About us

The University of Surrey has been awarded a further £1.25 million of funding by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for an Impact Acceleration Account (IAA). The IAA helps bridge the gap between the findings of social science research, and their uptake by businesses, policymakers and others. The funding is enabling researchers and students to develop effective collaborations, equipping them with the skills to transition their research into outcomes that impact the world and its citizens.

In 2023 the University of Surrey was one of 32 research organisations to be awarded £1.25 million in Economic Social Research Council (ESRC) Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) funding for social science research. This funding has been supporting University researchers and Post Graduate Research students to develop more effective collaborations with businesses, policy-makers and other sector groups, increasing the contribution of Surrey's social science research to solving societal and economic challenges.

Enabling a closer relationship between the University and external partners is leading to more effective co-creation of future research, providing a step-change to Surrey’s impact generation and knowledge exchange activities, and is helping ensure a more direct response to current and future societal needs.

The IAA is led by Professor Rachel Brooks, Professor of Sociology and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

Researchers can bid for funding to support exploring new partnerships with businesses and other organisations, and to enable Surrey research to make a difference in society. The IAA also provides a suite of training and networking activities to participants both within and outside the University, to build capacity to ensure the future sustainability of social science research, knowledge exchange and impact. The result is development of better networks for delivering impact and supporting future outstanding research achievements.

Meet the team