From LSSI to Leeds Institute of Societal Futures: a new chapter

LSSI is relaunched as Leeds Institute of Societal Futures with a broadening of scope and ambition, putting co-production at its heart.

Leeds Social Sciences Institute (LSSI) has been an integral part of our research community for many years, creating opportunities for collaboration across the University, building strong partnerships, and supporting impactful research. That success has only been possible because of the engagement and support of colleagues and partners, and we’d like to thank everyone who has contributed along the way for making it such a success.

SHAPE and STEAM-led collaboration

We’re excited to share that LSSI is now evolving into Leeds Institute for Societal Futures. This new institute builds on LSSI’s strong foundations but pushes further, broadening its scope, raising its ambition, and increasing its influence on local, national and global agendas. Unlike LSSI, LISF will support activity and bring together expertise from all disciplines, championing the power of SHAPE and STEAM-led collaboration, and putting co-production at the heart of everything it does. Challenge-led research will sit alongside postgraduate education and professional learning innovation, creating spaces where students, researchers, and partners can collaborate, experiment, and turn bold ideas into solutions that really matter.

The work of Leeds Institute for Societal Futures will focus around four urgent challenges: Ethical AI and Responsible Digital Societies; Migration, Mobility and Belonging; Addressing Health Inequalities; and Polarisation, Trust and Social Cohesion. But alongside this, it will still continue to deliver everything LSSI has been known for, including the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account and the White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership.

We look forward to sharing more soon. There will be an informal launch event in the Great Hall on 29 September, 3–5pm. Everyone is welcome. To register your interest, please sign up here.

For more information about what Leeds Institute for Societal Futures do and to join their networks, visit societal.leeds.ac.uk.