Case Study: The University of Manchester improves research support and investment planning with PA Consulting

Helping researchers do their best work

The University of Manchester wanted to strengthen its position as a top research university by improving the support, processes, and IT services available to researchers. PA Consulting worked with the university to assess where investment would have the greatest impact across the research lifecycle.

PA Consulting consulted around 1,000 researchers in just eight weeks, using face-to-face interviews and ThoughtExchange to gather wider input and distinguish the needs of early-career and established academics. It identified 20 possible initiatives, then prioritized three key areas: research grant administration, data management, and computing power. The resulting business case secured unanimous support from the university’s research committee and led to additional investment in research support over the next four years.

The University of Manchester

Angus Hearmon

Research IT Programme Director