By partnering with the Young Foundation, we’ve been able to bring King’s postgraduate researchers together with local communities in ways that are mutually enriching. Undisciplined Spaces reflects two core aims of Arts & Humanities research at King’s: equipping students for life beyond the university and working with London communities that are often underserved by universities.
Dr Elizabeth Scott-Baumann, Pro-Vice Dean (Research Impact & Knowledge Exchange), King’s College London
19 January 2026
King's celebrates three years of community-led doctoral programme Undisciplined Spaces
The community focused scheme, Undisciplined Spaces, celebrated the milestone collaboration with The Young Foundation at an event at Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre.
Redefining roles: Building Postgraduate Capacity for Community Engagement took place at Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre on Wednesday 14 January. The event also brought together academics, doctoral researchers, funders and community organisations to explore how future postgraduate training can better respond to community needs. Through talks, interactive workshops and discussion, participants examined what is possible when universities step beyond traditional engagement models.
It marked the culmination of the first phase of Undisciplined Spaces, a programme run jointly by King’s Faculty of Arts & Humanities and The Young Foundation since 2023. The programme saw teams of PhD students and community partners co-produce engagement projects shaped by community priorities, rather than academic agendas. Over the past three years, students have worked with local charities on initiatives spanning creative archiving, civic participation and community-led cultural production. In the report, ‘Meaningful Engagement Between Students and Local Communities’ from the NCIA, the Undisciplined Spaces programme was selected as one of five case studies from across the country highlighting best practice in student and local community engagement within universities.
Workshops led by doctoral researchers and community partners showcased these collaborations in practice. Projects included a creative archiving initiative developed with Arts Network, which invited participants to reinterpret community archives through making and storytelling, and a roundtable exploring lessons from co-producing the Red Light Carnival with DecrimNow.
Initially made possible through an AHRC Impact Acceleration Account, over the past three years Undisciplined Spaces has seen scores of Arts & Humanities PhD students co-produce community engagement projects with local partners. This collaborative work has brought varied and significant societal benefits. We’re delighted that the faculty will be core-funding a continuation of Undisciplined Spaces as part of the new King’s Doctoral School for Arts & Humanities.
Edward Stevens, Senior Impact & Knowledge Exchange Manager, King’s College London
Alongside project showcases, participants were invited to reflect on the wider state of community engagement in the sector. Interactive workshops explored what community organisations want from research partnerships, how doctoral training could be radically reimagined, and how universities might better realise their civic potential. Insights from the day contributed to identify practical next steps for institutions.
From 2026, Undisciplined Spaces will be core-funded by the Faculty of Arts & Humanities and delivered through the King’s Doctoral School for Arts & Humanities and will expand to doctoral researchers from the Courtauld Institute of Art.
You can find out more about King’s Undisciplined Spaces Programme here and the work of the Faculty Impact team here.