As part of the bicentennial celebrations, the University has announced the launch of its Bicentenary PhD Studentships and Fellowships – a transformative programme which will support the next generation of research leaders. 

As part of its investment, the University has launched a £10 million matched funding programme to catalyse philanthropic support and deliver a total of £28 million in new studentships and fellowships. It is inviting people and organisations who share its commitment to world-class research to join it in supporting the research leaders of the future.  

This landmark initiative highlights Manchester’s commitment to fostering world-class research and to positioning itself as a global leader in innovation and academic excellence. By providing substantial support for both postgraduate research students and early-career researchers, the University aims to cultivate the brightest minds and catalyse pioneering research which addresses the complex challenges of today’s world.  

The Bicentenary PhD Studentships and Fellowships programme will offer funding across the University’s three core faculties: Science and Engineering, Humanities, and Biology, Medicine & Health. By supporting a wide range of disciplines, the University is promoting a broad and inclusive approach and ensuring that a diverse array of voices and perspectives are represented in its research community.   

From exploring sustainable technologies to advancing medical sciences and cultural studies, the initiative is designed to empower academics across many fields, helping to foster a vibrant, interdisciplinary research environment. It reinforces the University’s status as a hub of intellectual and research excellence, as well as strengthening Manchester’s legacy as a world-leading institution committed to empowering change-makers and visionaries. 

Recognising the importance of diversity and accessibility, the University invites prospective students and early-career academics from all backgrounds to apply for the prestigious awards. Recipients will gain access to a robust support system that includes dedicated mentorship, comprehensive training and a suite of career development resources. This unique combination of funding and career support underscores Manchester’s commitment to nurturing a research community that reflects and addresses the needs of the global society it serves.  

“The Bicentenary Scholarships and Fellowships represent a significant investment in the future of research at The University of Manchester,” said Professor Colette Fagan, Vice-President for Research. “We’ve been committed to supporting students from all backgrounds since 1824 and will continue to do so for the next 200 years. This is about celebrating our rich history as well as ensuring that our legacy of innovation and excellence continues.”  

“Manchester is a city like no other - a place where history and innovation meet, where diversity fuels creativity, and where our university stands as a beacon of discovery and opportunity,” said President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Duncan Ivison. “As we mark our 200th year, this landmark programme demonstrates our commitment to shaping a future that reflects the dynamic spirit of this incredible city, and the importance of philanthropy in delivering this ambition.”  

For more information about how to apply, prospective students and researchers are encouraged to visit the Bicentenary PhD Studentships and Fellowships page of the University’s website. 

Individuals or organisations interested in exploring philanthropic opportunities through the £10 million matched funding scheme are encouraged to contact Olympia Kennard (Olympia.Kennard@Manchester.ac.uk) to begin a conversation. 

City of Trees is an independent charity that plant, look after and promote a culture of trees across Greater Manchester. They work with volunteers across the region, as part of their ‘Citizen Forester’ programme to enhance green skills, boost health and wellbeing, and to help tackle the climate and biodiversity emergency.

Aligned closely with the University’s values and social responsibility agenda, both City of Trees and The University of Manchester are passionate about making the region even better, one tree at a time.

In the University's special bicentenary year, it is partnering with City of Trees on several initiatives:

• The University's International Relations team signed the first agreement City of Trees earlier this year, kicking off the partnership which has been growing throughout the bicentenary year. The new agreement and initiative is a positive step in looking at the small changes with big impact that we can make as an institution
• The new agreement and initiative was officially launched at the International Friends of Manchester Day on 10 October, whereby the University made a donation on behalf of each international delegate to City of Trees. City of Trees will then plant a tree in Greater Manchester to represent each international delegate who attended the event - signifying that international colleagues continue to be a crucial part of the growth and development of both the University and the city.
• For our 200th year specifically, the University is working with City of Trees to plant 200 trees across new woodland sites in Greater Manchester.
• From 7-9 October the University hosted the THE World Academic Summit and chose to make a charitable donation to City of Trees on behalf of each delegate attending, to the total of £1,500.

The University of Manchester is truly excited to be supporting City of Trees and partnering with them on these activities, which will foster into the future.

The Gömböc is tangible proof of a mathematical theory, developed by Gábor Domokos and Péter Várkonyi from the Budapest University Technology and Economics, about the stability of solid objects. The Gömböc is a three-dimensional, homogenous, convex object that has exactly one stable and one unstable equilibrium, or balance point; if you put it down on a flat surface it will reorient itself until it reaches the one stable equilibrium point.

The mathematicians have chosen to gift one of the Gömböc pieces to the University with the unique serial number 1824, in honour of the University’s 200^th anniversary which is being celebrated throughout 2024. Gömböc 1824 is sponsored by Mr Ottó Albrecht, who has funded the Gömböc donation programme for many years. The piece stands at 180mm tall and is made from plexiglass. It will be exhibited in the Mathematics Department located in the Alan Turing Building.

Gömböc 1824 was presented to the University at a ceremony on 10 October, by H.E. Ferenc Kumin, ambassador of Hungary, and was accepted by Professor Martin Schröder, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering and Professor Andrew Hazel, Head of the Department of Mathematics. The ambassador also had the chance to have lunch with Hungarian staff and students at the University and took a tour of the robotics lab.

Since its discovery in 2007, many Gömböc pieces have been donated to renowned institutions worldwide, including Harvard University, the Beijing Institute of Mathematical Sciences, the Pompidou Centre and The University of Tokyo.

There are few Gömböc pieces in the UK; The University of Oxford, The University of Cambridge, Windsor Castle, The Crown Estate, University College London and Academia Europaea are the only institutions which currently have a Gömböc on display. The University of Manchester’s Gömböc 1824 is the first Gömböc to be gifted to an institution in the North of England.

Professor Andrew Hazel, Head of the Department of Mathematics, said: “It is somewhat unusual to have a mathematical object whose proof of existence can be realised in such a tangible way. The Gömböc is visually interesting and stimulates discussion between staff, students and visitors.”

Although discovered in Hungary, the Gömböc has connections to The University of Manchester. Some of the early research on the statics of solid bodies was pioneered by Sir Horace Lamb, who studied Mathematics at Owens College and was a Professor of Physics at the University between 1885 and 1920. Lamb wrote the influential textbook Statics, Including Hydrostatics and the Elements of the Theory of Elasticity, which describes methods that can be adapted to analyse the stability of the Gömböc.

The Gömböc is also relevant for current research being undertaken at the University. Researchers working on granular flows and particle dynamics used the Gömböc as a test shape for computer codes, to verify the stability calculations used to analyse piles of grains.

H.E. Ferenc Kumin, ambassador of Hungary, said: “It is with great pride that we present the G1824, a remarkable embodiment of Hungarian ingenuity and problem-solving, in honour of The University of Manchester's foundation. More than a scientific marvel, for us, Professor Domokos' Gömböc represents Hungarian thinking and creative problem solving.”

History of the Gömböc

In geometry, a body with a single stable resting position is called monostatic; the term mono-monostatic has been coined to describe a body which additionally has only one unstable point of balance.

The weight of the Gömböc is distributed evenly; and no simpler homogeneous shape exists with these properties. In fact, it is not possible for a convex, homogenous, solid three-dimensional object to have fewer than two equilibria.

The question of whether it is possible to construct a three-dimensional body which is mono-monostatic, homogenous and convex, was posed by Russian mathematician Vladimir Igorevich Arnold at a conference in 1995, in Hamburg.

In 2007, Gábor Domokos and Péter Várkonyi proved Arnold’s conjecture correct and created the first physical example, which became known as the Gömböc. The discovered mono-monostatic shape is the most sphere-like shape, apart from the sphere itself; its name is a diminutive form of gömb, meaning ‘sphere’ in Hungarian.

Gömböc-like shapes can be seen in nature. Biological evolution developed a similar shape in the form of the shell of the Indian Star Tortoise, which self-rights when turned upside down. Domokos and Várkonyi spent time studying tortoises in Hungary, attempting to explain the shape and function of their shells.

After its creation in 2007, a series of individual Gömböc models were launched. Each individual Gömböc carries its own unique serial number, between 1 and the current year, and has only been produced once.

The first individually numbered Gömböc model (Gömböc 001) was presented by Domokos and Várkonyi as a gift to Vladimir Igorevich Arnold on his 70^th birthday in 2007; Professor Arnold later donated Gömböc 001 to the Steklov Institute of Mathematics, where it is currently on exhibit.

Published this week by Manchester University Press, the volume investigates the lives and public work of Henry and Emily Simon, and Ernest and Shena Simon, a family shaped by their German ancestry and Manchester’s mercantile class.

The book is written by Dr Martin Dodge, Senior Lecture in Geography, John Ayshford, Doctoral Researcher in History, Dr Diana Leitch MBE, former Deputy University Librarian of the John Rylands Library, Stuart Jones, Professor of Intellectual History, and Janet Wolff, Professor Emerita in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures.

Although many in Manchester are familiar with the Simon name – through the University’s Simon Building, Simonsway in Wythenshawe and the Manchester College’s Shena Simon Campus – the family themselves are often overlooked in favour of other prolific local individuals. This volume aims to boost their profile by illuminating their deep contributions to public life, both locally and nationally. 

The book aims to study the family collectively, by highlighting the marriages of Henry and Emily and of Ernest and Shena as strong partnerships in which the women played important roles not just as mothers and housewives but also as philanthropists, activists and public figures.

Dr Diana Leitch said: “Emily Simon was one of the first women to be awarded an OBE in 1920, shortly before she died aged 60, for her tireless work at the Red Cross Hospital she ran in her home in very tragic personal circumstances. It was a tribute to her courage and resilience through the First World War.”

The first section of the volume, ‘Cosmopolitan Manchester and the Simons’, focuses on the four Simons as individuals; the four biographical chapters are framed by a study of Manchester’s German community. The second part, ‘The Simons’ contribution to society’, emphasises the family as a unit and spotlights their economic, social and political endeavours in Manchester. 

In a later chapter, ‘Burghers and citizens: The Simons and the University of Manchester’ Professor Stuart Jones and Dr Professor Chris Godden examine the relationship between the University and the Simon family. Ernest and Shena were at the heart of the University for many decades, and the family have a long connection with the institution and its precursors. 

In 1898, as a leading benefactor, Henry Simon was asked to lay the foundation stone for the new Physics Laboratories for Owens College, later integrated in 1903 into The University of Manchester. It was in these same laboratories that Ernest Rutherford, Hans Geiger and their colleagues first split the atom. 

Ernest Simon’s substantial personal investment in social science research - notably through the Simon fellowship scheme - was conceived as a contribution to the cause of citizenship education, to which he devoted much of his public work from the 1930s onwards.

Professor Stuart Jones comments: “As a senior lay officer at the University for a quarter of a century, as a leading benefactor, and as a practically-minded thinker, Ernest Simon did more than anyone in his time to sustain a vision of what it meant to be a civic university: a university for the city.”

The family greatly enriched Manchester’s cultural and civic institutions, worked to improve the lives of its citizens and helped to spearhead profound national reforms in healthcare, women’s rights, housing, civic planning and education. 

• Read the full text of The Simons of Manchester here.

Published by Manchester University Press, Manchester Minds offers readers a rich account of the influential figures who have shaped the University’s legacy, from world-renowned physicist Brian Cox and computing pioneer Alan Turing to economist Arthur Lewis and poet-activist Eva Gore-Booth. It highlights both famous and underappreciated figures, giving fresh insights into the University’s role in global innovation.

Timed to coincide with the University of Manchester’s bicentennial celebrations, Manchester Minds is the first comprehensive history to cover the full span of the institution’s evolution, from its origins as The Mechanics' Institute to its present status as a major international centre of learning. The book delves into historic controversies and celebrates unsung heroes, offering an engaging and accessible narrative of how Manchester’s intellectual tradition has transformed the world.

Key Highlights:

· The first full history of The University of Manchester, covering its evolution over 200 years.

· Features pioneering figures such as Enriqueta Rylands, Lewis Namier, Arthur Lewis, Alan Turing, and Brian Cox.

· Brings to light the stories of lesser-known but equally important contributors to the University’s intellectual heritage.

· Attractively presented and illustrated, making it a perfect addition to the bicentennial celebrations in 2024.

Book Details:

· Publisher: Manchester University Press

· Format: Hardcover

· Price: £25.00

· Published Date: September 2024

Manchester Minds is now available in bookstores and online.

Previous collaborations for The Sculpts have included Manchester Museum - for whom the designers created a bespoke range of their iconic ‘alphabet’ illustrations, the Whitworth gallery and Stock Exchange Hotel. Visit www.thesculpts.com for more information.

Universally Manchester: Where Great Things Come Together, is an open air gallery of celebratory art, spanning 130 sites across the city centre this week, taking inspiration from people’s time at The University of Manchester.

The exhibition marks the run up to the much anticipated Universally Manchester Festival - a once in a lifetime, four-day festival to mark the University’s 200th birthday taking place from 6-9 June, with hundreds of free tickets for events with speakers and performers including Professor Brian Cox, GRRRL, Ed O’Brien (Radiohead) and Professor Daniela Delneri (with Cloudwater Brew Co) available to all from the 9th May. Visitors can sign up for early access to the popular events here. 

Reflecting on their love for the city, and the lasting impact their experiences have had, contributors to this citywide visual art project include award winning author and Professor of Creative Writing Jeanette Winterson, and poet and former Chancellor Lemn Sissay, alongside alumni including drag performer Cheddar Gorgeous, comedian Josh Widdicombe, actor Mathew Horne and barrister and broadcaster Rob Rinder. 

The artworks are a fusion of creativity, each designed by different Manchester illustrators, breathing life into the inspiring quotes and the colourful personalities behind them. From 7th May the artworks can be found exhibited at Mayfield Park, St Peter’s Square Metrolink, and on over 130 digital billboards and poster sites across the city. 

The Josh Widdicombe artwork was created by Ellie Thomas, Lemn Sissay by John Owens, Rob Rinder and Matthew Horne by Beth Wilkinson and Cheddar Gorgeous by Louise Hardman.

Louise Hardman, on illustrating part of Cheddar Gorgeous’ quote, which has been painted as a mural by Open Minds, in Mayfield Park: "Drag performer, producer, academic, and visual artist – Cheddar Gorgeous is a Manchester powerhouse. For this piece, I was deeply inspired by Cheddar’s playful and unapologetic approach to their art and activism; exhibited by the vivid colours, bold type, and whimsical patterns within the design. 

“Through the incorporation of illustrated theatrical iconography, the artwork spotlights Cheddar’s impressive lifelong career in the performing arts, in addition to their conceptual approach to storytelling and self-expression. It’s been an utter honour to have had the opportunity to help visualise Cheddar’s beautiful words."

A mural of Rob Rinder’s words, illustrated by Beth Wilkinson, will be painted live, by Open Minds, at Mayfield Park on Thursday 9th May, to coincide with the release of hundreds of free tickets for  Universally Manchester Festival, which are available via www.universallymanchester.com.

Universally Manchester: Where Great Things Come Together

“A show of grit and glass, a beautiful contradiction. Beyond everything else I admire Manchester's self belief. it punches above its weight and more often than not comes out top of the bill. The city revels in being its own main character. A perfect production; protagonist, antagonist, stage and audience, all rolled into one.” Cheddar Gorgeous: - Drag performer and alumnus.

MAN-cunians or MAM-cunians? The Romans called this place Mamucium. MAM is Celtic for mother, breast, river goddess. The women of this city are its ancient and forever energy. Jeanette Winterson - Writer

“The ultimate place on Earth to become a grown up, go out until 3am and occasionally go to lectures.” Josh Widdicombe - Comedian and alumnus.

“If it were not imagined, 
It could not be made, 
Therefore imagination, 
Must not be afraid.” 
Lemn Sissay - Poet and former Chancellor.

“Manchester was the place to be and remains so. I look back fondly at my time living and studying there. It really was the beginning of everything for me. It’s the city of opportunity.” Mathew Horne - Actor and alumnus.

Manchester never compared itself to anywhere else. I loved the pride the city took in its unique identity. It was, in so many ways, my most important gift. It’s where I discovered that cultural and intellectual curiosity is limitless and where - like the city itself - I found the courage to be different. Rob Rinder - Barrister, broadcaster and alumnus.

The Festival

Welcoming over 60,000 people, Universally Manchester Festival offers everything from poetry to physics, music to medicine, computing to creative writing and more. With events popping up in labs, concert theatres, outdoor spaces and the University’s award-winning culture hotspots Whitworth Art Gallery and Manchester Museum.

Universally Manchester will acknowledge the University’s global impact; the world firsts, the life-changing discoveries, the music, art, science and creativity, all sparked in Manchester, featuring contributions from Professor Brian Cox, Professor David Olusoga, CBeebies presenter and Down’s Syndrome ambassador George Webster, Ed O’Brien, (Radiohead), international supergroup GRRRL directed by Laima Leyton (Mixhell / Soulwax), poet Lemn Sissay, Dr Sarah Crowther (member of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Sample Analysis Team), immunologist Professor Sheena Cruikshank, director of Jodrell Bank Professor Tim O’Brien, exonerated postmaster Tom Hedges and many, many more.

This has been made possible with the kind support of Manchester City Council and Transport For Greater Manchester (TFGM).

Free ticketed events will be available to book from Thursday 9 May, with early access available for those that sign up for information here.

The University of Manchester has announced the first speakers, performers and events for Universally Manchester Festival; a 200th birthday celebration like no other, with 150 free events across four captivating days at its iconic Oxford Road Campus from Thursday 6 - Sunday 9 June 2024.

The once in a lifetime interdisciplinary festival, will welcome up to 60,000 people to more than 150 imaginative and immersive events, featuring contributions from Professor Brian Cox, Professor David Olusoga, Ed O’Brien (Radiohead), international supergroup GRRRL directed by Laima Leyton (Mixhell / Soulwax), Professor Michael Wood, Dr Sarah Crowther (member of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Sample Analysis Team), immunologist Professor Sheena Cruikshank, exonerated postmaster Tom Hedges and many, many more.

The launch

The festival opens with Universally Manchester x the Whitworth, a very special Thursday late, with a showcase of music marking 200 years of The University of Manchester in collaboration with festival partner Manchester Histories Festival 2024. This free event is open to all and includes everything from a world premiere of new music inspired by Manchester’s history of broadside ballads performed by members of the BBC Philharmonic, to an audio visual experience, celebrating the legacies of Manchester computing genius Alan Turning and music pioneer Delia Derbyshire.   

Ideas and discussions

Professor Brian Cox will lead a guided journey to far-away galaxies, alien worlds, supermassive black holes and the latest theories on the origins of the universe, while Professor David Olusoga, Professor Michael Wood, Ana Carden-Coyne and Sadiah Qureshi will explore how TV and film shape cultural narratives and reflect societal diversity.

TedX speaker and immunologist Professor Sheena Cruickshank will debunk the myths behind 'immune boosting' products and regimes, revealing the science behind our immune system, whilst Earth and Environmental Sciences Research Fellow Dr Sarah Crowther will share the secrets of the asteroid Bennu and NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission.

A Universally Manchester edition of the Talk 200: Lecture and podcast series will tackle inequalities in access to justice, with contributions from the University’s Chancellor, Nazir Afzal, exonerated postmaster Tom Hedges; barrister and advocate Thalia Maragh (UK Covid-19 Inquiry, Grenfell Inquiry); and Suzanne Gower, PhD researcher, and former managing director of the legal charity APPEAL.

A Guardian Live event, led by Professor David Olusoga, Cotton Capital: Slavery and The University of Manchester will explore how transatlantic slavery shaped The University of Manchester. 

Creativity and performance

The diverse programme includes a panel talking us through two decades of creative activism with independent international charity In Place of War and its ambassador, Radiohead guitarist Ed O'Brien.

This will be brought to life with a performance from GRRRL, an international supergroup brought together by In Place of War and directed by Brazil’s Laima Leyton (Mixhell / Soulwax). Featuring women of colour from international conflict zones, GRRRL express themselves on their terms, in their languages, with their stories.

The Whitworth will present The Carnival, a celebration of art, culture and Manchester’s dynamic community through live performances, interactive workshops, delicious street food and live music, whilst Mr Wilson’s Second Liners, a mischievous, revolutionary New Orleans Second Line will pay homage to the diehard days of the Hacienda, 90s club culture and Mr Tony Wilson.

Further musical performances come from Kantos Choir, a trailblazing vocal ensemble, who perform music by everyone from 11th Century visionary saints to genre-bending, experimental rock stars, Grammy-winning multi-percussionist, educator, arranger, and composer Carlos "Carly" Maldonado, and Senegalese afrobeat musician Sens Sagna.

Community and Families

There will be a whole host of family-friendly events including a Community Fair taking place across Engineering Building A, University Place and AMBS, full of interactive activities. Budding scientists can drive a Lego Mars Rover, peek inside our brains, or enter a world of virtual reality. Creative and crafty activities include screen printing tote bags, clay making and face painting, and sporting challenges including circus skills from The Circus House, a climbing wall and helter-skelter. The Shoopery will deliver a series of positive, upbeat, ambitious, ‘out of your comfort zone’ experiences that are all about letting go.

A visually stunning Flash Bang Show, for kids and adults, will demonstrate the explosive power of chemistry, from basic knowledge about atoms and molecules to the innovative research produced at The University of Manchester.

Closing

 The festival will close with a Celebration Day in partnership with Manchester Histories Festival 2024 which will see over 50 stalls take over the historic Whitworth Hall, giving those of all ages the chance to find out more about the unique history of Greater Manchester and the North West from organisations that celebrate, preserve, and explore our histories and heritage. During the day there will be everything from craft activities and walks through to performances and talks – even a chance to hop on a heritage bus.

With support from partners including BBC Philharmonic, Factory International, the Guardian, In Place of War, Manchester Histories Festival and many others, Universally Manchester Festival will be taking over Manchester Museum, The Whitworth, University of Manchester Students’ Union, and creating pop-up stages on Gilbert Square.

The Festival Village on Bridgeford Street, in collaboration with Pop Up Market Co., will showcase Manchester's finest independent artisans, makers, performers and businesses.

Universally Manchester Festival will run from Thursday 6 - Sunday 9 June 2024. Free ticketed events will be available to book from Thursday 9 May, with early access available for those that sign up for information here.  

• Director of Creative Manchester and Professor of Poetry, John McAuliffe
• Writer, illustrator and opera-maker, Dr Rebecca Hurst, who was commissioned to write a poem celebrating the University’s 2024 bicentennial year
• Manchester-based poet and critic, Maryam Hessavi

Participants are invited to write a micropoem, of no more than 280 characters, and submit via email or on X (formerly Twitter) using the hashtag #micropoem24. Submissions are open to anybody and can explore Greater Manchester’s industrial past, dive into the modern-day city and everything it has to offer, or even imagine its blossoming future.

"The University of Manchester’s micropoetry competition sets the challenging task of translating a theme into a short, tweet-like form,” said Lemn. “It’s a craft to tell a story in such a manner and I’m looking forward to reading the 2024 entries, centred around the chosen theme. As someone who published a book of tweets in the form of quatrains, I urge you to pen your poem and enter our micropoetry competition.”

Entries must be submitted by Wednesday 10 April 2024, with winners to be announced Friday 17 May.

Prizes will be awarded for first place (£500) and the two runners-up (£250), with a £25 book token for winner of the under-18s category. Authors of the top three micropoems and the winner of the under-18 category will also be invited to attend The University of Manchester’s Community Festival on Saturday 8 June 2024.

"With the University celebrating 200 years of learning, innovation and research, it made sense to focus our competition theme on Manchester this year," John added. “As a city with a global reach that celebrates its connections across the world, we look forward to seeing people’s different takes on our beloved city.”

Find out more and try your hand at the #micropoem24 competition here: Uom.link/micropoem24