The partnership between CESI and our local community partners was further strengthened and extended when CESI and the Market Development Association (MDA) hosted a group of cross-disciplinary academics from Queen’s in the Market Community Centre last week (26 September 2021). The group was led by Gavin McWilliams, Multidisciplinary Programme Director at ECIT (Institute of Electronics, Communications& Information Technology) and was made up of QUB colleagues from a range of disciplines including Architecture, Environmental Studies, Law, Computer Science, Social Sciences, Politics, History and Social Policy.

The consortium spent the morning with the community learning the history of the Market area and the challenges that the current residents face, such as housing issues, pollution, commercial over-development and employment issues. Fionntán Hargey from the MDA brought the group on a walkabout tour of  the area, stopping at zones earmarked by the community for development and looked at plans for residential and social enterprise proposals for the area. The morning was rounded up in a discussion about further collaborations, possible funding sources and exciting research projects.