A unique Belfast partnership between Queen’s University Belfast and six inner city communities aimed at exploring urban challenges and transforming lives has been awarded £1 million by a UK-wide programme.

Over 30,000 citizens from the Markets, Sandy Row, Donegall Pass, Shankill, Grosvenor, and New Lodge will benefit from the initiative that has been set up to develop community collaboration and empowerment of local people.

The newly established Belfast Community Research and Innovation Network (BCRIN) aims to bridge the gap between research, innovation, and underserved communities, driving forward urban innovation through a collaborative, community-driven approach.

The £1 million funding initiative is part of the UK-wide Community Research Networks programme funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) with the Belfast network managed by The Young Foundation.

The work of the Community Research Network will fall under Queen’s Communities and Place (QCAP) which supports collaboration between communities, researchers, and policymakers to drive social impact and address local challenges effectively.

Professor Sir Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University, highlighted the transformative potential of the initiative:

“Queen’s has been an anchor institution influencing the prosperity and economic growth of Belfast for 180 years. Through the partnership between Queen’s Communities and Place and the Market Development Association, we have co-designed creative solutions to persistent challenges and economic disadvantage to improve outcomes for individuals and families in the Market area of inner-south Belfast.

“Becoming a part of the Community Research Networks through this UKRI funding, managed by The Young Foundation, will allow us to expand on that community-centred approach across other inner-city neighbourhoods and continue to foster collaboration between communities, academia, industry, and government to work towards more inclusive innovation ecosystems.”

The network will draw on the knowledge, insights and lived experiences of community members, ensuring that research reflects the priorities of those most affected by economic inequality and urban challenges.

Fionntán Hargey, Director of Market Development Association, emphasised the significance of this collaboration:

“This will be the first time in more than 50 years that such an ambitious project has taken place in Inner City Belfast, linking together some of the oldest working-class communities to look at commonalities in experience, challenges, and developing innovative solutions to meet those challenges. Our academic partner, Queen’s University’s Queen’s Communities and Place (QCAP) initiative, brings a wealth of experience, talent, and insight to complement that which already exists within the community.”

BCRIN is one of nine community research networks funded in the second phase of the UKRI programme, with a total investment of £8.9 million to foster community-led research and innovation programmes across the UK.

UKRI Chief Executive, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, said of the programmes:

“At UKRI we strongly believe that R&I should be by everyone, for everyone, everywhere. This programme offers a step-change in the way UKRI funds R&I to reflect this priority. We are putting money into the hands of communities to tackle the issues that matter most to them.”

As Belfast evolves with new physical and digital infrastructure, inclusivity and equity will underpin the work of Queen’s and its community partners in shaping the city’s transformation.

Media

For media enquiries, contact alana.fisher@qub.ac.uk