Cardiff Met supports new initiative to strengthen clinical research careers

Cardiff Metropolitan University is helping to strengthen clinical research careers across Wales and the southwest as part of a major new UK-wide initiative.

The Medical Research Council (MRC) has invested £9.7 million to establish ten new Regional Accounts for Clinical Researchers (RACRs) across the UK. The initiative is designed to help clinicians develop careers in research alongside their clinical practice, strengthening the clinical academic workforce and supporting researchers at key stages in their careers.

Cardiff Met is a partner in the Great Western Clinical Research Alliance (GWCRA), which has secured £1.4 million through the initiative. The alliance brings together universities, NHS organisations and health boards from across south Wales and south-west England to create more opportunities for clinicians to develop their research expertise.

Through the programme, clinical researchers will be able to access mentoring, training, networking and career development opportunities, helping them to continue carrying out research alongside their clinical roles and progress towards becoming independent researchers.

The alliance will also establish a regional postdoctoral academy, bringing together clinical researchers, discovery scientists and health innovation experts to share expertise, develop collaborations and increase research capacity across the region.

Cardiff Met’s involvement reflects the University’s growing contribution to health and wellbeing research. Through the Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences and its partnerships with the health and care sector, the University has expertise spanning speech and language therapy, psychology, nutrition and dietetics, biomedical sciences, public health, rehabilitation, cardiovascular health and applied healthcare research.

Cardiff Met’s participation will also help ensure Allied Health Professionals and other clinically registered practitioners can access regional clinical academic networks, strengthen their research skills and contribute to collaborative health research across Wales and beyond.

Huw Wiltshire, Acting Dean of the Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences, said:

"The RACR programme creates exciting opportunities for allied health professionals and other clinically registered practitioners to develop as clinical academics.

"By bringing together universities, healthcare providers and research partners, the programme will help build the collaborations needed to tackle real-world health challenges and improve outcomes for patients and communities."

The Great Western Clinical Research Academic Academy will officially launch at an event at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on 11 November 2026.

The event will bring together participants from the GWCRA Regional Account for Clinical Researchers programme and the GW4 Clinical Academic Training Programme for Health Professionals (GW4-HP2) to explore future opportunities for collaboration, professional development and research funding.