University of Hertfordshire awarded £1.25 million research impact funding

The University of Hertfordshire has been awarded £1.25 million funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) to support its world-leading research.

The ESRC IAA supports a wide range of activities within research organisations, aiming to unlock the impact of social, economic and behavioural research and contribute to a prosperous, inclusive, healthy and secure society. They have shared their £40 million research impact acceleration funding between 32 research organisations, including the University of Hertfordshire. This grant will help drive forwards and further develop the real-world impact of the University's ESRC-remit research.

The University of Hertfordshire is currently ranked in the top 25% of all UK universities for research impact, with 78% of the University’s research classed as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ (Research Excellence Framework, 2021).

Professor John Senior, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), said:

“We are delighted to be one of only 32 universities chosen to receive the impact acceleration funding from the ESRC. It will allow us to push boundaries and continue our vision to make a positive impact around the world to change and improve lives through our pioneering research.

“Our research is diverse and we believe that in sharing ideas and collaborating with international agencies, industry and the public sector, we can continue to improve health and wellbeing, lobby for change to better support those experiencing social problems, and increase our understanding of the effects of climate change by creating sustainable solutions to both the economic and behavioural challenges.”

Professor Alison Park, Interim ESRC Executive Chair said:

“The social, behavioural and economic research we fund helps us understand how we live and how society functions, throwing new light on how best to tackle our most pressing challenges. This investment creates a network of research organisations with dedicated funding to support and accelerate the impact of this research.

“We have already seen the benefits of previous rounds of IAA funding, which have leveraged an extra £52 million from partners ranging from local government to private business. This new cohort of 32 research organisations in receipt of IAA funding is the largest and most diverse group ESRC has funded. I look forward to seeing how these investments maximise the impact of social science research.”