The University of Manchester is already recognised as a world-leading university through our research, teaching, partnerships, impact and reputation. But we know being international is not only about rankings or where we are seen in the world. It is about how we work, who we work with, and the difference we make together. 

The title of our strategy matters. From Manchester, For the World reflects something fundamental about us: international engagement is built into our DNA. It shapes the students we teach, the colleagues we work alongside, the research questions we ask, the partnerships we build and the impact we want to have. 

Alongside our UK campus, our International Centres in Dubai, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore, as well as our international teaching and learning and research partnerships play a vital role in connecting the University of Manchester with students, alumni, partners and opportunities across the globe. They help us understand local higher education ecosystems, support our students in country, engage alumni and strengthen teaching, business engagement, research and innovation links. 

This plan is not a detailed operational manual. It is a shared roadmap for the first phase of the strategy. It focuses our collective effort on the areas where we can make the biggest difference internationally over the next three years. 

What the plan is 

The International Delivery Plan is organised around five priorities. The first is to develop three distinctive University of Manchester Global Initiatives. The next three connect international activity with Research, Teaching & Learning, and Innovation. The final priority focuses on improving the systems, processes and shared ways of working that will help us act as one university. 

Together, these priorities are designed to help us do three things: build international research collaborations that turn excellence into impact; grow flexible and transnational education opportunities; and strengthen an inclusive innovation ecosystem that gets our knowledge, ideas and teaching out into the world faster, with our partners. 

Our three Global Initiatives are: 

1. Manchester-Melbourne-Toronto Alliance. Building on our long-standing relationships with the University of Melbourne and the University of Toronto, MMT 2.0 will create more opportunities for research, innovation, teaching and learning collaboration, including through the Global Humanities Alliance. 
2. Opportunities and innovation in Africa. Building on our Africa Strategy, we will deepen and extend research and educational partnerships based on co-creation, equity and mutual benefit. We will also seek philanthropic funding to support impactful projects with partners in Africa. 
3. Alliance and reputation building. We will grow partnerships that increase high-quality research, strengthen international collaborative teaching, support business engagement and create new benefits for alumni and students. 

What we’ve heard 

This plan has been developed collaboratively with colleagues from across Research, Teaching & Learning, Innovation, Social Responsibility, our Directorate of Development and Alumni Relations, and Communications, Marketing and Student Recruitment.  

The conversations behind the plan asked simple but important questions: what does ‘International’ mean for The University of Manchester, and what do we want to be known for globally?  

Three clear drivers emerged: Recruitment, Research and Reputation. These are memorable because they are also practical. They remind us that international engagement is about attracting talented students, building excellent and impactful research collaborations, and strengthening Manchester’s reputation through the quality and reach of what we do. 

The message we heard strongly is that international cannot sit in one part of the University. It must be connected to our teaching, our research, our innovation activity, our alumni relationships, our student experience and our ways of working. That is why this plan belongs to all of us. 

Three things to remember 

1. International is everyone’s business. Whether your work is focused on students, research, partnerships, engagement, operations or professional services, you all have a role to play. 
2. Partnership is our route to impact. Our Global Initiatives will focus our energy on areas where we already have strength and where there is more we can achieve. They will help us build deeper, more purposeful and more visible collaborations. 
3. We need to work as one university. We need shared priorities, clearer routes into support and more joined-up ways of working. That means connecting expertise across Schools, Faculties, PS teams, International Centres and our global partner network. 

What you’ll see happening next 

Over the coming weeks, we will be launching the University of Manchester Global Fund, a new approach to international research collaboration seed funding. The fund will support priority research themes with matching funding from an evolving group of global university partners. Our aim is to help colleagues develop collaborations that lead to high-quality publications, stronger external funding proposals, impactful research and enhanced global reputation. The Global Fund will run twice a year, offering a more agile and efficient route to supporting international collaborative research.  

In early 2027, colleagues can also expect the launch of MMT 2.0, expanding collaboration between us, Melbourne and Toronto University. We also look forward to growing our engagement in India, potentially through a new in-country International Office, to strengthen recruitment, alumni engagement, research and innovation links. 

Ways to get involved 

Whether you’re directly involved in international activity or not, our success depends on collaboration across the University. If you want to know more about research or teaching and learning opportunities, or have expert knowledge of a particular region, you could help us. Please get in touch with  AVP-International@manchester.ac.uk  for more information or share your questions and ideas in the comments below. 

More to come… 

International is the first of our Delivery Plans to be published. In the coming weeks, you will also see plans for Research, Innovation and Teaching and Learning. Together, they will show how we will deliver From Manchester, For the World in a connected, practical and ambitious way. 

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