Beyond Futures

Festival of Research & Innovation

University of Wolverhampton Logo for Beyond Futures the Festival of Research and Innovationhosts Festival of Research and
Innovation 2025

Tuesday 9 - Friday 12 September 2025

Join us for the Beyond Futures Research & Enterprise Festival, a three-day showcase of impactful research, enterprise collaboration, and creative innovation. Through inspiring panels, exhibitions, and talks, the festival explores how collaborative research and enterprise can drive forward sustainability, inclusivity, health, and digital creativity. 

The festival is open to all and free to attend.  Topics covered will be wide ranging and of interest to all regional stakeholders; from members of the public to university staff and students, partners and collaborators, and representatives from public, private and third sector organisations.

Please find below an outline of the programme and links to register.  An exciting line up of speakers, panellists and exhibitors will be announced over the coming weeks.  For any queries, or to speak with a member of the team about participating in the line-up, please contact beyondfutures@wlv.ac.uk

Schedule of Events

Full programme to be announced shortly.

Sign up now.

Kicking off the festival is our Research Student Conference – an exciting opportunity to hear directly from our research student innovators. 

Guests are warmly invited to attend, engage, and support our talented student community as they share their research through live presentations and interactive posters. 

Programme Overview: 

  • 09:00 Registration and Networking
  • 09:15 Welcome Address
  • 10:00 Student Oral Presentations
  • 13:00 Networking Lunch
  • 14:00 Poster Presentations (Gallery & Engagement Session)
  • 16:00 Close

Celebrate the next generation of research excellence.  Your support and feedback will help shape their development and confidence. 

Sign Up to Attend Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/student-research-presentation-poster-competition-tickets-1551624072369?aff=odcleoeventsincollection&keep_tld=1

A deep dive into the transition to Net Zero and sustainable futures through collaborative research and knowledge exchange. 

Programme Highlights: 

  • 09:00: Registration and Networking
  • 09:50: Welcome Address
  • 10:00: Addressing the Grand Challenge keynote presentation
  • 10:30: Collaborative Research & Knowledge Exchange Case Study
  • 11:00: Panel Discussion hosted by by Professor Prashant Pillai and Professor Arun Arjunan
  • 11:45: Session Wrap Up
  • 12:00–13:40: Networking Lunch, Exhibitions & Courtyard Talks
  • Explore a vibrant mix of interactive stands and informal talks showcasing current work across Green Innovation, Digital & Creative, and General Research & Knowledge Exchange. This includes contributions from stakeholders across the region, with university insights into enterprise support, research impact, international development, creative collaborations, and more. Content is tailored to each theme to enrich your experience.

 Sign Up to Attend: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/green-innovation-tickets-1417142704979?aff=odcleoeventsincollection&keep_tld=1

Explore how emerging technologies and AI are reshaping creativity and empowering new forms of digital expression. 

Programme Highlights: 

  • 12:00 Registration
  • 12:00 Networking Lunch, Exhibitions & Courtyard Talks
  • 13:40 Welcome Address
  • 13:50 The Grand Challenge keynote presentation
  • 14:20 Collaborative Research & Knowledge Exchange Case Study
  • 14:50 Panel Discussion: Harnessing AI and Emerging Digital Technologies to Empower Creativity(Professor Prashant Pillai and Professor Zeeshan Pervez)
  • 15:35 Closing Remarks and Call to Action

Sign Up to Attend: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/digital-creativity-tickets-1551557733949?aff=odcleoeventsincollection&keep_tld=1

This session explores how communities, research, and partnerships are addressing challenges like youth violence and social inclusion. 

Programme Highlights: 

  • 09:00 Registration and Refreshments
  • 09:50 Welcome Address
  • 10:00 The Grand Challenge keynote presentation
  • 10:30 Collaborative Research & Knowledge Exchange case study
  • 11:00 Panel Discussion: Safer Futures – Creating an Inclusive Community Through Collaboration and Partnership(hosted by Professor Laura Caulfield)
  • 11:45 Closing Remarks
  • 12:00–13:40 Networking Lunch, Exhibitions & Courtyard Talk
  • Engage with hands-on exhibitions and informal talks reflecting the festival’s key themes, including Inclusive Communities, Health & Medicine, and General research and knowledge exchange. This includes contributions from stakeholders across the region with examples including projects focused on social engagement, health innovation, sports science, education, and community impact. 

 Sign Up to Attend: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/inclusive-communities-tickets-1550704150859?aff=odcleoeventsincollection&keep_tld=1

This session explores the challenges and opportunities around Medicine and Clinical Trials with panel talks, collaborative case studies and live demonstrations. 

Programme Highlights: 

  • 12:00 Registration and Networking
  • 12:00 Networking Lunch, Exhibitions & Courtyard Talks
  • 13:40 Welcome Address
  • 13:50 The Grand Challenge keynote presentation
  • 14:20 Collaborative Research & Knowledge Exchange Case Study
  • 14:50 Panel Discussion: Challenges and Opportunities in Medicine and Clinical Trials
  • 15:35 Session Wrap Up

Sign Up to Attend: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/health-medicine-tickets-1551728394399?aff=odcleoeventsincollection&keep_tld=1

Launch of the Centre for Interdisciplinary and Creative Cultures of Urban Place (CICCUP) – a dynamic new initiative supporting cross-disciplinary research in urban futures. 

14.00 Welcome, Professor Vijay Reddy, Associate Dean RKE, University of Wolverhampton

14.10 Introduction to CICCUP, Co-directors Professor John Roberts and Dr Fran Pheasant-Kelly

14.20 Can creativity save the world? Inspiration for sustainability at the intersections of creativity and culture, Professor Natascha Radclyffe-Thomas, Professor of Marketing and Sustainable Fashion, Ravensbourne University, London

15.00 Refreshments

15.20 ‘Injustice at the Intersection: The Experiences of Black women in the Criminal Justice System’, Dr Paula McLean, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Sheffield-Hallam University 

16.00 Always Already After: Arts, Humanities and AI’, Professor Caroline Bassett, Professor of Digital Humanities, University of Cambridge

16.40 Closing Remarks

Sign Up to Attend: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ciccup-launch-tickets-1550756497429?aff=odcleoeventsincollection&keep_tld=1

Why Attend the Festival of Research & Enterprise? 

  • Inspiring Keynotes and Expert Panels
  • The Research Student Conference
  • Theme-Aligned Exhibitions and Informal Talks
  • Networking with Researchers, Innovators & Partners
  • Live Demonstrations and Research Showcases
  • Opportunities to Connect, Learn, and Collaborate

Beyond Futures 2025

Welcome

At the University of Wolverhampton, our research activities impact positively on business, the environment, society – and our students.

Research at the University of Wolverhampton is now at its highest ever level. In the Research Excellence Framework 2021 (REF 2021), which evaluates the quality and impact of research at UK universities across all disciplines, the University of Wolverhampton demonstrated that it has significantly grown its research output, and in fact submitted four new subject areas with 75% more staff than in REF2014. The results showed that more than half of the university’s research is judged as being internationally excellent (3*) or world-leading (4*).  

Our growing number of dedicated research centres and interdisciplinary research institutes cover a variety of research topics. Working with commercial and civil society partners, as well as producing first-class research outputs, they bring together scholars in a programme of research projects, conferences/seminars, and knowledge exchanges.

We hope this event provides you with an introduction to the great things the University of Wolverhampton has to offer.

Professor Prashant Pillai MBE
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Knowledge Exchange)