Horizons Institute

The Horizons Institute fosters early-stage interdisciplinary research to address complex challenges, with programmes and interventions designed to ignite creative approaches and new ideas.

We equip researchers with the skills and means to build thriving collaborations, helping them explore their work from different perspectives and find new opportunities for collaborative interdisciplinary working.

We work with researchers, higher education institutions and sector-wide initiatives across the UK and globally to support the development of a better connected and more equitable interdisciplinary research community.

The Horizons Institute exists to bring people together from across all disciplines, to collaborate on high-risk, high-reward research addressing complex challenges. This can only be done by investing in the people we work with, developing skills and connecting across areas of expertise.

Stuart Taberner, Director of the Horizons Institute

News and blogs

Read the latest news and blogs from the Horizons Institute and our research community.

Crucible projects explore interdisciplinary approaches to health

Following the end of our fourth Global Crucible, participants were invited to apply for pump-prime funding. Read about each of these projects in our blog post.
Exploring Signals with the Extinction Studies group

Participants from the Extinction Studies Doctoral Training Programme consider what 'Signals' means within their research.
Using Three Horizons to understand and create change

Drawing on the Three Horizons framework, Dr Truzaar Dordi explores what it means to be a “changemaker” in times of uncertainty.
Introducing Signals: Our new Headline Theme

This September we will be launching our new Headline Theme portfolio, Signals: Detecting, predicting and responding to uncertainty.
Great idea, bad decisions

Following the closure of the Cross Research Council Responsive Mode scheme, Samantha shares reflections of working in this dynamic and boundary-breaking team for the past three years.
Working together for cleaner air and better health

Data is often gathered with little consideration around access for source communities. Here SYNERGIA shares how they’re making data available and accessible for communities in South Africa and the UK.
Evaluating interdisciplinary research

Kristin Oxley of the Research Council of Norway and Dr Alex Amey of UKRI shared their perspectives on how funders are changing their approach to better support creative and interdisciplinary research.

Case studies

Timely collaboration opens the door to global health partnership

Helping University of Leeds researchers work in partnership with the World Health Organisation to create better global preparedness in health.
Physical activity research finds strength in numbers

The InterActive research network promotes interdisciplinary collaboration across the University of Leeds for those working on movement and physical activity.
Improving health information for families through African collaboration

A new collaborative project with researchers from Africa and the University of Leeds explores ways to improve how health information is communicated to families.
Helping to deliver a cultural showcase

LEEDS 2023 will host a major cultural programme that promises to be a spectacular celebration of a vibrant city region. Find out how Horizons is helping them embed principles of co-creation.
Leeds research network to tackle major global health threat

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the top ten global health threats facing humanity. AMR@Leeds aims to address this pressing issue through an interdisciplinary approach to research.
Looking beyond medicine – a new network for mental health research

The Leeds Interdisciplinary Mental Health Research Network (LIMHRN) launched in January 2022 to bring together different disciplinary perspectives on mental health.