The University is committed to helping find solutions to society’s biggest challenges through our research, innovation, education and partnerships.

To bring these efforts together I’ve been working with colleagues from across the institution to establish a wide-ranging initiative called Glasgow Changing Futures.

Glasgow Changing Futures reflects the desire of our staff and students to use their skills and expertise to make a meaningful contribution to a larger cause. It also builds on the significant strengths that already exist across the institution, including several well-established centres and programmes. Indeed, these strengths have been recognised in the most recent THE Impact Rankings that placed the University 13th in the world for our contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Through a programme of activities, Glasgow Changing Futures will seek to foster and accelerate collaborative initiatives, encourage fresh connections within and beyond the University, and facilitate the sharing and co-creation of ideas. We will also seek to address the barriers to collaboration, recognising that we can't work in disciplinary silos to tackle societal challenges and partnership working must be a key feature of developing sustainable and equitable solutions.

In addition to this programme of activities, we will focus initially on two themes: health inequalities and sustainability. These are challenges that are felt locally, nationally and globally, and where we have a wealth of existing research, expertise and skills.

Professor Chris Pearce, Vice Principal Research & Knowledge Exchange

First published: 8 December 2023

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