Recognising long-term strategic partnerships that deliver significant mutual benefit, and contribute to institutional priorities.

Nominations should demonstrate:

• A long term partnership (3+ years) with clear continuity and evolution;
• evidence of mutual benefit and co-investment (financial, intellectual, or strategic);
• delivery across multiple engagement activities, while demonstrating research and non-research activity delivery outputs;
• alignment with the University and partner strategic priorities;
• significant national or global impact;
• consideration of EDI through inclusive partnership approaches, equitable collaboration and broad stakeholder engagement.

Recognising Greater Manchester or North-West based collaborations with businesses or third-sector organisations, that are creating significant regional impact.

Nominations should demonstrate:

• A partnership with a Greater Manchester or North-West based organisation;
• clear contribution to regional growth, skills or innovation ecosystems;
• evidence of place-based impacts such as jobs, productivity, community benefit or policy influence;
• consideration of EDI, inclusive growth or civic engagement.

Recognising an outstanding partnership between the university and a social enterprise or purpose driven organisation, delivering measurable social, environmental or community impact.

Nominations should demonstrate:

• Collaboration with a social enterprise, charity or mission-led organisation;
• clear evidence of social or environmental impact;
• alignment with shared values and mission;
• contribution to capacity building or sustainability of the organisation/enterprise;
• consideration of EDI through inclusive working practices, collaborative behaviours or support for diverse partners and colleagues.

*Nominations under this category should focus on collaborative partnerships with a social enterprise, charity or mission-led organisation. The University holds separate Making A Difference Awards to recognise staff, students and alumni for outstanding benefits to social responsibility through research, teaching, public and community engagement. 

Recognising academic partnership with an SME or group of SMEs, which has delivered transformative benefit to the business

Nominations should demonstrate:

• A collaboration with an SME, or group of SMEs;
• Evidence of a transformative benefit to the business through a meaningful impact on practice, policy, performance or outcomes;
• Potential for scalability, adoption or long-term change;
• Consideration of EDI in the design, delivery or impact of the innovation, including accessibility and inclusive benefit.

Recognising partnerships delivering high-quality collaboration research and impactful outcomes

Nominations should demonstrate:

• A clearly designed research-led collaboration;
• strong partnership working between academic and external partners;
• evidence of high-quality research outputs;
• demonstrable impact beyond academia to society and/or the economy;
• evidence of multi-disciplinary or cross-sector collaboration (desirable but not essential);
• consideration of EDI through inclusive research practices, diverse participation or equitable collaboration approaches.

Recognising a student or early career researcher for outstanding contributions to partnership development.

Student or ECR recognised for outstanding contribution to partnership development, demonstrating how they have contributed novel ideas, working practices and driven outstanding collaborative output.

Recognising new partnerships that have demonstrated exceptional promise and early impact.

Nominations should demonstrate:

• Status as a student or early career researcher;
• evidence of active contributions to partnership development or delivery;
• examples of contribution and implementation of novel ideas, initiatives or working practices;
• partnerships that have exceptional promise and early impact and / or strong potential for future growth;
• early consideration of EDI within the partnership approach, stakeholder engagement or intended outcomes.

Recognising academics who demonstrate exemplary collaboration with external partners and championing partnership and collaboration

Nominations should demonstrate:

• Outstanding engagement with external partners or stakeholders;
• leadership in fostering collaboration, partnership or knowledge exchange;
• evidence of impactful partnership activity and outcomes;
• advocacy for partnership working across the University;
• support for colleagues, interdisciplinary collaboration or partnership culture;
• commitment to inclusive partnership practices, equitable opportunities or widening participation in collaborative activity.

This award is not open for direct nomination and will be awarded to the most outstanding partnership overall, selected from category winners.