Community Hub
Helping improve how universities connect with local communities
Welcome to our Community Hub
The Community Hub is a place for collaboration, where community groups and university staff can connect, share expertise, and work together on meaningful projects.
Whether you’re looking to access university resources, explore partnership opportunities, or bring a new idea to life, the Hub is here to help you.
Shaped by feedback from workshops and surveys, this space is designed to support the needs of Plymouth’s vibrant communities.
Whether you’re looking to access university resources, explore partnership opportunities, or bring a new idea to life, the Hub is here to help you.
Shaped by feedback from workshops and surveys, this space is designed to support the needs of Plymouth’s vibrant communities.
Ready to get involved?
Get in Touch
Contact our Community Engagement Officer, Matt Grant, to discuss how we can support your community projects or explore ways to collaborate with the University of Plymouth.
Discover together - connect with academics and research opportunities
Collaborate on research
Explore opportunities to connect with researchers, collaborate on projects, and learn together.
Whether you’re contributing to research or bringing new ideas to life, there’s something for everyone.
Discover research at Plymouth
The University of Plymouth Research Portal provides information about our researchers, research units, research outputs, and activities. Explore our experts, local links, and areas of knowledge, and identify possible partners for research projects.
Get involved with research
Do you have a local issue that needs researching? Have you got a problem in your community that you want to resolve, or an idea to help the city? You can get involved in community research with us with our Get Involved Awards.
Public Research Case Studies
Here you can find some of the ways our researchers have worked to engaged with the public, share specific research findings, and help the public to benefit from the research being done at the University.
Local research in action
Plymouth City Council, in partnership with the University of Plymouth, has received £4.7 million from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to tackle health inequalities in the city. This programme focuses on the social factors that impact health—such as housing, employment, and community support—ensuring decisions are based on strong research and real-world evidence.
A dedicated research team, embedded within the Council, works alongside community organisations, the NHS, businesses, and academic experts to understand what works and why. The aim is to improve quality of life by using research to shape policies, funding, and local services.
Work together - placements, internships and student collaborations
Sharing skills in Plymouth
The University of Plymouth is home to talented students and staff who can bring fresh ideas and skills to your projects.
Whether you’re looking for interns, volunteers, or new team members, we can help you connect with the right people to support your work.
Connect with our talented students and graduates
Our dedicated Employer Engagement Team works with organisations to support recruitment, internships, and placements. Whether you're looking to find the right candidates or raise your profile on campus, we can help you connect with talented students.
Plymouth Freelancers Agency
You can connect with our growing pool of new, developing, and established student and graduate freelancers. All our freelancers are prepared and accessible to take on your projects whenever you require, with no agency fees.
Student Volunteers
Looking for enthusiastic volunteers to support your projects? The University of Plymouth Students’ Union connects community groups with students keen to get involved.
Working with the community
The Law Clinic offers real advice and assistance to clients in the Plymouth community, across a range of legal areas.
Coordinated by law students and supervised by staff - the clinic provides hands on experience for our students and provides a vital service to the local community.
Be together - events, spaces and resources open to all
Open and welcoming
The University of Plymouth is part of the city, and our campus is open to everyone. Whether you're stopping by for a coffee at one of our cafés, attending a public event, or exploring ways to use our spaces for your community activities, you’re always welcome.
We invite you to be part of our campus, connect with others, and make the most of what’s on offer.
Public events
From experts sharing their latest research to films, performances and family festivals, our exciting and varied events are open to all members of our communities. We welcome students, staff, alumni and the wider community to get involved.
University cafés – open to all
Our cafés serve locally sourced, Fairtrade, and sustainable food, welcoming staff, students, and the wider community. With 10 locations across campus, you can enjoy fresh, seasonal meals, barista coffee, and a range of vegetarian and vegan options.
Community room hire
The University of Plymouth offers a range of event spaces, Whether you're planning a conference, meeting, workshop, or community gathering. Free room hire for non-profit community groups is available for those who meet the criteria.
Exploring culture together
The Bridge - public events
The Bridge brings people together to explore art, culture, and research in an open and welcoming way.
We create spaces where everyone can take part, share ideas, and be inspired through creativity and collaboration.
The Bridge's arts & culture programme produces and hosts over 100 events each year for everyone’s learning and enjoyment.
Ian Malkin, Transversales Verdun
Local News
- University helps to lead calls for investment in coastal communities 10 March 2025
- Accelerating action this International Women’s Day 7 March 2025
- New £7.7 million centre to offer best in eyecare teaching and practice 29 January 2025
- Festive fruit and veg more accessible thanks to local project 9 December 2024
- University eye clinic changing young people’s lives 4 September 2024
More about the Hub
The University of Plymouth has been supported by the National Civic Impact Accelerator (NCIA) to transform how we connect with our local community.
Here in Plymouth, we’ve developed this digital Community Hub: a space designed to help local groups access university resources, collaborate on research, and engage in training or student-led projects.
To ensure the Hub reflects real community needs, we gathered ideas and priorities directly from local representatives through workshops and feedback. These insights have shaped the platform into a valuable resource for strengthening partnerships between the University and Plymouth’s vibrant community.