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27 Jan 2025
Leadership In Research Series: An Interview with Dr. Chathurika Kannangara

As part of our ongoing series with health academic leaders across Greater Manchester, Ben Diette (Academic Partnerships Manager) had the pleasure of interviewing Dr Chathurika Kannangara, University Director of Research Quality, at the University of Bolton. This series aims to highlight the importance of academic leadership in research and innovation, while gaining insights into their areas of focus, collaboration efforts, and the impact of their work.
To start, can you share a bit about your career path and your current role at the University of Bolton?
My background is in psychology, and I joined the University of Bolton about 11 years ago. I’m originally from South Asia, where I completed my undergraduate and Master’s education and received my initial research training in India. I worked in hospitals in that region before coming to the UK, where my focus was on educational psychology and counselling.
Since joining Bolton, I’ve built my research profile alongside my PhD work and eventually moved into an academic role. I took on various research responsibilities, starting within my department, which led me to my current role as the university’s Director of Research. I began in this position about a year ago, right in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was a challenging but insightful time for research. My experience coordinating research panels within the psychology department and across the university gave me a solid understanding of the university’s research trajectory, which helped me take on this role with a clear sense of direction.
You started your career in South Asia and now continue in the UK. How has this journey shaped the vision you hold in your current role?
My work in India and Sri Lanka significantly influenced my research focus. Working in those countries, especially in hospital settings, and then transitioning to patient work within the NHS has provided me with unique perspectives. I understand both the contrasts and similarities between the two contexts, and it has deepened my interest in niche areas, especially in fields related to ethnic minority communities, which we have many of here in Bolton.
This background also naturally led to ongoing collaborations with colleagues in India and Sri Lanka, as well as other South Asian countries. This cross-cultural experience continues to guide my research approach and collaborations, creating meaningful connections across regions.
With the university’s current research strategy in mind, what specific areas of strength or focus do you foresee in the next few years? And where do you see potential for collaboration?
This is a good question, especially given the current financial constraints in academia. Bolton is a small, community-based university, so our research funding isn’t as extensive as some larger institutions. We’re very strategic about identifying funding sources that align with our unique profile. Since I started in this role, we’ve worked with each school across the university to create research plans that allow departments to set their own research priorities while aligning with our overall university strategy.
For instance, we’ve established mentoring programs for early-career researchers and new faculty, helping them integrate into our research community. We also give our teaching-focused colleagues more time to teach, allowing those interested in research to fully engage in it. Each school creates its own research plan, identifying key goals and milestones in areas like PhD supervision, and we support doctoral supervisors to stay at the cutting edge of their fields. This initiative is helping us develop a sustainable research culture that can thrive within our resource limits.
It sounds like you’ve created a strong framework for research development. What role does collaboration play in this, whether it’s with clinicians, industry, or the community?
Collaboration is essential to our research, and we’ve established numerous partnerships within our local community. We work closely with local health trusts, including the Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, and have been involved in impactful projects with these partners, which is especially relevant as we move forward with plans for a new medical school. This collaboration with clinicians and local trusts is fundamental to establishing our reputation in the health sector.
In other areas, our engineering faculty collaborates with industry partners, and we’re also advancing AI research in computing, with promising applications. Our arts faculty works with local museums, fostering a diverse range of industry and community collaborations. These partnerships not only strengthen our research capabilities but also deepen our impact within the community.
Speaking of impact, you’ve presented on this topic before. From your perspective, why is research impact so important, and do you have any tips for developing it?
Research impact is incredibly important—without it, research risks becoming irrelevant. I recall hearing a statistic a few years ago that, on average, a published research paper may only be read a handful of times, including by the author’s own family. This illustrates the need for research to be more than just publishable—it needs to reach and benefit its intended audience.
My top tip for achieving impact is to consider it from the very beginning of a project. Start by thinking about who will benefit from your research. Design your study with these end-users in mind—whether that’s patients, industry stakeholders, or specific organisations. Collaborate with them early on, ensuring they are part of the process from the outset. This way, your research is directly aligned with the needs and interests of those who will ultimately use it, making it much more likely to have a real-world impact.
Dr. Chathurika Kannangara’s journey—from her roots in South Asia to her current role as the Director of Research at the University of Bolton—highlights the importance of building research frameworks that are strategic, collaborative, and impact-driven. Despite the financial and structural challenges faced by many universities today, Dr. Kannangara emphasises the power of targeted research planning and community partnerships to drive meaningful change. By focusing on local and international collaborations, mentoring emerging researchers, and keeping end-users at the centre of research design, the University of Bolton is creating a sustainable research culture with real-world impact.
In a rapidly evolving academic landscape, Dr. Kannangara’s approach serves as an inspiring model for how institutions can leverage their unique strengths and resources. Her advice to prioritise impact from the start and involve end-users as partners speaks to the transformative potential of research that extends beyond academia. As the University of Bolton moves forward with ambitious plans for new initiatives, such as the anticipated medical school, these strategies will undoubtedly help position it as a leader in community-focused, impactful research.