MetroPolis Funding: See how we’re turning Research to Impact
We are delighted to announce funding awards for three exciting projects that showcase the breadth, ambition and real-world impact of research taking place across Manchester Metropolitan University.
The successful applications, led by researchers from Manchester Law School and the Department of Sociology and Criminology, demonstrate how MetroPolis funding helps academics connect their expertise with policymakers, practitioners and influential networks to create positive change beyond academia. From advancing children’s rights in sport, to improving climate communication and contributing to national conversations on reparatory justice, each project highlights the University’s growing influence on policy and practice.
Championing the Rights of Child Athletes
One award has been made to Dr Seamus Byrne of Manchester Law School, whose research focuses on protecting and promoting the rights of children in sport.
MetroPolis funding will support Dr Byrne’s participation in the International Sport and Human Rights Forum and the Global Summit on Sport and Human Rights, providing an important opportunity to engage with leading policymakers, sporting bodies and human rights organisations from around the world.
The funding will help ensure that Manchester Met’s research contributes to international discussions on safeguarding, accountability and children’s rights, strengthening the University’s reputation as a leading voice on human rights in sport.
Strengthening Climate Communication
A second award has been granted to Monika Frątczak, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, whose work explores how people respond to climate data visualisations.
MetroPolis funding will support the development of a policy brief translating findings from her doctoral and postdoctoral research, as well as a report co-produced with six environmental organisations, into practical recommendations for policymakers and climate communication practitioners.
The brief will help ensure climate information is communicated in ways that are more effective, inclusive and capable of supporting meaningful public engagement and informed decision-making. By transforming academic research into an accessible resource for policy and practice, the project exemplifies the role MetroPolis funding can play in extending the reach and impact of Manchester Met research.
Informing National Conversations on Reparatory Justice
MetroPolis has also awarded funding to Shubham Jain of Manchester Law School to support participation in the APPG UK Reparations Conference 2026.
His research examines the relationship between sport, social justice and reparatory justice, exploring how sporting institutions can contribute to addressing historical injustices and fostering community engagement.
The conference provides a valuable platform to engage directly with parliamentarians, policymakers and sector leaders, helping to bring rigorous academic evidence into an important and evolving policy debate.
Supporting Research That Makes a Difference
These awards exemplify the purpose of MetroPolis funding: enabling researchers to take their work beyond the University and into the spaces where policy is developed, decisions are made and change happens.
Whether influencing international discussions on child safeguarding in sport, improving how climate evidence is communicated, or shaping national policy conversations on justice and equality, these projects demonstrate the value of research that engages with society’s most pressing challenges.
We congratulate Dr Seamus Byrne, Monika Frątczak and Shubham Jain on their successful applications and look forward to following the impact of their work as it reaches new audiences and helps inform policy and practice at local, national and international levels.
