Exeter Uni News

A University of Exeter expert’s work is supporting efforts to make the Houses of Parliament more accessible for MPs, staff and visitors with disabilities. Research by Dr Ekaterina Kolpinskaya shows the difficulties caused because adjustments for politicians are made on a case-by-case basis rather than systematically. This forces them to adapt to the ways of the House rather than the House adapting to the changing needs of the membership. Dr Kolpinskaya’s evidence has been cited in a new…

The University of Exeter is a finalist for Apprenticeship Provider of the Year at the Apprenticeship and Training Awards 2026. The ATA Awards celebrate exceptional training, widening participation and employer partnerships, with this year’s awards seeing 650 nominations across 19 categories. Exeter has more than 4,000 apprentices enrolled on degree apprenticeship programmes and the largest portfolio of programmes of any Russell Group learning provider, as well as a dedicated Centre for Degree Partnerships where it works with more than 600 employer partners…

Research and education links between Exeter and a university in Palestine will continue, thanks to the signing of a renewed collaboration agreement. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the University of Exeter and the Arab-American University in Palestine (AAUP)that underpins the collaborative “Stories of Hope” translational genomic research programme was first signed in 2019. It recognises a commitment by both parties to reduce the genomic healthcare inequalities faced by Palestinian families affected by rare genetic conditions, some of…

Experts in Artificial Intelligence are to collaborate on a transatlantic research project looking at the relationship between Wikipedia and generative AI. Curating the Commons – AI, Wikipedia, and the Reconstruction of Notability will explore how the globally renowned repository of information both shapes, and is shaped by, the rise of AI and large language models (LLMs). Bringing together scholars from the University of Exeter and the University of North Carolina, the project will consider how this dynamic represents…

A test using genetics to predict who is at the highest risk of developing type 1 diabetes could one day be applied to largescale health studies, to identify adults who could benefit from new drugs, new research shows. Known as a genetic risk score, the test uses all genetic information to predict risk of going on to develop type 1 diabetes. This genetic risk score also feeds into an online clinical calculator, previously developed by the team led…

The effectiveness of ambitious efforts to attract over £1 billion annually into nature recovery by 2030 could be undermined without stronger governance and regulatory oversight, according to new analysis from the University of Exeter. Market-based instruments are crucial for addressing nature degradation and financing gaps, but the current framework risks market failures due to inherent complexities in valuing biodiversity, issues within existing schemes like Biodiversity Net Gain and a lack of robust regulatory control, the study shows. The…

Twenty-four clinicians and laboratory technicians have enrolled in a bespoke training programme designed to strengthen the diagnosis and treatment of deadly fungal diseases. With infections soaring globally and two million deaths every year, the programme was hugely oversubscribed as health professionals urgently seek to master early detection techniques that can save lives.  Fungal infections pose a significant and growing threat to global health, with the heaviest burden falling on low- and middle-income countries. The increasing number of new fungal cases appearing in hospitals worldwide is…

A new book suggests that the pictures we use to tell stories about climate change fundamentally shape how we respond to the issue. The Visual Life of Climate Change, by Professor Saffron O’Neill from the University of Exeter, says we often rely on a small set of images to illustrate climate change – and these exclude many people and places from the discussion about climate action. Every day, journalists and editors around the world grapple with how to…