Newcastle University Communities Hub
Connecting community partners to our researchers and educators.
What is Newcastle University Communities Hub?
Newcastle University is developing a new Communities Hub. It will be jointly run with external partners from Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE), schools and public sector organisations that engage with communities anywhere in the world.
We are located in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. We operate across all University Faculties, Units and Services.
The Hub will:
- provide a front door and a one-stop network/space designed to better connect community partners to our researchers and educators
- strengthen existing collaborations and spark new ones, through networking, website visibility, resources, matching, training, events, funding and other support
- have transparent priorities including a range of projects with ambitious, realisable outcomes
- be run via a governance structure that includes community partners, University staff and students
Our team
The core team includes:
- Professor Rachel Pain and Professor Liz Todd (Co-Directors)
- the engagement team from Newcastle Innovations (Carrie Rosenthal, Ben Rutherford-Orrock and Bob Allan)
- Dr Karen Laing and Lucy Tiplady from the School of Education Communication and Language Sciences
- Geography postgraduate researchers/interns Eleasha Haslam and Yujia Xu
Timeline
June 2026: our first listening workshop was attended by 47 community partners and University staff.
July-September 2026: we are currently listening to external partners, students and staff to understand what you want. We will produce a report on this stage in September 2026.
November 2026: launch of Newcastle University Communities Hub.
November 2026-October 2027 (Year 1): piloting, ongoing listening and community involvement, and continuing to develop our approach and provision.
November 2027-October 2029 (Years 2 and 3): developing the Hub to full capacity including a long-term plan.
How can I inform what the Hub does?
We’re keen to hear about your experiences, frustrations, hopes and needs when navigating community-rooted partnerships, community‑engaged research and teaching - including local, national and international activities.
We’d like to hear about:
- experiences of partnership‑building – including what has worked well and challenges in finding opportunities, initiating contact, sustaining relationships, and balancing expectations across sectors
- barriers you have encountered – such as structural, logistical, financial, confidence or trust, sustainability
- what you believe meaningful support looks like – such as tools, spaces, networks, training, guidance or other support that would make collaboration feel more accessible
- your vision for a Communities Hub – what it could offer, how it should feel, and how it might strengthen belonging and community‑engaged research, education and other activities across the University
Please sign up for a focus group:
Keeping in touch
Please email communities@ncl.ac.uk to join our mailing list, offer questions or ideas, or to express interest in collaborating with us.