Leicestershire Universities Invite Local Innovators to Tackle Community Challenges Through Funded Research Opportunities

Leicestershire Universities Invite Local Innovators to Tackle Community Challenges Through Funded Research Opportunities

(IN BRIEF) Loughborough University, the University of Leicester, and De Montfort University are inviting local residents to apply for paid research opportunities under the Collaboratory Research Hub, which aims to connect academic research with real-world community challenges in Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland. The initiative offers both full-time PhD programmes and part-time research placements addressing urgent issues such as fuel poverty, health inequality, and climate resilience. Open to applicants from diverse professional and community backgrounds, the scheme encourages participation from those who may not have traditional university qualifications. Applications are open until 30 November, with several projects focused on social, health, and environmental improvement across the region.

(PRESS RELEASE) LOUGHBOROUGH, 20-Oct-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Innovative thinkers passionate about improving their communities are being encouraged to apply for paid, full-time and part-time research opportunities addressing some of the region’s most pressing social and environmental challenges — from fuel poverty and retrofitting homes to health inequalities and flood resilience.

Loughborough University, the University of Leicester, and De Montfort University have joined forces under the Collaboratory Research Hub programme to support individuals who want to make a difference in Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland. The initiative offers paid, fully funded PhD opportunities and 12-week part-time research placements designed to empower participants to create practical, community-driven solutions.

The Collaboratory Research Hub is an eight-year initiative launched in 2022 as part of the Universities for Nottingham Civic Agreement and later expanded through the Leicestershire Universities Partnership Civic Agreement. Its mission is to bridge academic research with local expertise, driving social change, promoting sustainable growth, and enhancing community wellbeing. Each research project is shaped by collaboration between academics and local organisations to address issues that directly impact everyday life.

Applications are now open, with the programme particularly welcoming applicants from professional or community-based backgrounds who may not hold traditional academic qualifications but bring real-world insight and a commitment to social improvement. Successful PhD candidates will complete a three-year, fully funded doctoral programme leading to a PhD, while research placement participants will engage in a paid 12-week project, earning a Certificate of Recognition upon completion.

Professor Emily Keightley, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor for Vibrant and Inclusive Communities at Loughborough University, highlighted the transformative potential of the initiative: “Collaboratory has created opportunities for local people to carry out research that brings tangible change. We’re excited to learn alongside our community partners and develop new ways to co-produce meaningful research.”

Professor Katy Bennett, Professor of Human Geography at the University of Leicester, added: “If you’ve ever thought about doing a PhD but felt it wasn’t for someone like you, this is for you. We’re looking for people with curiosity, empathy, and lived experience to help shape research that truly matters to Leicester and its surrounding areas.”

Professor Iain Williamson, Senior Lecturer of Health Psychology at De Montfort University, emphasised the importance of inclusivity: “Our first Collaboratory call-out showed how powerful community partnerships can be. This next phase will continue to transform local expertise into impactful research that benefits people where they live and work.”

The upcoming PhD projects cover themes such as community-led home retrofitting to combat fuel poverty, inclusive bereavement support systems, children’s health and wellbeing in South Asian communities, youth engagement through heritage volunteering, leadership in flood-affected regions, and improving wellbeing through access to nature. Research placements include projects on creative health mapping and fossil heritage preservation in Charnwood Forest.

Applications close at 11:59pm on Sunday, 30 November, and interested candidates are encouraged to attend information webinars, drop-in sessions, or workshops. Full details, including project descriptions and application guidance, are available on the Collaboratory website.

Media Contact:

+44 (0)1509 222224
publicrelations@lboro.ac.uk

Source: Loughborough University