I’ve seen some partnerships soar and others stall. Success isn’t automatic; university-business collaboration doesn’t happen by accident. There are two ingredients that I believe make all the difference:

Physical proximity and shared goals: Firstly, both sides need to be committed to a common purpose. The most successful collaborations I’ve led weren’t transactions, they were true partnerships built on trust and aligned vision. A recent national evaluation of University Enterprise Zones reinforced this: Place-based innovation infrastructure can work. A chat by the campus coffee shop can spark a R&D project or a hire, but only when paired with clear sector focus and active engagement. In short, everyone needs to row in the same direction.

Bridge-builders and brokers: Secondly, successful innovation partnerships need people who can speak both ‘languages’ and broker the relationship. In many ways, that’s become my job description. Universities and companies often have different cultures and timelines, so you need dedicated translators to connect the dots. It takes skilled facilitation to turn an introduction into a funded R&D project. Having a team with the skills and capacity to broker relationships and deliver tailored business support is critical.

Bridging cultural gaps between universities and industry

Even when the will to collaborate is there, cultural and structural barriers can get in the way. I’ve lived in both worlds, so I know the misconceptions that academics and business folks sometimes hold about each other. Universities can see industry as too fast paced and profit driven; businesses can see academia as an ivory tower too slow to adapt. The reality is, both worlds do things differently, and together they can offer different insights and value. Recognising this is the first step to bridging the gap.

One major difference is how each measures success. Academia rewards rigour, depth and publication. Industry rewards speed, customer satisfaction and revenue. Neither approach is ‘better’ outright – they are just different. The key is finding ways to reconcile these approaches. For example, at Future Space we pair 121 business support (an industry-style, bespoke approach) with one-to-many support like workshops and student projects (a university-style approach). Rather than argue over which is superior, there’s plenty of room for both models to co-exist, delivering richer support together.

Communication is another common barrier. Academics speak in terms of theories and long term impact; entrepreneurs speak in MVPs and quarters. We’ve learned to build a common language, often around solving concrete problems. Framing a collaboration around a shared challenge (say, prototyping a new medical device or testing a software algorithm) helps both sides see the value. I always remind my academic peers that innovation needs research but research should not be done in isolation. We need to get research ideas out of the classroom or even the journals and into real use. Likewise, I reassure start-ups that tapping into university expertise isn’t about getting bogged down; it’s about supercharging and validating their product with insight and evidence.

What universities and start-ups can learn from each other

Having one foot in a university and the other in the start-up world has convinced me that universities and start-ups actually have a lot more in common than people think… and a lot to teach each other. In fact, as pressures mount on higher education, universities may increasingly need to think like start-ups to survive and fulfil their mission.

What does that mean in practice?

For universities learning from start-ups: It means embracing agility, customer-focus and a willingness to adapt. Start-ups thrive by being lean and pivoting quickly when something isn’t working. Universities, by contrast, often carry heavy legacy structures that resist change. But universities can adopt a more market oriented mindset, tuning in closely to what students (the customers) and employers (the market) need. That could mean updating curricula faster, focusing on practical skills, or even launching entirely new bite size boot camp style programmes in response to emerging fields. In short, academia can borrow the start-up ethos of ‘adapt or perish’, staying mission driven, but being willing to reinvent how we deliver on that mission.

For start-ups learning from universities: I’d argue there’s an equally valuable lesson in the other direction. Start-ups can benefit from the depth of research and the long term thinking that universities are built on. In the rush to ship product, start-ups sometimes skip the step of truly understanding why something works or doesn’t. University expertise can provide that rigour, whether it’s a data science start-up tapping into a professor’s algorithm knowledge, or a biotech venture using university lab facilities to validate their tech. Moreover, universities train people to question assumptions and think critically, a useful check against the exuberance of start-up culture. In our innovation centre, I’ve seen start-ups gain huge advantages by engaging with faculty and students: they access state-of-the-art facilities and research labs, collaborate with experts on R&D, and plug into a pipeline of talent by recruiting graduates and interns.

As I often say, when a start-up partners with a university, it’s like getting a ‘sage’ on board. Someone who values knowledge and education as the path to breakthroughs. Conversely, the university benefits by partnering with a ‘hero’ within innovation, nurturing new companies that make the world better. Both sides win by combining the Sage’s wisdom and the Hero’s drive. By learning from each other, agility from start-ups, and research depth from universities we can each become more effective in our missions.

My offer to you

I want to close on a personal note. Having navigated this path from academia to entrepreneurship and back into the fold of university-business collaboration, I’m making an offer to you. Whether you’re an academic, a business leader, or both:

I commit to being a bridge-builder. If you’re an academic with an idea that could have commercial impact, or a business seeking academic insight, my door is open. I will use my position to help connect you with the right people, be it researchers or partners. Bridging the gap between our two worlds is my passion, and I’ll gladly play the translator to get a partnership off the ground.
I commit to sharing lessons (including the hard ones). Innovation isn’t all success stories. There will be setbacks and failures. I promise to be candid about what doesn’t work and to foster a culture where we learn from mistakes. Whether it’s through my own Innovate Together think-piece (published monthly on LinkedIn) or a casual coffee chat, I’ll share the insights I’ve gained (and the scars I’ve earned) so that we can all innovate smarter together.
I commit to championing change. Within my university and in my interactions with others, I’ll continue to challenge the status quo that hinders collaboration. That means advocating for more flexible policies, celebrating engaged academic and industry-savvy students, and pushing for initiatives that make partnership the norm, not the exception. Institutions only change when people inside them drive the change – consider me fully on board for that mission.

Ultimately, my offer is partnership. Let’s break down the barriers and unleash more innovation. The challenges our society faces are too complex for one sector to solve alone. But I truly believe that by combining the curious minds in universities with the daring doers in business, we can create solutions neither could achieve independently.

Find out about the amazing work at future space and how you can get involved.

Strengthening Higher Education systems through UK-Mexico collaboration

Lynn Goh | 14 November 202514 November 2025

UWE Bristol is leading a new international partnership with Universidad Tecnológica de Saltillo (UTS) the Secretaría de Educación de Coahuila (SEDUC), and Universidad Politecnica de Ramos Arizpe (UPRA) Mexico, under the British Council’s HE Connects 2025 programme.

The project, titled “Strengthening systems to improve the quality and efficiency of Higher Education Institutions in Coahuila, Mexico,” aims to build institutional capacity, enhance educational quality, and foster inclusive international collaboration across the higher education sector. This partnership is developed on the previous project “Improving soft skills, learning outcomes and employability of women students, graduates, and early career professionals in STEM” and existing relationship with the State of Coahuila (government) in Mexico.

Building capacity for quality and internationalisation

Led by Dr Tariq Umar (Senior Lecturer, School of Architecture and Environment, UWE Bristol), this initiative will co-create frameworks and tools to strengthen institutional governance, curriculum quality, and international engagement. Working closely with Mexican partners, the project will develop a strategic institutional toolkit – a bilingual resource that supports higher education institutions in Coahuila to benchmark and plan improvements in teaching, management, and global collaboration.

Over 2026, the project will deliver a series of collaborative activities, including:

Institutional self-assessment workshops to identify capacity gaps in quality assurance and governance.
Strategic toolkit co-development labs to design internationalisation and improvement frameworks tailored to local contexts.
Capacity-building training for academic and administrative staff focused on curriculum, leadership, and quality enhancement.
A UK–Mexico Policy Dialogue Forum bringing together higher education leaders and policymakers.
A final dissemination event to share outcomes and best practices with wider academic communities.

Supporting sustainable and inclusive higher education

The project contributes to several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Through inclusive participation and gender-responsive design, the collaboration will promote equitable access to international opportunities, leadership development for women in academia, and sustainable education models.

Dr Umar explains: “This partnership is about more than system strengthening – it’s about mutual learning and shared innovation. By working alongside our Mexican colleagues, we aim to co-create practical tools that foster inclusion, sustainability, and quality improvement across the higher education sector.”

From Mexico, Dr Yolanda Soberón Rodríguez, Director of Liaison (Universidad Tecnológica de Saltillo), added: “For us, this collaboration represents an opportunity to transform institutional practices through shared knowledge and joint development. Working with UWE Bristol and the British Council enables us to strengthen our systems and open new pathways for international engagement that directly benefit our students, staff, and regional communities.”

Enhancing UWE Bristol’s international engagement

For UWE Bristol, this initiative represents a strategic step in deepening engagement with Latin America. It aligns with the UWE Bristol’s Transforming Futures agenda, expanding its global network and advancing transnational education (TNE) initiatives. The School of Architecture and Environment will particularly benefit from new opportunities to integrate global perspectives into teaching, research, and professional practice.

Expected outcomes include:

A co-developed institutional toolkit for quality and internationalisation, applicable across global partnerships.
Policy recommendations to support education reform in Coahuila and beyond.
Formal collaboration agreements (MoUs) establishing the foundation for joint programmes, staff exchanges, and research projects.

A shared roadmap for transformation

The partnership underscores the importance of cross-cultural collaboration in achieving systemic educational improvement. By combining UWE Bristol’s expertise in higher education quality and governance with the contextual knowledge of Mexican partners, the project will create a scalable model for international partnership and capacity development.

“The collaboration with Universidad Tecnológica de Saltillo, SEDUC and UPRA exemplifies the power of partnership in advancing inclusive and globally connected higher education,” said Matthew Jones, Dean and Head of School of Architecture and Environment (UWE Bristol). “This initiative strengthens UWE’s commitment to fostering innovation and impact through international engagement.”

Arturo Mendoza, Head of Higher Education (British Council, Mexico), commented: “Through HE Connects 2025, we are proud to support collaborations that enhance educational quality and create sustainable partnerships between the UK and Mexico. The UWE–UTS partnership demonstrates how international cooperation can lead to meaningful institutional reform and greater opportunities for students and educators alike.”

Mónica Angulo Miñarro, Project Manager for Higher Education (British Council, Mexico), added: “This project showcases the best of the HE Connects programme—co-creation, inclusivity, and long-term impact. It will help institutions in Coahuila strengthen their systems, improve teaching and governance, and connect more deeply with the global higher education community.”

Project details

Project Lead: Dr Tariq Umar, Senior Lecturer, School of Architecture and Environment (UWE Bristol)

Partners:

Universidad Tecnológica de Saltillo (UTS)
Secretaría de Educación de Coahuila (SEDUC)
Polytechnic University of Ramos Arizpe (UPRA)
COPARMEX Coahuila Sureste
Comité de Recursos Humanos Derramadero (Human Resource Committee of Coahuila)

Funding: British Council – HE Connects 2025 (Going Global Partnerships)

Contact

For more information, please get in touch with the Project Lead, Dr Tariq Umar (tariq.umar@uwe.ac.uk).