- Professor Shivani Sharma will reflect on her career in higher education leadership and applied health research
- The lecture will explore the growing need to shift from small-scale diversity initiatives to embedded, system-level approaches
- Online places are available for the event at Aston Business School on Thursday 8 May 2025.
Aston University will host an inaugural lecture by Professor Shivani Sharma, deputy pro-vice chancellor for people, planning and performance in the College of Business and Social Sciences, on Thursday 8 May 2025.
Titled Ineligible or ignored: Making inclusive research cultures everyone’s business, the lecture will explore the growing need to shift from small-scale diversity initiatives to embedded, system-level approaches that help bridge long-standing health equity gaps.
The UK’s health inequalities are estimated to cost the economy around £65 billion annually. Professor Sharma argues that research priorities must be realigned with areas of greatest need, with inclusive research cultures playing a critical role in closing that gap. Her work has been particularly influential in kidney health, where she has collaborated with a range of stakeholders to reimagine how science can better serve those whose voices have been excluded from research for health benefit
Professor Sharma will reflect on her career in higher education leadership and applied health research, spotlighting efforts to reshape how we think about inclusion, especially in the context of meaningful engagement with communities intended to benefit from innovation alongside professionals in positions to take forward change initiatives. This includes in academic and healthcare settings. She will highlight scalable interventions that bring marginalised voices into the research ecosystem and improve outcomes for underserved populations.
Professor Sharma said:
“Too often, the people who stand to gain the most from health research are the least likely to be represented in it.
“Tackling this isn’t just a matter of fairness, it’s essential for research quality, societal progress, and long-term sustainability in health systems.
“I’m looking forward to sharing how inclusion can be more than a tick-box exercise, and how we can all play a role in driving change.”
The free event will take place at Aston Business School from 1800 – 2000 hrs on Thursday 8 May.
To sign up for a place online, visit the Eventbrite page.
- Notes to Editors
About Aston University
For over 130 years, Aston University has been making our world a better place through education, research and innovation. Our history is intertwined with the remarkable city of Birmingham, once the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and now the thriving base for an innovation ecosystem of global significance, which Aston is co-creating.
Our vision is to be a leading university for science, technology and enterprise, measured by the positive transformational impact we achieve for our people, students, businesses and the communities we serve.
Aston focuses on high-quality, exploitable research that has an impact on society through medical breakthroughs, advancements in engineering, policy and practice in government, and the strategies and performance of business.
The university offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, as well as Continuing Professional Development solutions.
Thanks to its focus on delivering excellent outcomes for students, Aston University's reputation continues to grow. It was recognised as the Daily Mail University of the Year for Student Success 2025, is 2nd in England for social mobility (2023 HEPI Social Mobility Index), and is top 20 for graduate salaries (2024 Longitudinal Education Outcomes).
Aston University is now defining its place in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world.
For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Sam Cook, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44) 7446 910063 or email: s.cook2@aston.ac.uk
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