International collaboration
At the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research (MIoIR), we believe addressing the world’s most pressing innovation and policy challenges requires global collaboration.
Our research spans governance of science and technology, sustainable and inclusive innovation, regional economic development, and emerging technologies. MIoIR works with a network of international partners, including universities, research organisations, governments and international agencies, to support rigorous, policy-relevant research.
These partnerships support joint research, doctoral training, researcher exchange, visiting fellowships and policy engagement, creating opportunities for knowledge and ideas to be shared across borders and disciplines.
- Centre on knowledge-intensive innovation ecosystems (U-GOT KIES), University of Gothenburg (Sweden)
- Georgia Institute of Technology (USA)
- Trilateral Research Chair in Transformative Innovation (TRCTI), University of Johannesburg (South Africa)
- University of Turin (Italy)
- KAIST Graduate School of Science and Technology Policy
EU-SPRI Forum Network
MIoIR is a founding member of the EU-SPRI Forum, a European network comprising 19 leading research institutes focused on science, technology, and innovation policy. Through this membership, MIoIR actively facilitates international collaboration, knowledge exchange, and mobility for early career researchers and doctoral students.
We have hosted numerous visiting researchers and PhD students from member institutions across Europe and supported outgoing exchanges, with recent years seeing successful visits to and from partners such as Polimi, Autonomous University of Madrid, TU Dortmund, Fraunhofer ISI, and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.
In 2024, MIoIR proudly hosted the EU-SPRI Winter School on AI4STIP (Artificial Intelligence for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy), bringing together emerging scholars and experts to explore cutting-edge challenges at the intersection of AI and innovation policy.
Sustainability Transitions Research Network (STRN)
Founded in 2009, STRN is an international network of over 3,000 scholars focused on sustainability transitions across diverse geographies, methods, and themes. MIoIR is proud to be an institutional member of STRN, actively contributing to this community by advancing research on governance, policy, and innovation processes that support transitions to sustainable and inclusive socio-technical systems.
RADMA Network
MIoIR has longstanding links with the Research and Development Management Association (RADMA), which originated at Manchester Business School in the late 1960s alongside the establishment of the R&D Management journal, one of the first journals in Europe dedicated to research and development management. The association has played an important role in supporting scholarship and professional practice in innovation and R&D management for more than five decades.
MIoIR researchers continue to contribute to the RADMA community through research, conference participation and international collaboration. In 2026, MIoIR hosted the RADMA Conference in Manchester, returning the conference to the city where the association's history began.
ASSIST-UK
The UK Association for Studies in Innovation, Science and Technology (ASSIST-UK) brings together researchers working on innovation, science, technology and policy. The network promotes interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange on the social, economic and policy dimensions of science, technology and innovation. MIoIR researchers are active members of the ASSIST community.
ENID Network
The European Network of Indicator Designers (ENID) Network brings together researchers and practitioners working on the evaluation, impact and governance of research and innovation. MIoIR is an active member of the network, reflecting the Institute's internationally recognised expertise in innovation policy evaluation and its commitment to developing evidence that informs research and innovation policy.
Global engagement
Beyond our strategic partnerships, MIoIR researchers are involved in international projects and policy networks with a wide range of organisations, including:
- OECD
- European Commission
- United Nations agencies
- National science and innovation ministries
- Research and Development Management Association (RADMA)
- Academy of Management, Assist-UK, GRONEN and ISPIM
Platforms
We are closely affiliated with all five of The University’s research platforms. Working collectively, we connect, drive and amplify interdisciplinary collaborations.
Learn more
To find out more about The University of Manchester’s broader global partnerships, visit the Global Partnerships at The University of Manchester website.