Coronavirus: Meeting the challenge together
From research to business and community support, Kingston University staff and students are making vital contributions to the fight against Covid-19 - advancing knowledge in areas including health and social care, social and economic regeneration as well as exploring the impact of the virus on our behaviours, wellbeing and creativity.
The University has strong partnerships with a range of public bodies, community organisations and businesses across the borough, including Kingston Council and the Kingston Chamber of Commerce. We are committed to working together with our partners to reduce the impact of coronavirus across our communities and provide support planning for the future.
Work with us
We are working with a range of partners, both across the borough and nationally, to help make a difference during the pandemic. Working in partnership with two local Primary Care Networks, South West London CCG and Kingston Council, the University has now opened a 10-station vaccination site at its Penrhyn Road campus, after helping support the initial roll-out of vaccinations in December.
Our innovative projects include research studies, student hackathons to support business recovery, and the production of personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline workers. Our expertise encompasses health, social care, education, science and technology, building and the environment, business, economics, psychology, social policy, law and the creative industries.
We can support your organisation, business or group through our research, knowledge exchange and community work. Get in touch and we will match you with the appropriate experts to take the conversation forward.
Covid-19 research and news stories
Student Internships
In response to the impact Covid-19 is continuing to have on employers of all sizes, in June Kingston University announced funded support through our Graduate Internships summer programme.
Businesses applied for funding to cover the costs of employing a team of graduates to work on a clearly defined project for six to eight weeks (part-time). Funding was available to charities, social enterprises, SMEs and local authorities.
The programme provided businesses with access to a wide range of skills and insight, working with a group of talented Kingston University graduates to work collaboratively on a project brief to provide immediate support to organisations in areas such as digital marketing and business development.
Supporting pandemic response through research
Kingston University researchers have used a mathematical model known as game theory to explore how the challenge of securing sufficient levels of vital personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic could have been mitigated.
In a new study published in open access scientific journal PLOS ONE, researchers used game theory – the mathematical study of how individuals or groups interact and make decisions – to model the cost-saving impact earlier stockpiling and increased storage capability could have had, as well as how the model could be applied to make decisions around future pandemic preparations.
Sharing our knowledge and expertise
Expert opinion
Learning disability and palliative care expert Professor Irene Tuffrey-Wijne reacts to news that people with learning disabilities will now be prioritised for a vaccine.
Community contribution
Kingston University is set to share the talents and expertise of its staff and students, research expertise and specialist facilities as part of a new programme of support for businesses across South London in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Events
Webinar explores how questions of public trust in science and government during Chernobyl disaster are paralleled in Covid-19 pandemic.
Information for researchers
University academics can visit StaffSpace for information on how Covid-19 may affect current research.
Further information on UKRI Funding for projects addressing and mitigating the health, social, economic, cultural and environmental impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak is available on the UKRI website. Staff should contact their Research Development Manager for support.
Any staff with specialist knowledge or expertise related to the Covid-19 outbreak or its impacts can also register for the Parliamentary Covid-19 Outbreak Expert Database.
Sharing our expertise with the media
Find out more about the ways in which our staff and students are keeping the public informed and contributing to the debate. Many of our experts are available for media interviews, which can be arranged through our External Communications team.
