Harmonised Impact Acceleration Account
We invest in projects that foster close collaboration with industry, policymakers and the public to apply research evidence in diverse and innovative ways.
Our projects use fast and flexible funding to trial inclusive engagement and interdisciplinary innovation to stimulate real-world impact on a significant scale.
The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Harmonised Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) encompasses funding across 6 Research Councils:
- Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
- Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
- Medical Research Council (MRC)
- Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Our aims
Cardiff University is dedicated to creating real-world change through its IAA funding. We aim to:
- address grand challenges through multi-disciplinary working across our UKRI IAAs and our university research entities to scale up our endeavours
- deliver knowledge exchange, impact and translational activities
- seed partnerships that enable co-production of meaningful impact for communities, organisations and partners in Wales and beyond
- accelerate major innovation outcomes in partnership with industry, public sector, charitable and government organisations.
Funding
We have entered the third and final phase of the current Harmonised IAA funding cycle.
The first two phases offered an open funding call with an initiator fund, providing seed funding to develop new collaborations, and an accelerator fund, providing funding to strengthen existing partnerships and catalyse project outcomes.
The current phase takes a more strategic approach, offering three schemes focused on placements and secondments, school-led initiatives, and expansion of former IAA projects:
Knowledge Exchange Placements and Secondment Scheme (KEPSs)
Active: February 2024 – June 2025
KEPSs promotes partnerships through knowledge exchange, facilitating collaboration, skills development, and technical skill transfer with industry and other partners.
Strategic Impact Funding (SIF)
Active: July 2024 – October 2024
SIF supports Schools with strategic innovation, increases high-quality, interdisciplinary research, and leverages Cardiff University's strengths to respond to strategic priorities and opportunities.
Follow on Funding (FoF)
Active: October 2024 – January 2025
FoF will enhance the development of previous IAA-funded projects and maximise longer-term project benefits for impact pipeline development.
SHAPE Commercialisation
Active: October 2024 – March 2025
This provides seed funding to support new or existing projects to maximise the potential social, cultural, and economic impact and commercialisation of research within the remit of the AHRC or ESRC.
