Teesside University Impact Acceleration Account

Teesside University's mission is to generate and apply knowledge that contributes to the economic, social, and cultural success of students, partners, and the communities we serve. Through education enriched by research, innovation, and engagement with business and the professions, we aim to transform lives and economies. As an anchor institution, the university plays an important role in the development of the Tees Valley. Aligned to regional and national needs, we have invested (and are continuing to invest) in a suite of industry and community engaged facilities. As a University Alliance member, we work collaboratively at an institutional level across the UK. Over the next five years, engagement will be placed at the heart of our research strategy as part of our overarching corporate social responsibility framework, the Teesside University Charter for Social Impact, which is embedded as part of the corporate strategy. The Charter framework is based on the University being socially responsible and acting as a good citizen; leading by example as an ethical business; ensuring that activities are relevant, informed, accessible and inclusive; and acting where the University's expertise, facilities, people, and position can deliver positive social and/or economic impact.

Arts and Humanities research at Teesside University is located primarily within the Centre for Culture and Creativity (CCC). Research includes art, animation and games design, archaeology, business studies, creative writing, cultural geography, curation, dance, design, literature, history, media studies and performing arts. Working in partnership with regional, national, and international organisations and charities (Tate Plus, National Gallery Research Network, Creative Fuse North East), CCC seeks to enrich cultural understanding, increase cultural engagement, stimulate public debate, advance creative and applied practice, and drive positive social change.

This IAA will be used to develop and expand our areas of impact excellence, focusing on three themes: Reimagining the Creative Industries; Raising the Profile of Hidden Histories and Voices; and Reconnecting with the Built and Natural Environments. IAA funding will be used to support sustained and immersive partnership working with a diverse range of sectors and geographies through innovative and imaginative forms of engagement. Building on partnerships demonstrated in the Creative Fuse NE project and through our doctoral training and University Alliance membership, funds will support cross-sector engagement to ensure sustainable and substantial impact work. We will extend the reach of our work in terms of both geography and audience, building on the strong connections within our region. We will engage more deeply with hard-to-reach and marginalised communities, ensuring sustainable legacies and building trust by demonstrating the significant value of arts and humanities research to a range of different sectors, stakeholders, and community groups. The funding will be transformational for our research and the communities we serve, actively supporting the levelling up agenda of the Tees Valley and the cultural renewal of post-industrial towns and cities in the UK and internationally.