Cocoa and AI projects receive THE Awards 2025 nominations

University experts supporting cocoa farmers and the NHS have been nominated in two categories at the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards 2025.

An international collaboration led by Dr Andrew Daymond and Professor Tom Sizmur to make cocoa production in Ghana more sustainable has been nominated for the Knowledge Exchange/Transfer Initiative of the Year. Professor Weizi Li and Nicholas Berin Chan, from Henley Business School, have been nominated for Research Project of the Year (STEM prize) for using artificial intelligence to develop a system to reduce missed NHS appointments.

The THE Awards are the biggest celebration of UK and Irish higher education, recognising excellence across academia, professional services, leadership and management.

Professor Parveen Yaqoob, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, said: “These nominations showcase Reading's commitment to research that makes a real difference to people's lives. Our researchers are addressing some of today's most pressing challenges and are demonstrating how universities can be a force for positive change both locally and globally. It's fantastic to see this important work recognised at such a prestigious level.”

Dr Andrew Daymond and Professor Tom Sizmur’s collaboration with the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology saw them work with farmers to test the potential of compost made from cocoa pod husks to improve yields. For the 2024 season, they recorded an average yield increase of about 40 per cent with five tonnes per hectare compost application. The project ran field-based collaborative workshops which resulted in training more than 1,000 farmers and extension agents. Dr Andrew Daymond and Professor Tom Sizmur worked with Dr Amos Quaye, Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, Dr Laura Atuah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and Professor Dadson Awunyo-Vitor, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology on the collaboration. 

Professor Weizi Li and Nicholas Berin Chan co-developed the first AI decision-support system in the NHS with the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust (RBFT) and analysed more than 500,000 appointments to assess the risk of patient non-attendance, based on individual risk factors, such as deprivation level and mental health issues. Staff then call high-risk patients, using AI-generated insights to guide conversations and deliver targeted support based on each patient’s needs. The system has reduced high-risk non-attendance by 40 per cent, delivering an estimated £250,000 in cost savings. Professor Weizi Li and Nicholas Berin Chan co-created the system with Eghosa Bazuaye, Toluwanimi Akinola, and Kiki Kontra from the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust.

The winners will be announced at the THE Awards 2025 ceremony in Edinburgh on Thursday, 13 November 2025.