Funding available for collaborative academic-policing projects in Wales

Facilitated by the Wales Innovation Network, AWPAC serves as a platform connecting researchers and police forces across Wales. Recently, AWPAC secured £232,600 in funding from the Policing in Wales Committee to extend its impactful work for another four years and support ongoing efforts to strengthen the evidence base for policing in Wales. 

This year, four new two-year projects will receive funding from AWPAC to carry out research specifically focused on increasing public trust and confidence in policing, with an emphasis on real-world impact and future sustainability. 

Each project is required to demonstrate an all-Wales approach, encouraging collaboration among Welsh universities and police forces to ensure that findings have widespread influence and can be effectively translated into policing practices across the country. The new funding cycle builds on AWPAC’s mission to establish strong academic-police partnerships in areas such as violence against women and girls (VAWG). 

Past AWPAC-funded research has led to important insights, including a Bangor University study exploring misogyny as a risk factor in domestic abuse, and Cardiff University’s evaluation of specialist police units handling VAWG cases. Findings from these projects have already informed training, risk assessment, and procedural recommendations for Welsh police, underscoring the potential of academic collaboration to shape police strategies and improve public safety. 

A primary goal of this year’s AWPAC projects is to stimulate sustainable research programmes that will not only improve current policing practices but also attract future funding from additional sources. The findings from these projects are expected to guide future strategies and inform briefings for police forces across Wales, helping to set new standards in transparency, accountability, and community engagement. 

Applications are now open for Welsh universities and police collaborators to apply. Partnerships are asked to download and complete this form and return it to innovation.network@uniswales.ac.uk by Thursday 31 January 2025. Successful applicants will be notified by Monday 31 March 2025.