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Surrey research to power solutions for local challenges through new Civic Lab with Guildford and Waverley Borough Councils

Five adults sitting at the front of a room at a panel events. Two women and three men.

The University of Surrey and Guildford and Waverley Borough Councils have joined forces to launch the Civic Lab at the University of Surrey's Institute for Sustainability.  

The new Civic Lab will link University researchers and innovators with council policymakers and teams. Together, they will identify and tackle real-world challenges affecting local communities. 

The University and Guildford Borough Council have a long history of working closely together - but the new Lab draws in Waverley and formalises and joins the connections across a wide range of collaborative projects linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, solutions-focused work through our Sustainability Innovation Hub, and our Quarterly business Breakfasts. 

The new partnership will also look at upcoming opportunities to give students studying at Surrey real world training and experience by undertaking a paid placement training session at one of the District and Borough councils. 

Professor Amelia Hadfield, Director of CIFAL Surrey at the University of Surrey, said: 

"The Civic Lab will be a home for collaborative innovation work, where our academics, civic leaders, and managers can work through thorny challenges and find real-world solutions. While our focus is local, those solutions will have potential for regional or national application, and we'll look forward to working together to unleash solutions made in Surrey for the benefit of wider society. University research does not exist in ivory towers; it exists in the impact it can deliver in the real world. Our research has global application, but the Civic Lab emphasises the importance we attach to positive local impact."  

Cllr Julia McShane, Leader of Guildford Borough Council, said: 

"Guildford is proud to have a long-standing relationship with the University of Surrey, and the launch of the Civic Lab marks an exciting new phase. This partnership gives us the opportunity to bring world-class research into our policymaking process - helping us address complex challenges in areas like infrastructure, sustainability, and economic development. Civic Lab will be a space where together, we will shape a stronger, smarter, and more sustainable future for Guildford and beyond." 

Cllr Paul Follows, Leader of Waverley Borough Council, said: 

"Whether it's improving services, preparing for future infrastructure needs, or navigating the transition to a greener economy, this partnership allows us to do more, and do it better. In a time of change and reorganisation across local government, Civic Lab shows what's possible when we work collaboratively, across boundaries, to deliver for our communities." 

Nathalie Hinds, Director, Institute Operations, Innovation and Partnerships at the Surrey Institute for Sustainability, said:  

"The Civic Lab brings together many strands of our existing work with Guildford and Waverley councils. It creates a single, clear way to work together and make sure our academic research drives impactful local action with local communities." 

Published on 20 June 2025.