The University of Leeds Perspective

The Nexus community is made up of lots of different audiences including colleagues from across the University. Here we share some of their insights about working with Nexus over the last 12 months.

“I was introduced to Dr David Wilkinson of Research Toolkit by the Nexus Engagement Team. It quickly became clear that we shared a mutual passion for creating impact through problem focussed research, with common interests in talent and skills development, and vocational education.

Research Toolkit publishes high quality tools to showcase research outputs. The conversations with David really stretched my own ideas about what was possible from my own research and highlighted possibilities for collaboration to create genuine impact.

In our first collaboration, Research Toolkit is employing one of our MSc Business Psychology students as they complete their applied research project. The project seeks to understand how different stakeholders and professionals engage with research outputs, to try and improve impact and engagement. Our ambition is that this project will benefit Research Toolkit as they grow their business and contribute to building the academic evidence base on this topic.”

“I work with millions of electronic healthcare records from across England. This helps generate new knowledge and investigate patterns of disease and their outcomes. My research focuses particularly on the patterns of multiple chronic conditions occurring amongst individuals (multimorbidity).

I was introduced to Barry Singleton at Scaled Insights – a start-up in behavioural AI based at Nexus. Our first meeting was scheduled as an informal chat and I went with an open mind having no idea if it would lead to anything – but within minutes we were chatting about a whole host of potential projects we could do together.

Our aim is to increase the impact of my national multimorbidity research by finding ways for innovative translation through the Scaled Insight behavioural AI technology. We are in the process of formalising a number of research ideas and are applying for feasibility funding. Identifying appropriate industry partners that could form reliable partnerships takes experience, know-how and a wide industry network.

The dedicated team at Nexus continues to help academics from the University of Leeds and businesses like Scaled Insights ensure they are able to make the right connections.”

“For many years, the University has led the way in seeking societal impact from research. Nexus has taken this commitment a step further in creating a new kind of campus-based location for research-rich companies and organisations.

Since opening, relationships with these organisations have been greatly enriched by almost daily interactions in the public spaces of Nexus. For my own research on AI, this has resulted in a close working relationship with two start-up companies now located in the complex. Both are developing exciting new product technologies, supported by a growing network of research relationships across the University.”

“Being part of the Nexus community has greatly benefited me as Business Partnership Manager and Impact Acceleration Account Manager for the Social Sciences. Trying to engage new partners from the private sector can feel daunting and it’s difficult to know where to start.

Nexus provides me with the ability to link-in with a variety of businesses on my doorstop, which then allows me to organise mutually beneficial opportunities such as the Postgraduate Placement Scheme.

Over the last year I have coordinated four placements with Nexus businesses and hopefully there will be more to come over the coming year. The scheme allows our students to gain valuable experience outside of academia, whilst also providing the business with fresh insights and novel ideas. The placement scheme would have been much harder to get off the ground had Nexus not been so accessible.”