We are delighted to be a Civic University and proud of the positive impact we are making across the city and county. Since 2020, our Civic team have delivered over 125 events, reaching more than 14,600 people, including 26 national and seven international engagements.
The Civic team have supported 46 researchers, contributed to £2.5 million+ in bid activity, and partnered with more than 30 organisations. These include UKNA, CHEAD, RSA and Socitm. It played a central role in the D2 Create Growth bid, aimed at developing creative businesses in the region and is a key member of the emerging UK UNESCO Learning Cities Network. Our streak of sold-out CivicLAB™ Conferences has also continued, this year attracting speakers and delegates from across the country, as well as Spain, Botswana and the Czech Republic.
As a Civic University, we are involved in a wide range of projects and initiatives that are making a real difference to local communities and individuals – opening doors to opportunities, raising aspirations and helping to transform lives.
S.H.E.D
S.H.E.D is a research and innovation space that engages with lifelong learning, public engagement and teaching through creative industry and cultural practice and is a flagship Civic Programme.
Throughout 2024 and 2025, S.H.E.D formed a key part of our Shedding Light on Nature Recovery and Shedding Light on Extreme Heat projects in Derbyshire and the London Borough of Barnet respectively. This generated 310 engagements that fed into policy work both councils are undertaking.
In 2025, S.H.E.D was also one of the few recipients of the new, first-of-its-kind, Arc Accelerator award. This secured £62,500 in funding to further develop the S.H.E.D business model, explore new commercial avenues and protect IP.
Our National Saturday Club, one of the few Society and Change clubs in the country, continues to perform well and provide our local young people with meaningful opportunities to connect, grow and develop.
In 2024/25, we engaged with over 20 young people, delivering sessions with six partner organisations including involving club members in Civic engagement projects. We were also proud to partner with Chatsworth to deliver a ‘Celebrating the Cascade’ masterclass which saw club members exploring the water features on the Chatsworth estate, connecting with nature and engaging with craft-based activities.
In 2024/25, CivicLAB™ held 18 events, attracting 410 attendees and collaborating with partner organisations such as Socitm, Derby Cathedral and the Royal Society for Arts (RSA).
Our annual CivicLAB™ conference continued to go from strength to strength, attracting 124 registrations from seven different countries. This was the first year that the conference has been held at the University, meaning we could offer an expanded programme with a broader range of speakers and topics. We were also able to offer sessions from Socitm, the RSA and EMMCA, showcasing the partners that the Civic team are engaging with across the country.
CivicLAB™ also continues to support Derby Book Festival through a programme of free author talks. In Autumn 2024, talks were held with authors Simon Philo, Cathy Hastie, Professor Michael Sweet and Alex Davis, with 77 people attending. In Spring 2025, talks were held with authors Professor Paul Elliot, Professor Katharine Cox, Adrian Autton, Professor Graeme Atherton, Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL, Dr Kathleen McIlvenna and Professor Michael Sweet, with a total of 40 people in attendance.
The Civic team and S.H.E.D were commissioned to design and deliver for Derbyshire County Council their public engagement of the first Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for Derbyshire and the City of Derby. The strategy will set out where and how we can improve, enhance and make space for nature in our area.
The S.H.E.D PODS toured five locations around Derbyshire. Locations were identified in collaboration with Derbyshire County Council, focusing on places that had lower response rates to pre-consultation surveys, and which represented a range of landscape characters, geographical positions within the county, and a wide mix of demographics. A total of 225 people were engaged directly as part of this project, with ages ranging from three to 81.
The Civic team delivered a successful pilot project with the London Borough of Barnet, looking at their approach to and policies surrounding extreme heat.
Over two days, the team facilitated an installation at Brent Cross shopping centre, engaging the public to find out how they cope with extreme heat, as well as a curated meal with local community leaders to uncover what the local community needs in these situations. In total, 85 members of the public were engaged during this project, and the Civic team are now exploring opportunities to continue working with the London Borough during 2025/26.
Derby Theatre
DT Communities, supported by Big Lotto funding, empowers residents in Normanton and Stockbrook to lead cultural programming through monthly steering groups. These hubs have delivered over 12 accredited training sessions – including Mental Health First Aid, Food Hygiene, and Deaf Awareness – boosting skills, confidence, and civic engagement. Events curated by the community have increased local pride and broadened access to arts and culture.
The programme also supports wellbeing through initiatives like Matinee Meet Ups, Sanctuary Seekers Café, and Dementia Carers Café, while offering paid opportunities to local creatives. Feedback highlights the value of autonomy, collaboration, and personal growth, reinforcing DT Communities as a driver of inclusive, place-based change in Derby.
Create Growth
The Civic team were a key contributor to the Derbyshire Create Growth bid, bringing £1.2 million to the region to support creative businesses with growth and scaling. Dr Rhiannon Jones co-authored the bid and sits on the EM2 Consortium, and CivicLAB, alongside consultants from Cultural Intersection, who evaluated the programme and held a future-focused event exploring what is next for the sector.
To date, the programme has supported 36 businesses and freelancers, engaged 261 businesses through networking events and supported five funding applications.
Forging Ahead - CFF RED
Dr Rhiannon Jones also contributed to a successful ‘Forging Ahead – CFF RED’ bid alongside Loughborough University, Midlands Innovation and a large consortium of Midlands-based HE Providers. This project is worth £16 million and over five years will help drive economic growth across the Midlands by strengthening the region’s commercialisation and innovation ecosystem.
UNESCO Learning Cities Network
The Civic team have been supporting colleagues from cities across the UK to coordinate and launch and UK UNESCO Learning Cities Network. This network will allow for greater visibility of the UK Learning Cities, offer greater opportunities for collaboration and enable sharing of best practice. Alongside leading steering groups for key pieces of work, the Civic team have also engaged local partners with this network to ensure the city benefits from the expertise of this network and the Learning City status.
Civic University awards and reception
Our annual Civic Awards and Reception returned in 2024/25, to celebrate individuals and organisations who have made a positive impact on the city and county. During the ceremony, David Walsh was presented with the Honorary Civic Award for his transformative impact on youth work through sport and Rachel Morris DL was presented with the Civic Hero award for her community work through Derby 500 Club.
We also introduced a new award through a partnership with Catherine Atkinson, MP for Derby North. This Intergenerational Volunteer Award celebrates people across the county who have provided or engaged in volunteer work that crosses generations. This award was presented to Avtar Singh Jawanda for his longstanding work in several initiatives across Derby.
We also recognised nine Civic Student Champions and an additional 33 staff Civic Champions, taking our number of Civic Champions to 50 in total.
Civic Community Sponsorship Awards
The Civic Community Fund had a successful year, with applications more than doubling in 2024/25, showing the need for a scheme like this. This year's funding winners are:
NightWatch™ Dark Sky events and activities at Rosliston Forestry Centre (Environmental Education Project)
This funding will support several night time events which will allow participants to learn about the stars, astrology and nocturnal wildlife, building personal connections to the natural night time environment through fun and interactive activities.
The Pond Project
The aim of The Pond Project is to regenerate a chain of ponds and restore the flow of the streams that connect them, forming a new circular “Rosary Route” to walk in recognition of the monastic history of Ripley. The act of doing so will help reconnect the community with each other and the habitat they nurtured.
The SEND Dynamic CIC: Being Us
The SEND Dynamic C.I.C. is delighted to accept the Civic Fund award to support its Being Us group for young autistic girls aged 11-18 in Derby and Derbyshire. It offers term-time fortnightly group-based support with discussion and activities around key themes and topics designed to reinforce positive Autistic identity and understanding of self.
Links CVS: Emotional Wellbeing and Wellness - Support for BME Communities in Derbyshire County
Links CVS provides support to voluntary organisations and community groups in Chesterfield and NE Derbyshire. Links CVS hosts the Derbyshire Inclusive Futures – Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Enterprise. The fund will help with events where communities can share their views and ideas about emotional wellbeing, receive information about local mental wellness support services, and enjoy a range of wellbeing activities.
Knowledge Exchange Framework
The University maintained a High Engagement score for Public and Community Engagement in the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) results for the second year in a row.
The KEF provides a picture of knowledge exchange activity across seven different 'perspectives' which cover the ways in which universities engage with society and the economy.
The University also continued to receive the top ranking of Very High Engagement for Local Growth & Regeneration and CPD/Graduate Start-Ups, and a High Engagement rating for Working with Business.
At the University of Derby, we either meet or exceed our cluster average in all seven perspectives.
Science in the city
In March 2025, the University of Derby’s Widening Participation Team hosted Science in the City during British Science Week, engaging over 200 young people in climate-focused activities. The programme featured an on-campus discovery day and a theatre showcase, exploring Climate Action through themes like Biodiversity, Decarbonisation, and Green Careers. Feedback highlighted high engagement, with students inspired by the interactive sessions and passionate educators.
Participants proposed over 15 actionable ideas for climate impact, including city-wide litter picking, solar panel incentives, and mandatory climate education. Creative outputs – poems, posters, and discussions – reflected strong awareness of climate issues and a desire for community-led change. The initiative successfully fostered youth-led dialogue and practical solutions for a greener Derby and has since been selected as a finalist in the UK and Ireland Green Gown awards in the Creating Impact category.
