Innovation lights the way ahead in challenging times
Professor Tom Rodden reflects on a challenging, though successful, year for research and reaffirms our mission to deliver positive change across society through innovation and partnerships.
This has been a challenging year for the University of Nottingham and for higher education in the UK. But 2025 has also been a year of dedication, resilience and notable achievements, including our global top 10 placing in the 2026 QS World University Rankings and top 40 recognition by QS for sustainability. We remain a strong, vibrant and positive place to do research.
We will build upon these successes in the coming year and beyond, supported by the university’s proposals to allow us to better respond to the pressures facing research and knowledge exchange. Our aim is to develop our research environment, giving us the agility we need to respond to changing societal and economic need – and providing our researchers with a framework that supports them in bidding for funding and doing their best work.
And while the RKE landscape will remain tricky to navigate, it is heartening that the Chancellor Rachel Reeves recognises the key role of universities such as Nottingham as “anchor institutions” in regional economies. The Chancellor shares our focus on strengthening university-business collaboration, expanding regional innovation clusters, and supporting knowledge exchange and commercialisation of research.
The university’s strengths - in the delivery and translation of net zero technologies, medical imaging, quantum and AI, food, and social justice – are also aligned to the UK’s strategic priorities for growth and securing a fairer, sustainable future.
There’s much to highlight in 2025 that underpins our ability to deliver bold ideas and advanced technologies in these areas, and form partnerships to accelerate the impact of our innovations.
The university’s strengths - in the delivery and translation of net zero technologies, medical imaging, quantum and AI, food, and social justice – are also aligned to the UK’s strategic priorities for growth and securing a fairer, sustainable future.
Opening of Zero Carbon Innovation Centre
The university’s new Zero Carbon Innovation Centre (ZCIC) demonstrates how our research is aligning with regional and national priorities for economic growth. The ZCIC, a partnership with East Midlands Freeport, Research England and Loughborough University, will accelerate innovations in transport technology, green hydrogen production, and power solutions for industry, and create jobs for the regional economy.
UK’s most powerful MRI scanner
This summer, worked started on a national ultra-high field scanning facility, which will house the UK’s most powerful magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Funded by UK Research and Innovation, the extension to University Park’s Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre will home an 11.7 Tesla Ultra High Field system, 1,000 times more powerful than the MRI scanner pioneered by the late Sir Peter. Foundations are being laid to support the huge magnet, with installation of an iron dome to provide magnetic shielding and the delivery of the magnet itself to follow over the coming year. The facility is expected to be operating by 2028, ushering in a new revolution in how researchers and clinicians understand the human brain and disease.
World’s first mobile quantum brain scanner
Nottingham spin-out company Cerca Magnetics and University of Nottingham scientists are developing the world’s first fully mobile magnetoencephalography (MEG) brain scanner, which will be used by the Ministry of Defence to measure the effects of blast exposure on military personnel in real time at training sites. The quantum technology will deployed directly to military firing ranges, field hospitals and rehabilitation centres, bringing the technology where it is needed most and enabling evidence-based decision making to protect service personnel from any potential harmful effects.
Rights Lab: Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education
The University of Nottingham was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education (formerly known as the Queen’s Anniversary Prize) – the UK’s highest national honour for universities.
This is in recognition of the pioneering research by the Rights Lab to help tackle modern slavery and forced labour, which is accelerating action for thousands of vulnerable people around the world. Congratulations to Director, Professor Zoe Trodd, and everyone at the Rights Lab on their fantastic achievement.
Place-based partnerships enrich communities
Co(l)aboratory brings together academia and the community to support growth and development, broaden prospects, drive change, and improve wellbeing. In 2025, this established regional partnership- received £2.3m from the Research England Development Fund, to extend Co(l)aboratory to Leicester’s two universities, as well the universities of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent, and Loughborough. The programme successfully recruits PhDs and community researchers from diverse backgrounds within local communities, and now has 77 civically engaged PhD projects, along with a number of citizen-scientist research placements and student-led civic projects.
World first study to predict earliest signs of brain cancer recurrence
A world-first study by researchers at the new Brain Tumour Research Centre will use AI to combine genomic data and advanced MRI imaging to predict recurrence of brain cancer.
Scientists recognised for crop and soil research with prestigious Rank Prize
Professor David Salt and Professor Martin Broadley from the School of Biosciences have been awarded the 2026 Rank Prize for Nutrition in recognition of their pioneering work to tackle micronutrient deficiencies or “hidden hunger”, which affects billions of people worldwide, particularly in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia where diets are dominated by staple crops low in essential minerals.
Driving regional growth
Our partnerships with industry, local authorities and communities across the East Midlands are deepening the impact of our research and knowledge exchange. This is demonstrated by the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF5) results published in 2025, where the university once again evidenced its leadership in innovation and regional engagement.
East Midlands Combined County Authority
We are a partner, along with Nottingham Trent and Derby universities, of the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA). My role as chair of EMCCA’s Innovation and Advisory Board has reinforced my belief that universities can play a leading role in driving regional innovation. In February we will be submitting a £20m proposal in partnership with EMCCA to the Local Innovation Partnership Fund, we are working with regional industry partners to assemble a portfolio of projects to support the growth of clean energy and advanced sectors in the East Midlands.
We’re working with the EMCCA to develop a regional response to the government’s £500m Local Innovation Partnership Fund, and the opportunities it will present to the East Midlands Investment Zone. This is a 10-year, £160m commitment from Government to transform the East Midlands into an engine for innovation-led growth, and in 2025 it reported on its highly promising first year. In 2026 we hope to support many more firms with increased innovation funding and will work on accelerating growth in priority sectors including Creative and Digital, and Life Sciences and Medtech.
Midlands Mindforge and Forging Ahead
Nottingham is a co-founder of Midlands Mindforge, a patient (long-term) capital investment fund with a mission is to accelerate and enhance the commercialisation of ground-breaking science and technology innovations in the Midlands. It aims to raise up to £250m for university spin-outs and other early-stage IP-rich businesses. In 2025, the university also joined Forging Ahead, a new £16m coalition of 15 Midlands universities aiming to revolutionise how research and innovation are translated into real-world impact.
Spin-outs success and our role in supporting enterprise
Our portfolio of spin-out companies has trebled in the past decade. Towards the end of 2025 it stands at almost 40 spin-outs, which are commercialising exciting innovations in healthcare, agriculture and the environment, digital, and materials and manufacturing. The University of Nottingham is ranked 10th in the UK and 37th in Europe for Life Sciences and Deep Tech spin-outs, and this year Universities UK (UUK) highlighted the crucial role of universities like Nottingham in supporting new enterprises that boost growth, investment and jobs. As part of this national campaign UUK featured Nottingham spin-out Neupulse, which is developing a wrist device that uses electrical pulses to reduce tics in individuals with Tourette’s, based on research by academics in our School of Psychology.
Celebrating 50 Years of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
This year, the university celebrated 50 years of Innovate UK’s Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) – a national programme that has transformed businesses, advanced academic research impact and launched exceptional careers. Since 2003, more than 160 projects have secured over £28m in funding. Nationally, KTPs have delivered £2.3 bn back to the UK economy.
I am delighted to share this update on our mission as a hub of innovation and partnership and how we’re delivered positive change across society.
Professor Tom Rodden
Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange