Global Academies Support for Global Academy Development

We provide a number of internal funding calls through the Global Academies. These calls require our academics to work across disciplines to derive solutions and create new ideas to address global challenges and priorities. The aim of this fund is to support the development of applications for external funding to further develop our academics' collaborative research.

Examples of Cardiff Met funded projects under each Global Academy include:

Health and Human Performance

Title:Making Movement Irresistible
Collaboration between: CSAD, CSSHS, CST
Description: This project aimed to improve levels of physical activity for older people through the development of sensory enriched and responsive technologies that make movement irresistible and social engaging. Funding of this project enabled an experienced multidisciplinary team of researchers and early-career researchers from the Cardiff School of Design, Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences, and Cardiff School of Technologies, as well as stakeholder organisations and representatives from patient groups, to come together for a one-day creative workshop. The workshop engaged participants in creative activities to help illuminate the key challenges and barriers to participation in exercise by older people, map the kinds of activities older people engaged in, and explore where services are currently being delivered and who funded them. Information generated from this event (video, photography, feedback sheets, and group storyboards) is being used to inform the development of a number of research proposals targeting UK research councils, third sector, and industry.

Title:The use of IL-6 as a novel exercise marker gene
Collaboration between: CSSHS (Department BMS), CSSHS (Sport), and CST
Description: Several genomic markers linked to biological processes relevant to sporting participation and performance are used in guiding decision-making in sport and exercise science. This project aimed to determine whether the IL-6R gene can be designated a novel sport and exercise marker gene. This project facilitated a new collaboration between different disciplines within Cardiff Met University (namely Cardiff School of Technologies, and Divisions of Exercise Physiology and Biomedical Sciences within CSSHS). It combined the expertise, track-records in research and innovation, and networks of collaborators of these units. Funding of this project provided data and insights, addressing the question of how best to design exercise programmes matched to the characteristics of exercising participants, making the research team attractive collaborative partners with Welsh exercise providers, and also initiating collaborations with other exercise providers (both nationally and internationally).

Food Science, Safety & Security

Title:Exploring the potential application of Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning (AI&ML) for assessing hand hygiene standards in catering and food manufacturing environments
Collaboration between: CST, CSHSS, ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre, CSM
Description: This multidisciplinary collaboration between the ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre, Cardiff School of Sport and Health Science, Welsh Centre for Tourism Research, Cardiff School of Management, and the Department of Applied Computing and Engineering in the Cardiff School of Technologies was cultivated during an interdisciplinary Global Academies workshop in November 2019. This project addressed an identified need by the ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre and the Welsh Centre for Tourism Research to assess the handwashing compliance of food handlers, with the goal of safeguarding consumers, food manufacturing companies, and hospitality and catering businesses. Funding of this project enabled the research team to conduct interviews with food manufacturing and hospitality managers to explore the potential benefits, acceptability, and concerns regarding using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI&ML) to assess handwashing compliance, and to develop the AI&ML technology. Findings from this project informed initial design and future exploration, helped to identify potential external sources of funding for follow up projects, and enabled the research team to extend their international networks.

Title:Identifying the food safety risks associated with Ti02 (titanium dioxide) nanoparticles within E171 labelled food products
Collaboration between: CSSHS Department HC&F, Food Industry Centre, and CSSHS Department BMS
Description: This multidisciplinary collaboration between academics from the Food Industry Centre, and the Department of Health and Food and the Department of Biomedical Sciences in the Cardiff School of Sports and Health Sciences examined whether consumers can perceive differences between food products containing Titanium Dioxide (TiO2 or E172), a food additive used to whiten food products or add sparkle (e.g. edible glitter), or not containing this additive in order to inform the food industry. This project addressed an international customer-driven call to ban this additive and determine if it is possible to remove this additive without affecting consumer selection. Funding of this project enabled the research team to provide data and insights addressing questions of food reformulation for safety reasons, making the team attractive collaborative partners to international and Welsh food manufacturers. Findings from this project formed the basis for subsequent external grant applications for follow up projects.

Human Centered Design

Title:A case study of school children's air pollution exposure at the indoor/outdoor interface and recommendations for amelioration

Collaboration between: CSAD, CSSHS

Description: This multidisciplinary collaboration between academics from the Cardiff School of Art & Design (CSAD) and Cardiff School of Sports and Health Science (CSSHS) brought together expertise in air pollution, design, and education to explore pollution levels and potential impact on children’s health. The research team worked with a local school in the Llandaff community, collaborated with students at the school’s ‘eco warrior’s’ club to study air quality in the playground and classrooms, and explored ways to potentially reduce the impact of pollution on these spaces. Funding of this project enabled the research team to purchase a set of pollution trackers, which allowed them to compare time-specific exposure profiles of students who walk, scoot, cycle, and drive to/from the school, monitoring their exposure to indoor and outdoor pollutants. Findings from this project strengthened the research team’s contributions to a Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) network for indoor/outdoor air quality and supported their active involvement in further funding bids with the network.

Title:Collaborative design of personalised medical devices

Collaboration between: PDR, CSAD, CSHS

Description: This multidisciplinary collaboration between academics from the International Centre for Design and Research (PDR) at Cardiff Metropolitan University, the Cardiff School of Art & Design (CSAD), and the Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences (CSSHS) explored the development of a ‘maker space’ facility that would enable the NHS to work with people who had neurological conditions, brain injuries, and other chronic conditions to collaboratively create products to improve long-term social and physical outcomes. This research addressed an identified need to ensure diverse groups of people were able to maintain or improve their independence, and have full physical, mental, social, and vocational ability at reduced cost to the NHS. Funding of this project was used to hold three project development workshops between the lead partners at Cardiff Metropolitan University, and collaborating partners in Swansea University, Swansea Bay, and Cardiff Vale University Health Board. Findings from the workshops enabled the research team to identify common themes, which formed the basis of research publications and supported bid writing for external funding applications.