Matthew Allen is a Lecturer in Economics at Salford Business School. His journey into academia didn’t follow a traditional route. From working in industry to leading innovative teaching that uses virtual reality and simulation spaces, his story reflects the University of Salford’s focus on opportunity, practical learning and making ideas happen.
Here, Matthew shares his career path, research interests and his favourite place to grab a coffee on campus.
How did you get into academia as a career path?
When I left secondary school, I had already left home and was unable to afford attending college. I worked for Carphone Warehouse for nearly nine years. After being made redundant, this gave me the opportunity to go into academia.
I was inspired to go to University after my Mum achieved a postgraduate degree. During my time at Carphone Warehouse, I developed a strong interest in economics, especially the economic situation in Venezuela. From this, I knew that I wanted to pursue a degree in economics.
Why did you choose to work at the University of Salford?
I chose the University of Salford because I was made to feel very welcome during the open day talks. The first person I met was Dr Tony Syme, who is now my PhD supervisor and line manager.
The University is multicultural and has a strong sense of community. The degree also included a business element, which meant I could apply the work experience I had gained throughout my earlier career.
What’s the best thing about being an academic at Salford?
The best thing about being an academic at Salford is the feeling of belonging within the University. Everyone is given the chance to be the best version of themselves.
There are plenty of networking opportunities, and I’ve met academics across all four schools. I also love working with students – their diverse backgrounds and their amazing perspectives on current and past topics. Teaching students is incredibly rewarding, and it’s great to see them graduate.
Can you tell us about any of your career highlights to date?
One of my career highlights has been becoming module leader for the level four core module The Future of Business. I’ve taught on this module since its creation and wanted to take on the role so students could experience the fantastic technology we have across all four schools.
I’ve transformed the module to include technologies such as virtual reality (VR) through BodySwaps and the University’s metaverse. Students also have the opportunity to visit Energy House 2.0, explore robotics in the Northern Engineering and Robotics Innovation Centre (NERIC), and experience the Health & Society simulation suite.
All seminars are designed to be as practical as possible through games, debates, poster design, presentations and other interactive activities. As a result, the module achieved a 90% pass rate last academic year – the first time this has happened.
What’s your current research focused on?
I am currently in the middle of my PhD, and my research focuses on quantifying the cascading costs for Green GDP (gross domestic product), with a particular focus on flooding in Greater Manchester.
There have been significant floods over the past decade, which have incurred long-term costs to the economy. These include loss of services, business losses, costs to public services and damage to personal property. I believe these costs need to be properly quantified within Green GDP calculations.
Do you have any published papers we can read?
I recently wrote an article for The Conversation titled ‘Trump’s tariffs threaten the future of innovation – and UK tech could be collateral damage’.
You can read it here: https://theconversation.com/trumps-tariffs-threaten-the-future-of-innovation-and-uk-tech-could-be-collateral-damage-269158
And finally, the all important question, where in Manchester or Salford is best to grab a coffee?
The fantastic Old Fire Station of course! They serve the most fantastic coffee, along with delicious croissants, cakes and sourdough bread. It’s an integral part of our University.