Unlocking research opportunities: Partnering with academics

In April 2025, we hosted a webinar on how to unlock research opportunities through partnering with academics – a key priority for many patient organisations.

In this session, we introduced how academia works and provided practical guidance on how to find and approach the right academic for your patient group. We also had a patient organisation and an academic discuss their experience finding and building these relationships.

What will you learn in this webinar?

• How academic research works and the structures that shape it.
• Where to find researchers working on your condition and how to connect with them.
• Practical ways to boost the appeal of your patient group to researchers.
• Real-world examples of successful research partnerships – one led by a patient group working with academics, and one led by an academic working with patient groups.

With thanks to the Funders of The Empowerment Programme 2025.