Be recognised globally for the quality of our research.
Research of the highest standard is at the heart of our mission and vision and is the basis for internationally-leading knowledge exchange. It is central to the growth of the University’s global reputation and to ensuring that we develop as a destination of choice for leading researchers. Research excellence informs and stimulates our teaching and it contributes to the economic, cultural, community and civic life of Bristol, the South West and the UK.
Create a positive research environment and infrastructure that will attract and retain the highest quality researchers and postgraduate students worldwide.
We will foster a culture that inspires and enables innovative research and enterprise. We will enhance our support structures and systems for all academic staff, in particular early-career researchers. We will encourage academic staff to be visionary and agenda setting, and to promote excellence within and across their disciplines. This research environment will include an entitlement to research leave and access to expert professional support. The University is committed to a major programme of infrastructural investment, believing that leading researchers need the best facilities.
Develop our portfolio of flagship and high impact research, working across and between disciplines to answer important societal questions and contribute to the social, political, environmental and economic well-being of the region, the UK and the wider world.
We are committed to seeking further collaborative and multidisciplinary opportunities, both within the University and externally. This includes partnerships with leading overseas institutions, for example through the Worldwide Universities Network. We aspire to develop relationships with a range of leaders in the public and private sectors. We will continue to produce research outputs of the highest quality and impact. The development and nurturing of our portfolio of University Research Themes and their leaders will be a key priority and we will actively seek new themes focusing on major areas of research. We will promote the Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS) as a vehicle to host and support a range of multidisciplinary activities. We will continue to offer expert professional support to researchers through the Research and Enterprise Development Division, including specialist strategic and project-management support to academics through all stages of large-scale programme and project development.
Seek, manage and provide professional support for strategic relationships and alliances with key national and international partners – business and industry, the public sector, user communities, sponsors of research and policy-makers.
We will continue to expand our engagement with leaders from a range of external organisations, funders and corporate partners and encourage them to contribute to the research and enterprise agenda through mutually beneficial knowledge exchange. We will identify and develop new strategic relationships with key partners to facilitate greater collaboration and the production of outputs by and with our academic staff. We will provide information to prospective research collaborators on our strengths and successes, and support the seeking of collaborative funding programmes and opportunities.
Play a leading intellectual role in enterprise, knowledge exchange and economic and social impact agendas, and continue to be a beacon of good practice and leader of innovation in the city and region.
A key element of the University’s vision is to ensure that our research and our education contribute to regional and national society and the economy. We will ensure that the knowledge and technology we create and the skills of our staff and students contribute to the generation of wealth and the development of society. We will build vibrant and effective links with the community and its industries, through high quality research collaboration and productive knowledge exchange; the exchange of people; the creation and support of new companies and enterprises, and the licensing of intellectual property. We will ensure that we contribute to wider social agendas as well as to economic goals, including contributions to civic life; social, community and environmental support and regeneration; cultural and intellectual enrichment, and participation as an institution and as individuals in global development, communication and problem-solving. We will also continue to act as a catalyst for knowledge exchange, facilitating and promoting innovation and enhanced collaboration between both academics and a wide range of sectors in the city and region.
Develop a sustainable portfolio of research informed by evidence-based leadership, management and administration and supported by high standards of governance.
Research and enterprise at Bristol are championed by the Faculty Research Directors and the Research Committee, who lead the development and implementation of the University’s Research and Enterprise Strategy. We will undertake analysis of sectors, competitors, trends in policy and funding and other opportunities, to enable informed policies and strategies to be developed and to identify those areas in which we lead, or can lead, the research agenda. We will ensure that these policies and strategies are aligned with the University’s commitment to operating in a sustainable manner.
Further information about our priorities, objectives and performance indicators with regard to research can be found in our Research and Enterprise Strategy 2009-2016.