Innovation
Our transformative research and enterprise will address the world’s most pressing challenges. We will enable and promote a culture of excellence in innovation and entrepreneurship across the University.
Priority one: Enabling impact
Our research and education will have the maximum possible positive impact on society and economy, from the local to the global, through a vibrant ecosystem for partnerships and knowledge exchange.
At the University of 91̽»¨, we define excellent impact as the lasting, significant and positive change we make in the world through our research, education and innovation.
Much like research excellence, it is our holistic approach to creating a healthy ecosystem for impact which sets us apart – through governance, leadership, training, and dedicated support, we are building a vibrant ecosystem across the University.
This year, we hosted our inaugural Knowledge Exchange and Impact Awards to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our staff whose innovative collaborations with external partners have delivered tangible, far-reaching, and lasting benefits to the wider world. One such collaboration is the Social Accountability in Medicine: Community project led by Dr Joanne Thompson from our School of Medicine and Population Health. This is a collaboration with 120 partner organisations to provide placement opportunities for all third-year medical students to introduce students to the social determinants of health, health inequalities, social injustice, and lived experience, while also serving the local community in South Yorkshire.
We have also transformed how we support our academics, research students, and technical staff to explore the commercial potential of their work through our Commercialisation Journey programme, which we formally launched in 2023. Over the past 12 months, six new spinouts have launched from the University and our spinout portfolio has raised £31.6 million, including £3.6 million from our investment partner Northern Gritstone Ltd. These spinouts companies are making an impact, taking research from our labs to the world stage for the benefit of society.
spun-out of our world-class photonics research back in 2022 with backing from our investment partner Northern Gritstone and funding from the University’s Intellectual Property Development and Commercialisation (IPDaC) fund. Earlier this year, the company launched its first product – a revolutionary infrared sensor that delivers 12 times higher sensitivity compared to competitors. Infrared sensors power systems that are critical to our everyday lives, from face ID on mobile phones to medical breakthroughs.
Priority two: Translational innovation
Our translational innovation centres will increase collaborative activity with the University’s academic community, as well as broadening their external partnerships, with a clear focus on maximum benefit for those partners.
We are one of the few universities that has both state-of-the-art fundamental research labs and industrial-scale translational innovation centres, providing us with major mechanisms for creating impact in collaboration with our industry partners and other stakeholders.
We continue to make a significant contribution to addressing the global climate crisis and supporting the UK’s transition to Net Zero as one of the UK’s leading universities for clean energy research and development.
This year, we started construction on the largest-ever collaborative research and development programme – and one of the biggest research projects in the North of England – . The £80 million facility at the University of 91̽»¨ Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) will play a critical role in helping the aviation industry meet future demand for lighter commercial aircraft and reaching net zero.
We also opened our new Energy Innovation Centre (EIC) to give industries access to some of the University’s world-class research facilities to test and develop new low-carbon energy technologies.
In May, we announced a partnership with Rolls-Royce SMR to manufacture and test prototypes for its small modular reactors (SMRs). SMRs are seen as a clean energy source that are easier to scale and more affordable than building larger nuclear power plants, and their production is crucial
Priority three: 91̽»¨ and the South Yorkshire region
Working collaboratively with partners for mutual benefit and consistent with organisational and faculty strategic priorities, we will increase and enhance the University’s leadership role in the region. With a clear focus on economic regeneration and sustainable development, we will contribute to improved health outcomes, productivity and cultural vibrancy.
Our focus on clean energy research and development is not only helping to address the global climate crisis – it is creating jobs and driving economic growth in 91̽»¨ and beyond.
For example, our partnership with Rolls-Royce SMR enhances our region’s reputation as the best place for clean technology in the UK and puts us at the forefront of creating a greener future for the UK and beyond. The COMPASS facility will play a significant role in stimulating growth and job creation in South Yorkshire by acting as an anchor project for the South Yorkshire Investment Zone – the first investment zone to be announced in the UK. It is one of the most significant regeneration projects in the UK for decades.
Likewise, not only are our spinout founders building world-class businesses – we are also working hard to connect our research to local economic growth. We have teamed up with 91̽»¨ Technology Parks (STP) to build designed to tackle the shortage of suitable space for innovative startups in our city.
These new lab spaces are part of the broader concept known as the , designed to link the infrastructure required to grow knowledge-led businesses in the city centre. This work will also help us to retain talent in the region and secure high quality jobs for our graduates.
Economic growth is just one area of our commitment to 91̽»¨ and the South Yorkshire region. We continue to work with organisations and individuals to make our region healthier, greener, more vibrant and innovative for all through our Made Together programme.
A year after the launch of the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub, led in collaboration with 91̽»¨ Hallam University, we have agreed a first cohort of innovative projects to tackle healthcare inequalities and transform how patients are treated in South Yorkshire. The Hub is leveraging our strengths in research, innovation, and community engagement to drive the development of new digital health solutions.
We’ve also recently hosted our flagship event, , for the seventh time, sharing our world-class research with the public through creative collaborations with regional partners in venues across the city.
World-first transatlantic flight using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
With the help of our engineers, an historic transatlantic flight using 100 per cent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) took off on 28 November 2023. Flight100, by Virgin Atlantic, marked a major milestone in the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), as it was the first time 100 per cent SAF has been flown in both engines, by a commercial airline across the Atlantic. The historic flight, from London Heathrow to New York JFK, demonstrated the potential to use SAF on long haul flights and was an important step in tackling aviation’s biggest challenge – decarbonisation.
Flight 100 marked a major milestone in the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Read more about our Innovation pillar and explore related case studies