A professional ‘dating’ website has been set up at the University of Warwick to help academics find possible collaborators from different departments and disciplines working in the same research areas as them.

Research Match is a new service launched recently by the University’s Wolfson Research Exchange. PhD students, early career researchers and established researchers at Warwick can sign up to the website and search for other academics across all departments in the University who may share their research interests.

The idea behind the service is to encourage academics to share research ideas, experience and methods. Organisers say the site has already got 400 members and research networks are already being set up as a result. Some collaborations have already generated research grant applications for new projects.

Professor Richard Aldrich from the University of Warwick’s Institute of Advanced Study said: "Research Councils and Universities alike recognise that the big research challenges require an interdisciplinary response. But where do we go to find our new collaborators? The Research Match is the perfect way to find friends across campus who have common intellectual interests."

Dr Justin Greaves from the Department of Politics and International Studies said: 'Given the rise in interdisciplinary research - and the increased focus on it by the research councils - Research Match will be a vital resource in helping academics find collaborators from different academic departments. Interdisciplinary research faces many challenges and anything that assists should be welcomed'

To find out more about the Research Match service, visit go.warwick.ac.uk/lib-researchmatch or call Fiona Colligan 024 765 28258

Alternatively contact Kelly Parkes-Harrison, Press and Communications Manager, University of Warwick, 02476 150868, 07824 540863, k.e.parkes"warwick.ac.uk