Warwick Impact Labs: Information for staff

Why get involved?

Grounded in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Warwick Impact Labs offer an environment where staff can connect their expertise with real‑world impact, influence policy and practice, and contribute to meaningful societal transformation.

1. Collaborate across disciplines and sectors

Impact Labs provide a platform for staff to work alongside colleagues from other departments, students, businesses, NGOs, and civic partners. These collaborations support richer inquiry, practical innovation, and shared solutions to complex issues.

2. Enhance teaching with experiential, purpose‑led learning

Impact Labs allow you to embed live, socially relevant projects into your teaching, giving students opportunities to apply their learning while developing critical life skills such as leadership, empathy, and resilience.

3. Amplify the real‑world impact of your research

The Impact Labs model integrates education, applied research, and advocacy. This creates a natural route for academic colleagues to translate research into community engagement, policy development, commercial innovation, or public awareness campaigns.

4. Build purposeful partnerships

With an emphasis on long‑term collaboration, Impact Labs help staff build networks with organisations whose missions align with their own areas of expertise, strengthening both research pipelines and societal relevance.

5. Shape the next generation of changemakers

Your involvement helps equip Warwick students to become thoughtful, capable contributors to global challenges such as health, sustainability, poverty, digital inclusion, and community wellbeing.

Impact Lab thematic areas

Warwick Impact Labs draw inspiration from a globally recognised set of thematic domains, enabling wide academic participation across disciplines. Example themes include but are not limited to:

• Active Ageing – Promoting independence and improved quality of life for older adults.
• Digital Health & Medical Innovation – Advancing accessible, affordable healthcare solutions.
• Education for All – Supporting inclusive learning for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.
• Eradicating Poverty – Addressing basic needs, empowerment, and economic resilience.
• Food Security & Nutrition – Creating sustainable and nutritious food systems.
• Clean Technology & Energy – Innovating for climate resilience and resource efficiency.
• Liveable Urban Communities – Designing equitable, sustainable spaces.
• Mental Health & Wellbeing – Promoting holistic mental support across communities.
• Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions – Supporting just, inclusive, and accountable societies.
• Sustainable Tourism – Encouraging responsible, ethical development in tourism.

These themes create broad entry points for Warwick staff across STEM, social sciences, arts, humanities, business, and medical fields.

How staff can participate

There are many ways for staff to become involved, regardless of discipline or experience with community‑engaged work:

• Co‑design or lead an Impact Lab
• Embed an Impact Lab activity into an existing module
• Partner with industry or community lab collaborators
• Supervise or mentor student project teams
• Contribute expertise to policy, advocacy or public engagement initiatives

Participation is flexible and can be scaled to your interests, time, and priorities.

Benefits for academic staff

• Create impact‑driven research outputs with real-world beneficiaries.
• Enhance the student experience through live projects and authentic assessments.
• Strengthen funding bids with collaborative, SDG‑aligned impact narratives.
• Grow interdisciplinary networks across Warwick and beyond.
• Support Warwick’s strategic commitments to inclusion, civic impact and global engagement.