Co-creating changes which drive real-world impact
3 April 2025
For academic research to effect positive change, solutions must be co-created with research users, to reflect diverse perspectives and priorities. At Cardiff University, we invest in projects that foster close collaboration with a wide range of users. Using fast and flexible funding we leverage our research to collaborate with external partners in a variety of diverse and groundbreaking ways.
The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) impact acceleration accounts (IAAs) provide a core source of funding for these activities, enabling us to co-create solutions for today’s challenges.
Accelerating impact
The UKRI IAAs are strategic awards aimed at enhancing the impact of research. They provide funding to research organisations, enabling them to use the funds creatively for various activities that can maximize the societal and economic benefits of their research.
Each research organisation is responsible for managing their allocated UKRI IAAs, to design and deliver activities that best suit their institutional strategies and opportunities, with the aim to add value to existing funding and take advantage of new or unforeseen opportunities for creating impact.
Since 2015, Cardiff University has received over £13 million in multiple awards of IAA funding; leading to:
- Over 450 impact projects,
- Over 500 partnerships with non-academic partners and communities
- The development of 40 REF 2021 case studies.
In the latest round of UKRI IAA funding Cardiff University was one of only five UK Universities to be awarded all 5 IAAs to add to the ESRC IAA it already holds. Our current tranche of £6.2 million UKRI IAAs encompasses funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Medical Research Council (MRC), and Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).
Cardiff University harmonised delivery of the IAAs, allocating funding over three phases. The first two phases ran an open call for funding, with the initiator fund providing initial money to start new collaborations, and an accelerator fund which offered additional money to enhance existing partnerships and boost project results. Funds were also allocated to training opportunities, events and supporting partnerships.
The third and final phase takes a more diverse approach, offering schemes focused on placements/secondments, school-led strategic initiatives and expansion of former IAA projects.
Strategic Impact Fund
The UKRI Strategic Impact Fund (SIF) is a core component of this third phase of funding. This funding will support strategic innovation, providing funds which will increase high-quality, interdisciplinary research, and enable us to leverage our research strengths to respond to external strategic priorities and opportunities.
Following a call for applications in late 2024, £520,000 has been allocated across 45 projects with external partners. These projects cover a wide range of academic disciplines, industries and sectors; including archaeology, medical technology, education, data & AI, heritage, sustainable environments, film and broadcasting, steel manufacturing, conservation, electrochemistry and biosciences.
These short-term projects, aimed for completion by September 2025, will enhance our ability to continue collaborations with partners on a strategic level.
Professor Claire Gorrara, Dean for Research and Innovation for the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, says:
“The SIF scheme has offered an exceptional opportunity for the innovation communities across our Schools to progress strategic projects across a range of fields and disciplines and with rich networks of partners. We look forward to seeing the outcomes of such projects, testament to the invention and creativity of our colleagues”.
Other IAA Opportunities
A further component of the third phase of funding, the IAA Follow on Fund call has just closed and projects will be announced later in 2025. The final component is the Knowledge Exchange, Placements and Secondments Scheme which supports incoming or outgoing placements with translational partners. This scheme is now only open to BBSRC, EPSRC and MRC projects. More details: Harmonised Impact Acceleration Account – Work with us – Cardiff University
On the 20th May, the IAAs will be holding a Ten Year Anniversary Showcase Event, to celebrate and raise awareness of the outstanding impact work the IAA has supported at Cardiff University and beyond. Individuals are also invited to apply or nominate for IAA Impact Prizes which are an opportunity to recognise and award researchers and teams who have been supported by funding from Cardiff’s UKRI Impact Accelerator Accounts, creating or enabling exceptional impact. Find out more and register: IAA Anniversary Showcase Event 2025
For more information on any of these IAA opportunities please get in touch with the team: impact-engagement@cardiff.ac.uk
