The N8 Research Partnership’s main areas of research collaboration have been chosen based on existing strengths in the N8 universities and the region, as well as for their potential for growth and economic impact. N8's current research themes and programmes are Child of the North, Computationally Intensive Research (N8 CIR) and the Policing Research Partnership (N8 PRP).
ViewShared Ambition. Collective Action.
The N8 mobilises the combined research and innovation excellence and collective scale of the North of England’s leading universities – Durham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and York – to create major opportunities, attract investment and deliver lasting economic and societal benefit for people and places across the North and the wider UK.
Join N8 for a panel discussion during the Labour Party Conference 2026
🗓️ Mon 28 September 2026, 3pm-4pm
📍Revolution, Albert Docks, Liverpool
As the Government develops its Northern Growth Strategy, join LabourList, the University of Liverpool and the N8 Research Partnership for a panel discussion ‘Seizing the North’s growth moment: how universities, industry and mayors can turn Northern strengths into investment and prosperity’.
The N8 is committed to a healthy and collaborative research culture which recognises the contributions made by all members of the research body. Supporting healthy, collaborative environments has been a longstanding priority for the N8. Our ambition is that wherever in the N8 they work, members of the research body experience a supportive and healthy research culture.
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Our strong partnerships with the public and private sectors accelerate the uptake of new innovations and provide access to the vocational and academic skills businesses need, giving opportunities for all.
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A 2025 report by leading consultancy London Economics has found that the eight Northern research-intensive universities that comprise the N8 Research Partnership generated £18.8 billion in economic impact for the UK in the 2021-22 academic year.
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Developed as part of the N8 commitment to promote the sharing of publicly-funded research assets, this equipment portal is freely open to anyone to search, including researchers, research managers, funding bodies and policy makers.
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A platform for collaboration, high-quality research and policy engagement to improve the lives of children in the North of England.
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N8 CIR focuses on the creation of a Centre of Excellence in Computationally Intensive Research methods, skills, and facilities to underpin the N8’s strategic research objectives.
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The N8 Policing Research Partnership is an academic-police collaboration that champions, enables, and supports research taking on the challenges of 21st century policing.
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