Demand management
Demand management is being applied to this funding opportunity. Further details are provided in the ‘additional information’ section
Scope
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland, Scottish Government, and Welsh Government are inviting applications for an independent What Works Centre (WWC) for a climate resilient UK. The centre will work to transform how the UK adapts, and builds resilience to, the current and projected impacts of climate change.
The centre will work with stakeholders to generate, synthesise and mobilise evidence to inform, accelerate and scale adaptation pilots, interventions and actions. UKRI and Defra are co-funding the centre, and devolved governments are formal partners.
Context
The UK is already experiencing the impacts of climate hazards, with extreme events becoming more frequent and severe than previously projected, while current levels of climate change adaptation are insufficient to respond effectively to these challenges (A Well-Adapted UK, Climate Change Committee, May 2026).
By the 2050s, impacts could include thousands of extra heat related deaths each year, millions of homes at risk of flooding, major infrastructure disruption, and significant further economic and ecological damage, including risks arising from overseas climate impacts on supply chains and food prices.
Clear evidence gaps on the effectiveness and scale up of adaptation interventions has been identified repeatedly by the Climate Chance Committee (CCC) in their 2021 CCRA3 Independent Assessment, the 2026 Well Adapted UK report and their assessments of National Adaptation Programmes around the nations of the UK. These evidence gaps hinder the monitoring and advancement of effective adaptation action needed to keep at pace with the intensifying impacts of climate change.
The UK has committed to setting stronger measurable adaptation objectives through the Fourth National Adaptation Programme (NAP4), due in 2028. This will set out the actions government and its partners will take to improve the UK’s resilience to climate change out to 2033. These objectives will be achieved by setting clear delivery plans across government, and evidence from the What Works Centre should look to inform these plans.
Significant uncertainty remains about how best to adapt, reflecting a lack of robust, decision‑ready evidence on the effectiveness of interventions. Simultaneously, there are significant opportunities for innovation and growth for businesses that develop adaptation solutions (in line with the UK Climate Adaptation Research & Innovation Framework (CARIF)). A What Works Centre is essential to close this evidence gap by testing and mobilising interventions in real‑world contexts to enable their wider adoption and scaling.
A climate resilient focused What Works Centre will be the first centre of its kind in the world, with a dedicated focus on generating and synthesising evidence on the effectiveness of adaptation interventions. This work will build confidence in adaptation solutions, supporting their wider adoption and scaling, improving the value for money of interventions and enabling more intelligent, targeted policy design and more effective decision making.
It is envisaged that this investment will demonstrate the UK’s global leadership in adapting to climate impacts, protecting the environment and growing a sustainable economy, building on its pioneering role in the Climate Change Act 2008.
Objectives
The WWC for a climate resilient UK must deliver the following five objectives. You must clearly identify how your proposed centre will deliver on all the five objectives. You should clearly outline and justify the proposed balance between the objectives and how they will be integrated.
Convene stakeholders and identify evidence needs
Convene stakeholders and identify evidence needs on the effectiveness of adaptation interventions across different places, businesses and communities, including what works, for whom, under what conditions, what economic cost and with what co-benefits and trade-offs. The centre will bring together key partners across policy areas and stakeholder communities from across the UK to identify evidence needs, co-produce insights, and lay the foundations for effective translation and implementation of evidence into decision making.
Generate and synthesise trusted evidence
Enable adaptation policy, governance and investment (public and private) decisions to be made through the generation and synthesis of adaptation evidence. This should include synthesising existing evidence on the effectiveness of adaptation interventions and collaborating with stakeholders to translate this evidence into accessible repositories, guidance and other decision-support tools.
We welcome evidence generation that addresses identified evidence gaps through primary research, including co-delivered trials, interventions or both, within all the three topics outlined below. These activities must be properly resourced and must not compromise other areas of the centre.
Mobilise, test, accelerate and scale effective actions
Increase the uptake, testing, scaling and continuous improvement of effective and equitable adaptation interventions and actions across sectors, systems and places. This should include identifying and overcoming the barriers that prevent effective interventions from being delivered and scaled.
Working with stakeholders, the centre should run pilots and trials of real-world interventions within the UK, focused on testing practical, low to medium scale adaptation actions in different contexts, considering whether a test and learn approach is appropriate. The testing and scaling of interventions should consider social, behavioural, economic, delivery models, commercial pathways, investment conditions and partnerships, and cultural factors, encouraging people centred approaches.
Advance adaptation evaluation practice
The centre will co-develop, test and advance robust standards, methods and frameworks for evaluating climate adaptation interventions, improving consistency, comparability and learning to support policy development and practical place-based delivery across the UK.
Strengthen capacity and capability
The centre will build the capacity and capability of organisations, practitioners and local, regional and national decision makers to design, deliver, evaluate and learn from adaptation actions, helping narrow the UK’s adaptation gap.
You are strongly encouraged to look at the work of the existing What Works Centres.
Outcomes
The WWC for a climate resilient UK must deliver the six outcomes to enable more effective adaptation action and improved resilience to climate change across the UK. The outcomes are:
- high quality, trusted adaptation evidence of relevance to the UK is actively sought and routinely used to inform policy, planning, investment and delivery decisions. Policymakers, regulators, practitioners and investors consistently use trusted evidence to design, prioritise and justify adaptation actions, taking account of co-benefits and trade-offs
- effective adaptation interventions are generated, tested, scaled and adopted more efficiently. Adaptation actions demonstrated to be effective in increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change are adopted more widely across sectors, places and communities, making most effective use of investments and accelerating best practice learning
- adaptation governance and investment decisions become more evidence led. Adaptation evidence is embedded within governance processes, business cases, investment frameworks, regulatory decision making and adaptation planning across the UK
- adaptation action better addresses vulnerability and inequality associated with climate risks. Adaptation programmes target the people, places and systems most exposed and vulnerable to climate risks (both current and projected)
- organisations systematically evaluate adaptation interventions using high-quality trusted evidence and common evaluation standards. Public sector, communities, businesses, investors, procurers and third-sector organisations increasingly implement adaptation measures using robust evidence and evaluate their effectiveness using common standards and methods
- a stronger culture of adaptation learning and sharing of best practice emerges across the UK. Organisations routinely learn from implementations (what worked and what did not work), share knowledge and improve adaptation action based on evidence
Topics
The centre is required to explore the following three topics.
Your application will be required to explain how you will utilise the scoping phase to develop detailed plans in relation to these topic areas and the intersection between topics. Applicants are required to set out how this will build on the existing evidence within these three topics.
Healthy natural environment and food systems
From the green and blue spaces that improve our mental and physical health to the quality of air we breathe, to the water we drink and the soil that grows our food, healthy natural environment and climate resilient food systems are essential to people’s health and wellbeing.
The centre will explore adaptation interventions that most effectively reduce climate-related risks to ecosystems, land use, natural resources and domestic food production.
The aim is to generate evidence and actionable solutions that restore nature through more resilient habitats, support sustainable food production and resilient supply chains in a changing climate.
Example focus areas could include, but are not limited to, wildfire management, drought preparedness, reducing pressure from non-native species, pests and diseases, nature recovery, UK food production and resilient domestic food supply chains (including supply, transport and storage).
Thriving places
Thriving places depend on homes, buildings and community spaces that can withstand a changing climate and are adapted to minimise the impacts on health and wellbeing from climate change. The centre will explore adaptation interventions that most effectively reduce risks from extreme heat, overheating and other climate-related risks (such as flooding, coastal erosion and storm risks) in the places where people live, learn, work and receive care.
The aim is to generate evidence and actionable solutions that help create safe, comfortable and climate-resilient environments across the UK. Example focus areas could include, but are not limited to, homes, public buildings, health and social care settings, educational environments, emergency service facilities, prisons and community spaces.
Services and infrastructure
Functioning services and infrastructure are essential to resilient communities and a thriving economy. The centre will identify, pilot and evaluate the adaptation investments, governance arrangements and approaches to managing infrastructure that most effectively maintain essential services during climate shocks and long-term climate change.
This includes understanding how climate impacts on one system can cascade across interdependent services and how such compounding risks can be managed. The aim is to build upon evidence that helps inform actions to ensure critical systems continue to function effectively across the UK in a changing climate.
Example areas could include, but are not limited to, energy, water (including water efficiency and drought resilience), transport, digital connectivity, healthcare, education, emergency response and other public services and broader infrastructure and service interdependencies.
Cross-cutting themes
The centre is required to integrate the following cross-cutting themes across all three topics, and through the leadership, management and delivery:
- working with intended audiences and delivery partners to translate evidence insights into improved delivery of climate adaptation actions
- co-production and decision making, including underrepresented voices
- adaptation at scale (including scaling pilots/interventions), and at different scales (such as local, devolved and/or UK) with consideration for transferability
- place-based adaptation, including local climate risks, urban, coastal and rural
- equity, vulnerability and ‘just resilience’
- routes, costs and value for money for climate adaptation investment
- systems of adaptation governance and accountability
- co-benefits, barriers and interdependencies of climate adaptation interventions
Intended target audiences
The primary target audience for this WWC will be the UK Government and devolved governments (the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland, Scottish Government and Welsh Government). The centre will be required to work collaboratively across government departments and devolved governments to support capacity building and sharing of best practice to deliver the objectives and outcomes across the UK, including the Fourth National Adaptation Programme (NAP4) and the delivery plans that follow it.
Climate resilience is needed across the whole of society and the economy to make the UK resilient to climate change. Wider audiences for the centre could include, but not limited to, local and combined authorities, non-departmental public bodies, environmental public bodies, regulators, scientific organisations, households, communities, land managers, businesses (including SMEs, investors, larger businesses) and third sector organisations.
You will be required to set out a justification, prioritisation and routes of evidence mobilisation for the intended audiences for the centre.
What Works Network membership
You are strongly encouraged to familiarise yourself with the What Works Network guidance when developing your application. You must clearly set out how your proposed programme of work delivers against the membership requirement of the What Works Network. Your application is required to set out how the centre will contribute as an active member of the network, including approaches to collaboration, knowledge exchange and joint working.
Applications that do not explicitly address these requirements will not progress to panel assessment. The centre is required to apply to the What Works Network for official What Works Centre status within 12 months of the award start date. This process is independent of UKRI and Defra.
The centre will be expected to take an active role in the What Works Network, including taking part in quarterly meetings of the What Works Council, collaborating with other centres to share learning and best practice and engaging with the assessment process for What Works Centres which occurs every two years.
You must clearly set out in your application how your proposal delivers against the membership requirements of the What Works Network. You must outline your approach to successfully applying for membership and show that you have budgeted the appropriate time and resources to engage with both joining the network, reporting and participating in it.
You are required to use the name provided in the funding opportunity. The successful applicant can then discuss and agree a name with funders and partners once appointed, which will include What Works Centre.
Centre requirements
Your application should propose an operating delivery model that will deliver the centre’s objectives and outcomes. You are required to set out how the centre will:
- set out a clear diagnosis of barriers to the use of evidence in the sector, whether that be evidence gaps, quality, evidence synthesis, uptake of evidence, or an understanding of implementation capacity and barriers and potential solutions
- build on existing evidence, collaborations and investments within the landscape with specific detail in the application about how the centre will identify and link with relevant stakeholders, programmes and initiatives, and how it will build on and complement these to prevent duplication of evidence generated
- demonstrate clear relevance to climate adaptation and resilience in the UK. Research may focus on national, devolved, regional, local or community contexts. While international comparisons or collaborations are welcome where they strengthen the centre, the primary focus should be applicable to the UK.
- draw on interdisciplinary expertise, including in social and behavioural science, climate and environmental science, economics, policy evaluation, co-production, communicating evidence to influence decision making and in-depth understanding of climate adaptation across the topic areas set out above
- work with stakeholders to run pilots and trials of real-world interventions within the UK, focused on testing practical, low to medium scale adaptation actions in different contexts, considering whether a test and learn approach is appropriate. This should include at least six small to medium sized pilots, with an appropriate proportion of the centre’s budget dedicated to testing practical interventions, including a minimum of two across each topic. The assessment of the intervention would be covered within the costs of the centre, but to ensure sustainability of interventions, the trial and intervention may need to be run by stakeholders.
- deliver robust process, impact and value for money evaluations to assess whether interventions produce measurable outcomes and provide valuation for money. This could consider including the costs of action, inaction and economic methods to support prioritisation. Become a centre for excellence on evaluation frameworks and standards for evaluating adaptation interventions. Building agreed methods, metrics and indicators with practical resources for practitioners
- embed environmental sustainability across all aspects of the centre’s work. Your application should set out how they will minimise environmental impacts and incorporate sustainable practices into the design, management and delivery of the centre
Setting up the centre
Specific requirements in setting up the centre within the first year are:
- become operational rapidly following award and deliver realistic deliverables within these timescales. Applications should set out a clear delivery plan for the first year, including key milestones, partners, early outputs and activities that will establish momentum that demonstrate value and deliver early benefits to stakeholders.
- co-produce a Theory of Change, and establish a shared vision for the centre with clear approaches to reporting, monitoring and evaluating the centre’s performance and effectiveness.
- develop a longer-term strategy for the centre, including an application for membership to the What Works Network within 12 months of the grant starting. This funding is intended as an initial phase of support, you should set out plans for securing the centre’s long-term sustainability and legacy from the outset
- carry out initial scoping to include an evidence gap map early on to understand evidence clusters and where to support new evaluations. For example, map of homelessness interventions produced by the Centre for Homelessness Impact and map of interventions to prevent child violence produced by the Youth Endowment Fund.
- develop and maintain an environmentally sustainable, accessible and user-centred digital presence. This should include a website that serves as a long-term repository for adaptation evidence and evaluations that will outlast this initial funding
Evidence mobilisation, co-production and capacity building
Specific requirements on evidence mobilisation, co-production and capacity building are to:
- deliver evidence-based knowledge mobilisation and dissemination through sustained engagement with stakeholders. The centre should go beyond ‘broadcast’ dissemination methods and work collaboratively with practitioners and decision makers to put evidence into action. Your application will be required to set out a stakeholder engagement, communication and knowledge mobilisation plan that is user centred
- maintain agility to respond to emerging needs with an internal fund to utilise flexibly once the centre is operational. The centre can reserve up to £2 million (80% FEC) within its budget to flexibly support the development of new pilots, evaluations and interventions during the funding period
- ensure partnership and co-production underpin all aspects of the centre’s work. Your application must demonstrate how you will embed meaningful co-production with stakeholders throughout the design, governance, delivery and dissemination of activities, ensuring that the centre’s outputs are relevant, usable and impactful.
- build skills, capacity and capability among the centre’s target audiences. Applications should set out how they will strengthen knowledge, skills and capability for evidence-informed adaptation and resilience
The flexible funding (up to £2 million at 80% FEC) must be included within the centre budget and annual spending limits, as set out below. Your application will need to set out a clear process for allocating this funding through stakeholder consultation, prioritisation and decision making. The approach will require agreement with funders within the first 18 months of the grant. This is not a flexible fund pot as defined in the ESRC Research Funding guide to be subcontracted for further small research projects. The internal funds would be utilised within the Centre.
Example outputs
The WWC will deliver high-quality outputs that make a meaningful contribution to climate resilience action in the UK. Example outputs could include, but are not limited to:
- evidence syntheses and systematic reviews of adaptation interventions, including the use of international evidence where relevant to the UK context
- evidence and gap maps to identify areas where evidence is strong, where gaps exist, and where further evaluation is required
- evaluations and case studies of adaptation interventions, highlighting effectiveness, implementation lessons, costs, benefits and considerations for scaling and replication
- best practice frameworks, standards and guidance for evaluating adaptation interventions and assessing outcomes
- decision-ready products co-designed with policymakers and practitioners, including toolkits, guidance, policy briefs, place-based briefings and evidence summaries
- decision-support tools and resources, including business case guidance, investment frameworks and approaches to embedding evidence within adaptation planning and decision making
- training, capacity-building and professional development activities to strengthen capability in adaptation evaluation, evidence use and implementation
- expert advice and technical support for policymakers, practitioners and organisations seeking to apply evidence and evaluate adaptation interventions
Centre leadership
The project lead of the centre should have a collaborative mindset, excellent leadership and management abilities, and strong stakeholder engagement skills. You will be expected to work closely with academic, government, industry and third sector stakeholders.
The WWC leadership team should be composed of experts with a diversity of skills and experience in the following areas:
- climate change, climate risks and climate resilience policy landscapes across the UK
- public administration and public policy with a focus on delivery
- evidence synthesis methodology to accelerate cutting-edge developments in methods
- strong communicating and influencing skills, with the ability to effectively communicate technical information to a non-technical audience
- coproduction and demonstrable experience and expertise of synthesising evidence and working successfully with non-academic partners to bridge research, evaluation and policymaking
- identifying and setting up appropriate governance structures for input and quality assurance of evaluation products
- demonstrable experience of creating, cultivating and leading high-performance teams through good management practices
- work with funders, partners and the independent evaluator to ensure high-quality monitoring data is built into the centre and is collated from an early point to allow baseline monitoring data to be established
- expertise in building capacity and capability of evidence for government and devolved administrations.
Critical to the successful leadership of the centre will be a strong understanding and expertise of evidence standards, evaluation methods, including causal and value for money evaluation methods with a consideration for embedding a Head/Director of Evidence and Evaluation role. Expertise should include
- ability to design and deliver experimental and quasi-experimental evaluations
- understanding the value of a theory-based approach in establishing and understanding causation, and enhancing other methodological approaches
- recognising the limitations of experimental, quasi-experimental and theory-based evaluation approaches
- having a good understanding of the HMT Magenta Book guidance on evaluation and Green Book guidance on economic appraisal and cost benefit analysis
- using value for money evaluation to support methods of Cost Benefit Analysis being developed for appraisal of new policies
- critically appraising data sources, evidence quality and underlying assumptions, including judging the materiality of risks and uncertainties.
Centre management and structure
You should carefully consider the structure of your proposed centre to ensure it is best positioned to successfully deliver meaningful and impactful progress against its objectives and outcomes.
The centre will need to have clear plans for:
- how leadership will be managed across the centre, including the role that non-academic co-leads and partners will play
- how the centre will remain focused on priorities while retaining the agility to respond to evolving priorities over time
- how the management of the centre and its activities will be carried out, including details of project management, quality assurance, communication and administration resources
- approach to risk management (including operational and team resource risks)
- how existing partnerships will be managed, and new partnerships explored in an effective, equitable, and sustainable way
- how equality, diversity and inclusion, and environmental sustainability principles will be embedded into the centre’s approach to operating
- how leadership, key roles and long-term funding sustainability will be managed over the lifetime of the centre
Advisory structure
The WWC will be responsible for establishing an independent advisory board (or other appropriate advisory structure) to provide the centre with strategic input, expert guidance, and challenge. Membership should include representatives from academia, policy, practice and other relevant stakeholders with a diverse range of expertise and experience relevant to the centre’s objectives, topics, cross-cutting themes and stakeholder requirements from across the UK. You must outline clear plans in your application for how your proposed centre will make effective use of the advisory group.
You must ensure that any costs associated with the advisory group are factored into the budget (for example, the cost of in-person meetings), and that sufficient staff resource has been allocated for its management and operation over the lifetime of the award. We would advise budgeting for at least one in-person meeting a year. You should also consider accessibility and sustainability requirements when planning your advisory structure, for example, ensuring a mix of in-person, hybrid, and virtual meeting formats.
The advisory structure will operate independently from funders and partners. However, there would be an expectation to invite a funder representative as an observer to support investment management responsibilities.
Reporting requirements and performance monitoring
The WWC will report quarterly to a programme board (PB), that will include representatives from funders and partners. The PB will serve as the principal oversight, assurance and governance for the centre. The PB will be responsible for any formal decisions on the performance of the centre and its continued funding.
Its remit will cover:
- monitoring progress against agreed objectives, milestones, timescales, and deliverables (including outputs and outcomes)
- monitoring against agreed key performance indicators (KPIs)
- financial oversight
- risk assurance, including monitoring the centre’s risk register and actions to manage risk
- providing strategic oversight, challenge, and guidance
The PB will meet formally on a regular basis, with additional meetings scheduled as needed. For example, the PB will meet with the centre leadership team monthly for at least the first-year post-award to build trusted relationships and ensure a successful start to the centre.
You should propose an appropriate outline of a performance monitoring and evaluation framework, including KPI’s as part of your application. The final framework and KPIs will be refined with the PB and agreed with the PB within three months of the Centre start date.
We recognise that both the framework and the KPIs will be informed by each individual application’s specific design and change framework and, as such, a one-size-fits-all approach to performance measures is not appropriate in this instance. However, you are expected to base your framework and KPIs around the WWC’s core objectives and outcomes. Thematic areas KPIs may include, but are not limited to:
- evidence generation and translation (including quantity, fit-to-target-audience, and impact)
- coproduction and capacity-building
- reach and engagement
- use and adoption of evidence
- changes in policy, practice, and behaviour
- value for money
- implementation and scaling
You may find it useful to consult the following sources of information when designing your approach:
Evaluation
An independent evaluation will be commissioned alongside the centre. The centre will be required to work with the PB and the evaluator to support the evaluation. You must ensure that you have resource and capacity to engage with the evaluation.
For more information on the background of this funding opportunity, go to the Additional information section.
Duration
The duration of this award is 44 months.
Projects must start by 1 August 2027 at the latest.
Funding available
The total funder contribution can be up to £21.1 million.
Funding is for a single award.
This investment will receive a non-standard funding profile with the following financial limits for each year. Your application is required to plan activities in accordance with this budget profile which sets out the total funder contribution. Funders will pay 80% of the full economic Cost of the application, with any exceptions paid at 100%, up to £21.1 million total funder contribution.
Financial Year 2027 to 2028 – £1.9 million
Financial Year 2028 to 2029 – £4.65 million
Financial Year 2029 to 2030 – £9.2 million
Financial Year 2030 to 2031 – £5.35 million
If the successful application is not within this budget, they will be required to recalculate costs to ensure it is within the total budget and financial limits for each financial year.
Funding remains subject to final business case approval and future spending review settlements.
What we will not fund
We will not fund:
- applications which duplicate the work of other funders and partners investments relating to climate resilience
- proposals that employ only quantitative or only qualitative research methods
- clinical trials
- associated studentships are not eligible for inclusion
- flexible fund pots as defined in the ESRC Research Funding Guide
Your application will be automatically excluded from consideration if it does not:
- start by 1 August 2027 at the latest
- run for 44 months
- fit the scope of this funding opportunity
- include at least one project co-lead from a business, the third sector or government organisation based in the UK (subject to ESRC eligibility and costing rules)
- set out how work will deliver against What Works Network membership requirements
Supporting skills and talent
We encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment.
Use of AI
The use, benefits and limitations of Artificial Intelligence (AI) should be considered when undertaking activities. Where employed, we require you to utilise AI capability safely and effectively to maximise benefits throughout the delivery of the centre. You should clearly outline plans and best practice for utilising AI responsibly in reference to UKRI AI Research and Innovation Strategic Framework and AI for Science Strategy – GOV.UK. This could for example, include the potential for AI and advanced analytics to support activities such as evidence synthesis, horizon scanning and knowledge management, where it could add value to the centre’s objectives.
Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has a long-standing and continuing commitment to supporting and enabling safe and effective collaboration in research and innovation. UKRI is equally committed to ensuring that this takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks.
Our Principles and expectations set out the principles that UKRI applies to TR&I and our general expectations of the research organisations (including businesses, research institutes, and research technical organisations) that we support. Organisations supported by UKRI should be able to provide evidence that their internal controls and processes meet these expectations.
See further guidance and information about TR&I, including where applicants can find additional support.
ESRC data infrastructure
We support a range of data infrastructure. Where relevant, we encourage applicants to consider whether the use of these resources could add value to the project. See Facilities and resources for information on finding and using ESRC datasets which are available across the UK.
Where relevant, details of datasets and infrastructure to be used in your project should be given in the Facilities section.
Data requirements
We recognise the importance of data quality and provenance. Data generated, collected or acquired by ESRC-funded research must be well-managed by the grant holder to enable their data to be exploited to the maximum potential for further research. See our research data policy for details and further information on data requirements. The requirements of the research data policy are a condition of ESRC research funding.
Where relevant, details on data management and sharing should be provided in the Data Management section. See the importance of managing and sharing data and content for inclusion in a data management plan on the UK Data Service (UKDS) website for further guidance. We expect applicants to provide a summary of the points provided. The UKDS (datasharing@ukdataservice.ac.uk) will be pleased to advise applicants on the availability of data within the academic community and provide advice on data deposit requirements.
Impact, innovation and interdisciplinarity
We expect applicants to consider the potential scientific, societal and economic impacts of their research. Outputs, dissemination and impact are a key part of the criteria for most expert review and assessment processes. We also encourage applications that demonstrate innovation and interdisciplinarity (research combining approaches from more than one discipline).
Knowledge exchange and collaboration
We are committed to knowledge exchange and encouraging collaboration between researchers and the private, public and civil society sectors. Collaborative working benefits both the researchers and the individuals/organisations involved. Through collaboration, partners learn about each other’s expertise, share knowledge and gain an appreciation of different professional cultures. Collaborative activity can therefore lead to a better understanding of the ways that academic research can add value and offer insights to key issues of concern for policy and practice.
Knowledge exchange should not be treated as an ‘add-on’ at the end of a project but considered before the start and built into a project.
Equitable partnership principles
When undertaking research and innovation activities outside the UK, you must recognise and address the possible impact of contextual, societal and cultural differences on the ethical conduct of those activities.
Researchers should also follow the principles of equitable partnerships to address inherent power imbalances when working with partners in resource-poor settings.
Applying the principles will encourage equitable access, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), while maintaining incentives for innovation. You should consider the principles from the start of the research and development cycle.
Read UKRI’s guidance on research in a global setting.
Research ethics
We require that the research we support is designed and conducted in such a way that it meets ethical principles and is subject to proper professional and institutional oversight in terms of research governance. We have agreed a Framework for Research Ethics that all submitted proposals must comply with. Read further details about the Framework for Research Ethics and guidance on compliance.
