Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Our organisation

Part of being a strong institution involves ensuring that our governance structures are robust and transparent. In 2021/22, we reviewed the committees reporting into the Executive, rationalised them and included terms of reference on our website. In line with our new Corporate Plan and associated strategies, we have re-named Human Resources to become People and Culture and strengthened our focus on equality, diversity and inclusion.

Our 2021/22 financial statement can be found on our governance and policies page.

Working with stakeholders

We introduced a new policy to support our engagement with local stakeholders (People tab). Extensive consultations on proposals to relocate Marshall from Cambridge to Cranfield were held throughout 2022 to provide a full response to key questions raised by community members.

We have established a strategic partnership with experienced digital forensic practitioners CCL Solutions Group, as we continue to develop our new, state-of-the-art forensic science education and research centre.

Working with governments

We continued to work with governments, for example, on renewable energy provision in Peterborough, with the Thai government on the Bio-Circular-Green Economic Model, and with organisations in the US to look at water infrastructure resilience.

Education

Cranfield staff have contributed to education and wider discussion on subjects relevant to SDG 16, such conflicts in Ukraine and Afghanistan, and ancient migration.

Research

The 2021/22 Defence and Security yearbook can be downloaded from our website.

Our evidence for this goal in The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings includes reporting our policies on academic freedom (including information in our statutes about our Senate and Council and Student Association representation).

We engage locally through the University’s Regional Engagement Team that meets weekly with reps from Central Bedfordshire Council and bi-monthly with Bedford Borough Council.

We have joined forces with Milton Keynes Council and business partners to develop and inform decision making for a new university, MK:U.

Cranfield is co-leading a new international project to examine the role of culture and archives in enhancing possibilities for peace and preventing conflict in communities around the world. Imagining Futures through Un/Archived Pasts is a four-year, £2 million project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and will establish an interdisciplinary network to connect creators and institutions in Africa, the Middle East, North America and Europe.

Our academics participate as advisers to local, regional and national government, for example:

• Pirienergy project – working with Peterborough City Council and other partners, the project aimed to deliver low-cost and low carbon emission energy for the Peterborough community which could be transferred to other cities.
• Soil policy for Wales – Dr Jacqueline Hannam worked with the Welsh Government to develop the first Soil Policy Statement for Wales. The report has now been published.

Our leadership of the Academic Resilience and Security Community (RiSC) is an example of providing a neutral platform for stakeholders to discuss challenging subjects. RiSC is a network of universities formed to promote academic engagement in solving challenges in national security and resilience. It is recognised by the Home Office and other Government departments as a portal to academia.