SDG 1 - No Poverty

We're working to end poverty in all its forms everywhere. Learn about our recent work, progress, and impact.

Our recent work and impact on SDG 1: No Poverty

SDG 1 (No Poverty) aims to end poverty in all its forms by improving access to resources, opportunities and support systems.

Our research explores social inequality, inclusive growth, community resilience and evidence-based policy that supports fairer outcomes for disadvantaged communities.

DeStress Project

The Wellcome Centre for Cultures and Environments of Health is leading the DeStress Project, an innovative interdisciplinary programme exploring the powerful connections between poverty and mental health.

By working closely with patients and healthcare providers, the project is uncovering new ways to understand lived experiences and improve the support available to those most affected.

Read our SDG 1 progress report for 2024/25

The Exeter Innovation Accelerator boosts opportunities for innovative STEMM start-ups and SMEs by providing enrolment on to our word-leading accelerator programme, enabling strategic empowerment through the delivery of workshops, seminars, and drop-in surgeries. The programme covers all aspects of organisational growth, including business fundamentals, sustainable and scalable product development, and finding and managing investment. 

SETsquared is a unique enterprise partnership and a dynamic collaboration between six leading research-led UK universities. As a world-leading business incubator, we provide a wide range of highly acclaimed support programmes to help turn ideas into thriving businesses.

Our Institute of Cornish Studies, Social and Economic Research Unit brings together the latest research into the social and economic issues affecting Cornwall today. We know that beyond Cornwall’s scenery and visitor attractions, we have considerable poverty and inequality.

The Centre for Social Mobility is the UK’s only university centre dedicated to improving social mobility through evidence-informed practice and policy. The centre’s goal is to help disadvantaged young people so they do better at school, access higher education and succeed at university.

Local Start-Up Assistance

The University of Exeter provides financial assistance to the local community to support the start-up of financially and socially sustainable businesses.

Our Green Futures programme, which ran from July 2023-March 2025 in partnership with SetSquared, supported the sustainable tech sector in the South West. In addition to business support, training and upskilling, we awarded funding to start-ups in the community to help them develop further bids for funding.

In addition, we award philanthropic funding to student and recent graduate start-ups through our Student Startups Incubation programmes. The Student Startup team focus on identifying and fostering the startup ambitions of University of Exeter Students across all campuses, colleges and disciplines. Our programme helps students to develop a more entrepreneurial mindset and equips them with the practical toolkit necessary to inspire innovative ideas and create entrepreneurial solutions. Students learn how to undertake rigorous market validation and develop and launch viable and sustainable new enterprises, with the aim of having positive social, environmental and economic impact. This is done through a combination of interactive workshops and events, 1-2-1 advising and by facilitating opportunities for networking and collaboration. Our goal is to provide inspiration, training, guidance, support and funding opportunities to promote, nurture and enable entrepreneurship during university and post-graduation.

Funding and Scholarships

Because we’re determined not to let financial worries put anyone off studying, the University of Exeter offer bursaries to complement government loans for low household income families, scholarships for exceptional students, sportspeople and those meeting other criteria as well as expert funding advice and guidance.

University bursaries and scholarships include:

The Sanctuary Scholarship scheme enables individuals seeking asylum and refugees who are not able to access student finance to study at the University of Exeter.
Care Leavers & Estranged Students Bursary
Access to Exeter Bursaries
Exeter Excellence Scholarships

The University, in partnership with its alumni community, has also created a fund to offer additional financial support if you are experiencing unexpected financial hardship which is affecting your ability to study within your current academic year.

Research

OPALS is a six-year programme of foundational and applied research, launched in October 2021, which aims to support sustainable human-landscape interactions across Africa.

Led by the University of Exeter’s Global Systems Institute working in close collaboration with our partners across the continent, the £2.3 M programme is jointly funded by the University of Exeter, Sarah Turvill and Oppenheimer Generations Research and Conservation.