New research highlights impact of ARC-GM Internship and Pre-doctoral Fellowship programmes
New research has highlighted how targeted internships and fellowships are helping to build health and care research capacity across Greater Manchester, strengthening the region’s ability to generate evidence that improves services and patient outcomes.
The study, published in Health Research Policy and Systems (available here), evaluated early-career research opportunities delivered through the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Greater Manchester (ARC-GM) Capacity Building programme. The schemes were designed to support health and social care professionals, including those in nursing, allied health, social care and commissioning roles, to develop research skills and experience alongside academic partners.
Researchers carried out in-depth interviews with interns, pre-doctoral fellows, supervisors and managers to understand how the programmes influenced research capacity. The findings show the schemes successfully built participants’ skills, confidence and understanding of the research process, while also strengthening links between practice organisations and universities across the region.
A key strength identified was the close connection between research and real-world practice. Participants often developed projects based on challenges they encountered in their day-to-day roles, supporting the translation of evidence into improvements in care. Many trainees went on to publish research, apply for further funding or introduce evidence-informed changes within their organisations, demonstrating both academic and service impact.
The study also highlighted important enablers for building sustainable research capacity in Greater Manchester. Protected time to undertake research, supportive line management, mentorship from experienced academics and a positive organisational research culture were all critical to success. On the other hand, pressures on staffing and limited awareness among some managers about the value of research could create barriers to participation.
Janette Dunkerley, Assistant Chief Nurse for Research & Innovation at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, and Health and Care Director for Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals (NMAHPs) at the NIHR Regional Research Delivery Network (RDN) North West, commented:
"This evaluation of the Internship and Pre-doctoral Fellowship schemes provided by the NIHR Applied Collaboration Greater Manchester demonstrates how such opportunities can effectively develop research capacity within the health and care service. Importantly, the evaluation itself uses rigorous research methods to include the perspectives of multiple stakeholders to tease out what influences the schemes. Not only is this useful for developing new research capacity development strategies regionally in GM, but it is also a critical step in opening up the wider conversation about capacity building in the health and care research ecosystem nationally."
Importantly, the programmes provided by ARC-GM support different entry points into research, acting as a first step for some professionals and progression for others. Those taking up the schemes frequently shared their new skills with colleagues, helping to spread research awareness and capability more widely across local health and care services.
The study concludes that initiatives like those delivered through ARC-GM can play a vital role in developing a research-active workforce beyond traditional clinical academic pathways. By investing in such people and partnerships, ARC-GM supports Greater Manchester’s capacity and capability to generate applied research that addresses local priorities and improves outcomes for communities.
You can find out more about our early-career research opportunities here: arc-gm.nihr.ac.uk/training-and-development
Published 03/03/26