What do our past students have to say?
"Doing my research through CRIS was the most rewarding part of my masters. After finishing my previous dissertation, I knew I wanted any future research I did to have a practical application. Being able to utilise my time and resources to help the Green Schools Project meant that, regardless of the outcome of my own research, something was gained from the process. Not only did this motivate me but it also made me so excited to do this research."
Robin Heuermann, MSc Prosperity, People and Planet 2023-24
Completing my dissertation as part of CRIS was a really valuable and enjoyable part of my university experience. Taking part in research informed by participatory methods allowed me to develop a number of skills that have proved useful in my time after university, and the team was always incredibly supportive. It was important to me that my research would have a tangible impact, and working with a community organisation was a great way to achieve that.
Callum Parris, MSc Public Policy 2022-23
I hadn’t appreciated how refreshing it would be to apply what I had learnt on the master’s program to a “real world” setting! Speaking to the homeless users of Spires services about how they find and use information was fascinating and threw up so many unexpected lines of enquiry. I would also say that dissertations are scary things, and rooting research in the lived reality of participants in the community really helped me get my head around it and make it tangible.
Andy Lacey, MA Library & Information Studies 2021-22
Working with the Institute of Employment Studies has been (and still is) fantastic! Not only have I learned about how organisations in my field work day-to-day (as opposed to just learning the theory behind it at uni), but I also met some intelligent professionals who I learned a lot from. As the main outcome of our collaboration, my dissertation project will supplement IES’ client work, but we are also discussing releasing some outputs beyond this, maybe a blog or a podcast. Stay tuned!
Julia Wodzinska, MSc Social Policy and Social Research 2021-22
What do our community partners have to say?
"It’s been wonderful, there’s so many things we couldn’t do without the students. They just pick it up and think about things we didn’t even think about that. Their work has been valuable, and they’ve been very accommodating and communicative. It’s great to have volunteers who see how our work matters. It’s been an absolutely wonderful experience, and I hope they have felt the same."
Priscilla Igwe (Director, New Black Film Collective)
"The community research collaborations are so impactful to community organisations like mine."
Cherrill Hutchison (Director, Black Woman’s Kindness Initiative)
Community Research Initiative Showcase
Read all about our annual celebrations of collaboration here.