Video transcript: University of Leeds Strategy 2020-2030: Research and innovation
Transcript for the video embedded on the University of Leeds Strategy 2020-2030 page.
[Music playing.]
[Views of the University of Leeds campus buildings from above and below. Shots inside a laboratory using a robotic arm, a student sketching, a close up of a human eye.]
[Nick Plant sits down in a chair in a modern communal space. Trees and sunshine can be seen through the windows behind.]
[Caption says: Professor Nick Plant. Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation.]
Nick says: Within the University of Leeds, our research and innovation crosses many different disciplines, from fine art through to medicine. As a really good example, in health sciences, we don't just have medics and biologists. We're able to bring in our social scientists, our artists to be able to work together in a truly interdisciplinary way that allows us to create novel solutions that are truly disruptive and have a positive impact.
[Simone Buitendijk walks across campus and faces the camera.]
[Caption says: Simone Buitendijk, Vice-Chancellor, University of Leeds.]
Simone says: What we do for societies around us is key to our success. It's key to our mission. It's about working with local business. It's about working with policy makers. But it's also the global society. It doesn't have to stop locally. It's about making sure that our research has impact.
[Tim Ensor crosses a laboratory and sits in a chair, facing the camera.]
[Caption says: Professor Tim Ensor. Professor of International Health Systems Research.]
Tim says: Challenge-led research works hand in hand with fundamental research.
[Louise Heery crosses a laboratory and sits in a chair, facing the camera.]
[Caption says: Louise Heery. Head of Strategic Research Initiatives.]
Louise says: Challenge-led research can often throw up gaps in our knowledge. And to solve those gaps, we need more fundamental science. And that can be from any discipline because global challenge questions are complex or wicked problems.
[Views of a town overlooked by bright skies and a mountain range, an African village. Close up shots of tablets and medicines. Rebecca King sits down before the camera.]
[Caption says: Dr Rebecca King. Associate Professor of International Health.]
Rebecca says: I'm interested in antimicrobial resistance, which is a major global challenge. One of the key causes for this occurring is the overuse and the misuse of antibiotics. It's not sufficient for one sector to address antimicrobial resistance. We need to look at it from the perspective of human health, animal health, and the environment. We call that the One Health approach.
[Paul Cooke walks across a cinema auditorium camera and sits down.]
[Caption says: Professor Paul Cooke. Centenary Chair in World Cinemas.]
Paul says: One of the big projects that we are running is a project in Nepal. We've used community filmmaking there to help people develop their own solutions to the issue of the misuse of antibiotics. The material that we've produced, which was a series of films, have been used in a number of different ways. On the one hand, they've been used in the communities as public health awareness campaigns. But we've also used these films to help communities speak directly to government.
Tim says: It means that we understand the needs of local communities.
Paul says: It's about the participants designing the programmes for themselves.
Tim says: It gives those communities more power over the services that are being delivered.
Nick says: Without research funding, much of the work that we do could not take place.
Louise says: That could be funding from public funding sources. It could be funding from trusts and foundations.
Nick says: A really good example of how we work with different funders is through one of our alumnus, Peter Chaney. And he has very kindly set up a fellowship fund.
Louise says: They enable us to award fellowships to colleagues overseas and bring them to Leeds to spend time working with our academics.
[Irene Agyepong appears on a television screen in a laboratory.]
[Caption says: Dr Irene Agyepong. Public Health Faculty, Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons.]
Irene says: Being able to work across diverse stakeholders and co-create solutions together is critical. Exploring problems, exploring solutions, forming networks has been invaluable.
Nick says: Academics are ideally placed to solve some of the great challenges in the world today. However, we can't do it alone. We need to work with business, with local governments, and with foundations.
Louise: That will include non-governmental organisations like the ARK Foundation in Bangladesh.
[Rumana Huque appears on a television screen in a laboratory.]
[Caption says: Rumana Huque. Executive Director, ARK Foundation.]
Rumana says: Researchers at ARK have excellent skills in engaging with policymakers and different stakeholders to ensure that the research is translated into policy and practise.
Tim says: We bring in our knowledge on subjects like clinical trials and health economics to enhance the research that they are undertaking.
Rebecca says: It's wonderful to work at the University of Leeds in such a supportive environment.
Paul says: The interesting thing about Leeds, and particularly Leeds' approach to research focused on global challenges, is that everybody on campus can get involved in this.
Tim says: Health research at Leeds runs across almost every faculty.
Louise says: What we can do is plug the right people in at the right time to a global challenge. And that's very powerful.
Tim says: That's what makes University of Leeds such a world leader.
Paul says: What's really great is seeing how our projects are now starting to feed back into the undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum in Leeds. So not only are we using the material produced as case studies, but increasingly we're seeing our projects as internship opportunities for students to get them involved directly.
Nick says: The University strategy is really exciting because it places people at the heart of everything we do. This is not just the staff working at Leeds, but also the partners that we work with around the globe. Building that community of researchers and practitioners will really allow us to have an impact on the world and shape a positive future.
[Caption says: Universal values, global change. 2020 to 2030.]