The full-day event brought together researchers, professional and administrative colleagues, and postgraduate representatives from across the C4 partnership to strengthen understanding of how the programme’s Implementation Units and Integrated Research Teams are aligned. The morning sessions focused on outlining how the different strands of activity connect to C4’s overarching mission, creating space for discussion, reflection, and shared learning across institutions and disciplines.

Participants then took part in facilitated small-group activities designed to generate ideas for future support and development. These sessions encouraged open dialogue around shared challenges, capacity building, communication structures, and opportunities for deeper collaboration. Group feedback highlighted the importance of clear coordination, shared resources, and consistent communication pathways to support the evolving needs of the network. Later discussions with the C4 Programme Support team provided clarity around administrative and communications processes, supporting teams to better navigate systems and strengthen day-to-day working practices. The afternoon concluded with a researcher- and PGR-led session, which foregrounded the value of early-career researcher perspectives and the importance of inclusive spaces for knowledge exchange.

The workshop reinforced the value of partnership working and underlined a shared commitment to co-produced, community-connected research. Discussions across the day demonstrated the importance of building sustainable relationships between and within communities and across research teams, as well as the need for spaces that support reflection, learning, and innovation. The outcomes of the workshop will inform future collaborative activity across the C4 network and support the continued development of structures that enable meaningful engagement, knowledge exchange, and long-term impact across communities and partner organisations.