Midlands Innovation is a partnership of eight world-class universities in the Midlands collaborating to champion our people, place and partnerships.
Established in 2015, Midlands Innovation combines the collective excellence of eight research-intensive universities: Aston University, University of Birmingham, Cranfield University, Keele University, University of Leicester, Loughborough University, University of Nottingham and University of Warwick. Our combined strengths are the catalyst for delivering renowned research expertise that creates regional, national and globally significant impact.
Midlands Innovation delivers research to help find solutions to social and economic challenges. We bring our research communities together to collaborate on projects to facilitate growth and build a sustainable research and innovation ecosystem.
We deliver world-class research that impacts the people living in our communities.
By delivering ambitious, place-based initiatives, Midlands Innovation helps to tackle the region’s biggest challenges. Our collaboration works to champion and strengthen the region’s research and innovation ecosystem.
We catalyse new research collaborations across the Midlands Innovation membership, creating research communities for a purpose. We generate new ideas in partnership with regional stakeholders.
Our collaborative approach influences future prospects for the region. We shape and inform national and local policy through research and innovation projects we deliver together.
We deliver ambitious, large-scale collaborative research projects and develop renowned research programmes that create opportunities for the Midlands.
Midlands Innovation is uniquely placed as a pan-regional research and innovation partnership to deliver world-class research and activities that power growth in the region.
Our universities work with industry partners to help solve and accelerate energy solutions and low carbon technologies to tackle today’s real-world challenges. The Energy Research Accelerator (ERA) is a long-standing partnership dedicated to enabling research and innovation in energy.
Midlands Innovation Health (MI Health) coordinates and combines the collective excellence of seven Midlands Innovation universities to deliver improved Midlands health and regional growth.
Our research community is developing place-based, interdisciplinary and co-created ideas to tackle the challenges impacting communities. We’re enabling new insight and social research that will help to enhance wellbeing and prosperity.
The space research collaboration explores opportunities to help shape the future of space technology. We form one of the largest collections of space-related expertise in the world and support research, development and training within industry and academia.
We unlock research opportunities by facilitating research equipment sharing within our partnership. By strengthening our research infrastructure, we’re developing innovative remote training opportunities for researchers and improving research culture.
Our university partners collectively contribute to economic growth and through collaboration we drive enterprise and innovation. We support and strengthen opportunities for spin-outs and work to attract foreign investment into our R&D portfolio.
We work together to develop the research and innovation workforce of tomorrow, by supporting career development and learning skills to create a pipeline of talent from technicians to PostDocs and research enablers.
Midlands Innovation has proven research strengths in energy, health, social sciences, space and transport and a strong track record collaborating in enterprise, research culture and research infrastructure. Through collaboration, we influence future prospects for the region by working in partnership to advocate for research and innovation. Our combined strengths build on existing activities to create opportunities for the region, its people, place and partnership.
Professor Karen Holford CBE
Chair of Midlands Innovation Board and
Chief Executive and Vice-Chancellor at Cranfield University
Midlands Innovation has given me an opportunity to talk to people from other institutions on equal terms which has resulted in some high-quality thinking and debates which has really enhanced our research.
Professor Jun Du from Aston University is one of the researchers leading a collaborative project looking at green recovery and economic renewal of the Midlands.
Dr Leah-Nani Alconcel is a spacecraft engineer and lecturer in the School of Metallurgy and Materials at the University of Birmingham and a core member of the MI Space Group. “Being a member of the Midlands Innovation Space Group allows me to engage with my colleagues and peers from across the space community in diverse and far-reaching topics. The group has been a great source of support and encouragement for me personally and professionally. Our meetings and workshops provide a forum to test ideas critically and constructively. Coming together to discuss issues that impact and stimulate my research nationally and internationally is rewarding and thought-provoking.
Leah Nani-Alconcel’s
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Midlands Innovation is uniquely placed as a pan-regional research and innovation partnership to deliver world-class research and activities that power growth in the region.
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