Amplifying our research and innovation impact: Reset Connect North 2026

For Leeds Beckett, events like Reset Connect are an important opportunity to take our research and knowledge exchange activity beyond the university and into conversations with organisations looking for practical expertise and collaborative solutions. Its first northern edition also shone a spotlight on the North of England’s role in climate action and inclusive growth, while giving us the chance to show how our work is creating real-world change.

Why Reset Connect North matters

Reset Connect North aligned strongly with our work in sustainability, innovation and inclusive growth.

Exhibiting across both days helped us showcase strong applied work, raise the profile of our Greener, Sustainable Communities theme, and open up new business development opportunities.

Our stand created opportunities to speak with local authorities, businesses, funders and place-based organisations about how evidence-led innovation can support decision-making and sustainability goals. These conversations reinforced the value of turning research into practical tools and helped progress new partnerships.

Sharing expertise through speaker sessions

Alongside exhibiting, our colleagues contributed to three speaker sessions across the two days, demonstrating the depth of expertise at Leeds Beckett and how our work responds to real-world challenges.

Day 1: Following an opening keynote from Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, who highlighted that “West Yorkshire is where opportunity lives”, Professor David Glew, Director of the Leeds Sustainability Institute (LSI), joined the panel “The Warm Homes Plan: Driving Consumer Engagement.” The session explored how policy, innovation and communication can work together to improve domestic energy efficiency. David highlighted both the challenges and opportunities of engaging households at scale, underlining the need for trusted information, joined-up delivery and solutions that respond to real consumer needs.

Later on Day 1, Dr Jim Parker, Reader in the Leeds Sustainability Institute, delivered a session in the Innovation Hub introducing Sensing Leeds - a digital platform designed to transform the way we understand and shape the urban environment. The session showed how integrated city data can support better planning, environmental monitoring and policy decisions, while enabling more transparent and inclusive conversations about urban change.

Day 2: Natalie Allen, Head of Business Partnerships, moderated the panel “How Innovation is Driving Economic Growth in Northern Cities.” The discussion focused on the role of innovation ecosystems, public-private collaboration and sustained investment in turning climate and digital challenges into economic opportunities. It highlighted how northern cities are not only responding to global pressures, but also leading new models of growth that are more sustainable and inclusive.

Looking ahead

Reset Connect North 2026 helped amplify the strong work already underway across our research and knowledge exchange activity and build momentum around new opportunities. Since the event, we have continued conversations with organisations ranging from start-ups to established businesses to develop collaborative projects, partnerships and wider innovation activity.

We now look forward to building on that momentum through new partnerships and continued engagement across the region and beyond.