The Creating Opportunities through Local Innovation Fellowships (COLIF) is a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) pilot programme delivered through the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Impact Acceleration Accounts (IAAs), supporting place-based collaboration to address regional inequalities.

COLIF forms part of UKRI’s Creating Opportunities, Improving Outcomes strategic programme (2023–2029), focused on improving economic and social outcomes for people and places across the UK.

Fellowships are open to academics from any discipline and may take the form of placements or collaborative projects. All activity is expected to be evidence-informed, locally grounded, and designed with clear pathways to impact.

Cluster 4

Cluster 4 is one of five ESRC IAA regional clusters participating in COLIF. Partner institutions include University of Hertfordshire, Institute for Fiscal Studies, King’s College London, London School of Economics and Political Science, SOAS University of London, University College London, Royal Holloway, University of London, and University of Surrey.

SOAS University of London is the Lead Organisation for Cluster 4 and acts as the COLIF Host for the duration of the pilot. SOAS coordinates delivery across the cluster through its SOAS Impact Acceleration Account (IAA), providing strategic oversight, coordination, and reporting to the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

Programme duration

The COLIF pilot runs from January 2024 to March 2026. Fellowship activity must begin by March 2024, with final reporting completed by June 2026.

Aims and Objectives

The aim of COLIF is to improve outcomes for people and places across the UK by supporting locally grounded innovation. The programme supports place-based solutions, cross-disciplinary collaboration, co-designed approaches with partners and communities, and shared learning on effective regional fellowship models.