The University of Westminster improved or maintained its position in all Knowledge Excellence Framework 2026 (KEF6) perspectives, as Westminster's collaboration programmes go from strength to strength, with new collaboration projects with external partners and short courses launching in Zone29.
The KEF is a way to get insights into how universities across England are creating impacts on the economy, including in their local region. The perspectives it measures include, among others, research partnerships, collaboration with businesses, the public and the third sector, professional skills and graduate start-ups. Westminster has a long track record in bringing research to its end users and the public, and this year’s results were no exception.
According to KEF6, the University showed “very high engagement” in Skills, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, an area of continued strength, further boosted by the University’s new home for careers and enterprise, Zone29.
Westminster’s short courses bring University expertise into the workplace, helping individuals and organisations develop skills in areas including project management, leadership, digital marketing, languages, AI and cyber security. Through courses and bespoke training developed with employers, the University supports professional development and responds to changing workforce needs. Zone29 provides a new home for this activity, bringing professional learning and business collaboration together.
The University’s strategic priority on contract research and collaboration with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and non-SME businesses continued at a “high engagement” level. This year, the University celebrated the expansion of its innovative Centre for Nutraceuticals, a hub for external partnerships with organisations such as Gencor Pacific, Phynova, Cure Parkinson's Trust and the Department of International Trade.
Professor Mohammed Gulrez Zariwala, Director of the Centre for Nutraceuticals, said: “The past year marked a major milestone for our Centre, with our formal launch and expansion of laboratories developing an even wider range of capabilities. We delivered high-impact clinical trials scientifically validating products in partnership with companies from the UK, Australia and Hong Kong, published key research papers, and were featured on the BBC, in Nature, and across several leading global platforms.”
Reaching out to local businesses and in collaboration with local business improvement districts (BIDs), the Westminster Business School launched the Future Ready Forum, a problem-solving workshop where academics, entrepreneurs and local SMEs came together to discuss current challenges and opportunities to work together.
In a similar spirit, the Arts, Communication and Culture (ACC) Research Community hosted the Creative Health Study Day, bringing together clinicians, artists, curators and researchers to explore how creative approaches can support health and wellbeing.
Strategic partnerships with long-term collaborators are also growing and producing innovative results. These include Professor Richard Dorsett receiving further funding for research in employment support from The Evaluation Task Force (ETF), a joint unit of the Cabinet Office and his Majesty’s Treasure in the UK government; the Active Travel Academy working closely with the Department for Transport; as well as Dr Tom Cohen leading the development of an approach to measure the level of service across multiple transport modes. Moreover, the University’s Research Centre for Optimal Health, led by Professor Jimmy Bell and Professor Louise Thomas, has renewed its collaboration with Calico Life Sciences LLC to continue providing rigorous technical and biological oversight to understand deviations in different measurements of organs and strengthen their reliability as early biomarkers of disease risk and resilience.
Professor Andrew Linn, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, said: “KEF6 clearly reflects the real difference our University continues to make as we work in partnership with businesses and third sector organisations to harness the commercial potential of our expertise. Knowledge Exchange is front and centre in this year’s mid-term review of our strategic commitments in research and KE, and this chimes perfectly with the government’s push for research in the UK to support government and societal imperatives. These are exciting times for knowledge exchange at Westminster, working in partnership with our communities.”
The University’s ambitions for Zone29 directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, 10: Reduced Inequalities and 17: Partnership for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about collaboration opportunities and Zone29, the University’s new home for careers and enterprise. To contact the University about collaboration, email [email protected].
Learn more about Research and Knowledge Exchange at the University of Westminster.
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