5 May 2023

This new fund, which is open to both new and existing research groups, has been set up to support collaborative research activity at Welsh universities. Grants are provided as seed funding for the development of a bid to external funders within the UK, Europe or internationally.

The funding call encouraged applications for projects involving international partners, and the Global Wales programme provided funding to support bids that included European and North American collaborations.

Twelve of the successful bids will support projects involving Welsh universities working with an international partner in Europe or North America. These will focus on areas including speech articulation, net zero and decarbonisation, dementia and cognitive impairment, industrial digitalisation, and regenerative medicine.

The remaining eleven projects involve partnerships between three or more Welsh universities. These will be supported to bring together research strengths in areas such as educational wellbeing, place-based solutions for energy saving, health and social care, and antimicrobial resistance.

Lewis Dean, Head of WIN, said:

“I’m delighted to see so many successful applications to our small grant fund supporting collaborative research in Wales. The quality and diversity of the bids were such that we ended up increasing the initial funding total by over £70k.

“As collaboration is a key focus of the fund, I’m particularly pleased to see so many international partnerships, as well as bids that include external stakeholders such as local authorities, health boards, government, industry, and community groups.

“WIN was established to strengthen research and innovation in Wales through collaboration and I’m excited to see what we can achieve as a sector when we support our universities to build these partnerships, both here in Wales and internationally.”

Project examples

Aberystwyth University
Partners: Cardiff University, University of Wales Trinity Saint David

This is a new research collaboration to explore Welsh communities in identified regions over the past two centuries, highlighting global connections of Welsh culture and identity.

Bangor University
Partners: Aberystwyth, Cardiff and Swansea Universities, Hull University, UK-CEH, Farming and Countryside Commission Wales, Sgema, DEG

This research project aims to implement place-based solutions for creating and saving energy, looking at the local ecosystem and social context.

Cardiff Metropolitan University
Partners: Cardiff University and University of South Wales, Munster Technological University, Ireland

This project will explore how AI based realistic synthetic media can support the growth of the creative film industry in Wales.

Cardiff University
Partners: Swansea University, Aix-Marseille University, France

This project aims to develop a carbon aware energy management tool for data centres to minimise energy costs, increase energy efficiencies, and reduce carbon emissions.

Swansea University
Partners: Open University in Wales; McGill University, Canada; LLS-Rowiak Hannover Germany

This project will link Swansea to new international partners in Canada and Germany and develop new materials that help bodies heal faster through neuro angiogenesis, and to improve the manufacturing process of biomaterials.

University of South Wales
Partners: University of Wales Trinity Saint David; Ghent University, Belgium; Bengbu Medical College, Anhui, China

USW researchers are looking to build an international research network to develop a remotely delivered digital health tool, examining speech articulation, pulmonary function and breathing.

University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Partners: Swansea University; Aberystwyth University; Bangor University

This project will build on currently funded activity to review whether 'Welsh Writing in English: A Bibliography’ can be used as a knowledge exchange tool for schools. It aims to commission academics to create 10 distinct 'pathways' through the bibliography focusing on different aspects of Welsh Writing in English, across a variety of EDI linked themes.