Your N8 Research Partnership update
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Twenty years of partnership
2026 is a pivotal year for the N8, as we celebrate twenty years of our partnership of eight world-class research-intensive universities. Over the past two decades, we've demonstrated the power of collaboration, of uniting shared ambition with collective action. We've much to be proud of, with innumerable people to thank for contributing to N8's success — from academics and professional staff across our eight member institutions, to our many partners and supporters from across the North of England and beyond.
We aim to build on this research heritage while strengthening N8's role as a strategic regional actor and addressing grand challenges together. This was the focus of discussion at the annual meeting of the N8 Board and Strategic Executive Group, which explored opportunities to work with UKRI, government and local authorities to ensure the North’s research strength drives UK-wide prosperity.
We look forward to welcoming our new Director, Dr Colin Tattam to the partnership in June. Colin joins us from Innovate UK Business Connect and brings extensive experience of research and innovation partnerships.
Read on for updates on our priority programmes and news from our network.
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N8 News
N8 deepens collaboration with UKRI and regional leaders as new director announced
The annual meeting of the N8 Board of Directors and Strategic Executive Group welcomed guests from UK Research and Innovation, central government, local authorities and wider regional partners. Central to the day’s discussions was how the N8 can work most effectively with its partners to deliver for the North.
The meeting also marked a significant moment for the N8 with the introduction of Dr Colin Tattam as incoming Director, who will take up the role in June.
Watch again: Webinar Series – Applying for European Research Council (ERC) Grants
Recordings of our 2025 webinar series ‘Applying for ERC Grants’ are now exclusively available to researchers within the N8. Hear from ERC award-holders and reviewers from across the N8 universities, as they share their experience and answer questions in relation to the ERC grant schemes and topic areas.
Programme updates
Child of the North is a collaboration between the N8 and Health Equity North. By acting together and with regional partners, our aim is to translate research evidence into transformative impact that improves outcomes for children living in the North of England and beyond.
Child of the North informs national policy on school reforms
Two major government publications released on 23 February—the Every Child Achieving and Thriving white paper and the Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group (NDTFG) Report—draw heavily on the evidence syntheses and analyses produced by Child of the North.
Northern researchers and Whitehall unite to tackle the SEND crisis through connected data at landmark event in Manchester
A workshop brought together policy makers, scientists, and frontline experts to examine how linking data across education, health, and social care can get children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities the support they need earlier, and more effectively.
#ChildrenFirst campaign provides latest analyses and accompanying practitioner toolkits
Alongside the latest analyses on inequity experienced by children – in relation to issues including poverty, special educational needs, school attendance and mental health – the #ChildrenFirst campaign released practitioner toolkits to support education colleagues, child heath colleagues and local authority colleagues to turn evidence into action.
N8 PRP is an academic-police collaboration between the N8 and 11 police forces in the North of England who work together to champion, enable, and support policing research and its impact.
N8 PRP publishes annual report 2025
With a foreword from Professor Ruth Lamont, UKRI Thematic Research Lead in the UK Parliament for Crime and Justice, the 2025 annual report looks back on a year of innovation and collaboration and shows how N8 PRP has used the Policing Research Priorities to support and enable applied policing research.
Police Priority Grants
N8 PRP has announced funding for projects on Voluntary Interviews and Officer Wellbeing, and opened a new call for applications to the Police Priority Grants. Funding is available for 12-month projects starting in August 2026, with the deadline for applications on 30 April 2026.
N8 PRP event asks, what makes a ‘good’ investigation?
N8 PRP hosted a collaborative and interdisciplinary event for police practitioners and researchers examining how to improve police investigations. The event report and presentation materials are now available online.
The N8 Centre of Excellence in Computationally Intensive Research (N8 CIR) focuses on the creation of a Centre of Excellence in CIR methods, skills, and facilities to underpin the strategic research objectives of the N8.
Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) Retreat
23-27 March - Register to attend online
This event is open to all digital research technical professionals, and those working in academia, funding bodies, and industry. During this week-long discussion-based meeting, each day focuses on a different priority of the UKRI Digital Research Infrastructure Programme.
In-person spaces are filled, but you can register to attend online.
Undergraduate student internships - Summer 2026
Four internships will be awarded to undergraduates at each N8 institution for 2026. A list of available projects will be advertised to students online from Monday, 16 March. The projects must be completed over any 8 weeks between June and September, and the stipend for students will be £3,500.
Join the CIR Women in High Performance Computing (HPC) Network
Join the community of researchers, software engineers, and students across the N8 universities dedicated to changing the face of High Performance Computing (HPC). We exist to empower women and underrepresented groups to thrive in computationally intensive research, from their first line of code to senior leadership.
News from our members
- The Northern Powerhouse Partnership and Durham University Business School sign new collaboration agreement
- Classics researcher, Prof Arlene Holmes-Henderson, joins UK government project shaping the future of childhood
- Scientists secure a share of more than £24 million of national funding for the Industrial Doctoral Landscape Award (IDLA) to advance research into sustainable consumer goods.
- The University of Leeds is leading the build of an AI platform to help food security
- A Leeds MP visited the University’s innovation hub, Nexus, to discuss growth opportunities at a round table with civic partners
- Leeds will be the UK and Ireland’s headquarters for a new European Knowledge and Innovation community that will tackle water scarcity, droughts and floods
University of Liverpool establishes new Liverpool Air Quality Research Centre (LARC)
University showcases AI materials discovery excellence during UKRI CEO visit
- University of Liverpool spin-out, Apoello secures £470k to accelerate the commercialisation of its AI-enabled materials discovery platform
- University of Manchester to lead £3m project to transform long-duration energy storage
- University of Manchester announces new partnership with Médecins Sans Frontières to drive expertise exchange amid global crises
- University of Manchester hosts metro mayors and business leaders to supercharge regional growth
