ESRC Impact Acceleration Account (Round 3) 2023-2028

The University of Leicester is one of 32 research organisations across the UK that have been awarded an Impact Acceleration Account by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC IAA) of £1.25 million over five years (2023-2028) to fund impact and knowledge exchange in the social sciences.  This award allows us to continue to build on our successful programme of activities delivered through our Round 2 ESRC IAA to help address challenges in society and make a real world difference.

The ESRC IAA is a flexible and dynamic fund which helps social scientists collaborate with businesses, policy makers and communities to create research opportunities which positively impact society and the economy. 

Our ESRC IAA will directly contribute to our institutional strategic aims, as well as UKRI and ESRC aims for IAAs by:

• maximising the reach and significance of the impact of our social sciences research; 
• nurturing new and strengthening existing partnerships; 
• shaping and influencing policy; 
• strengthening our culture of co-creation and research impact through skills development training 
• promoting and show casing the impact and benefits our social sciences research has created. 

The second round of ESRC IAA Funding awarded in 2019 successfully achieved these aims through:

• Our rapid response scheme supporting academics to build networks and undertake activities with non-academic organisations 
• Our Strategic Partnerships scheme to created long-term partnerships including public, private and third-sector organisations regionally, nationally and internationally.
• Training for our PhD students and early career researchers to consider how their research could be applied to the needs and challenges of users 
• A communications and events programme focusing on the Festival of Social Science taking place in October/November each year providing non-academics and publics the opportunity  to explore topics relating to social sciences, with our academics showcasing our impact to over 3400 publics and non-academics
• The launch of a pilot Commercialisation of Research out of Social Sciences (CRoSS) programme