Taking Leeds to the world—and bringing the world to Leeds

A bold new initiative is positioning Leeds as a global connector—linking world-class research, international collaboration, and education that advances citizen well-being.

Launched in late 2024 through an anonymous philanthropic commitment, the Initiative for Global Business Impact and Citizen Wellbeing strengthens Leeds’ research infrastructure and global partnerships to address pressing challenges such as sustainability, consumer financial decision-making, and economic resilience. 

Building on existing faculty expertise, the initiative will expand collaborative research, invite leading global scholars to campus and create new, globally connected learning opportunities for students. 

Why it matters now 

Global problems such as sustainability, poverty, regulation, geopolitics and demographic shifts cannot be solved in isolation—collaboration across countries and disciplines is essential. The initiative’s first phase focuses on sustainability and on consumer financial decision-making, a pressing issue as households worldwide face inflation, rising debt burdens and uneven access to financial tools.  

“This generous gift provides Leeds with the opportunity to both broaden and deepen our inquiries by fostering connections with global communities, creating a meaningful impact on citizen well-being, businesses and society,” said Dean Vijay Khatri. 

Leadership 

Led by Distinguished Professor John G. Lynch Jr., a renowned scholar in consumer decision-making and recipient of the 2025 AMA–Irwin–McGraw-Hill Distinguished Marketing Educator Award, the initiative reflects Leeds’ growing reputation for research that improves lives and informs policy around the world.