Explore our research

Aims and strategies

We are proud to be one of the world’s leading research-intensive universities, elite in the excellence of our research, yet distinctive for the genuine synergy between our research and teaching.

We deliver world-class research, changing the way we think about the past, present and future. Discovery is about imaginative new thinking, underpinning fundamental advances in our understanding of the world around us, helping us apply our expertise to business and community needs, and delivering solutions to global challenges.

Our strength is built on the talent of our scholars, drawn to us by a mutual passion for discovery. Our scholarship is respected for its excellence around the world. Our discoveries make an amazing difference to people’s lives and we are committed to realising the impact of our work through innovation, knowledge exchange, enterprise and collaboration. We seek to embed an adventurous and entrepreneurial spirit into our research culture, and to create an environment in which both disciplinary excellence and interdisciplinarity thrive.

Our Research Strategy

The University of Leicester Research Strategy, published in November 2015, is based on the following commitments:

  • A focused approach
  • Support to innovate and grow
  • Working together, communicating better, looking outward

Open Access (OA) and the Leicester Research Archive (LRA)

The University of Leicester supports the principles of Open Access (OA) and encourages its researchers to disseminate their research findings as widely as possible. Open Access refers to the online availability of scholarly work, free of charge to individuals who wish to access and read it. The Leicester Research Archive, the University’s open access institutional repository, enables our researchers to comply with HEFCE, funder and publisher OA requirements as well as disseminating their research findings as widely as possible.

Research Excellence Framework (REF)

Research in UK Universities is subject to periodic peer review to evaluate the quality of research. These reviews are carried out by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), along with the equivalent bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The outcomes inform the selective distribution of block QR grants (Quality Related funding) by the funding councils. Around 10% of the University of Leicester's annual income is derived from the QR allocation. The results of the most recent REF were announced in 2014. The REF 2021 submissions are scheduled for 2020, with the results being announced in 2021.

Official Development Assistance (ODA)

We are committed to using our expertise and realising the impact of our research by working with and for people in Official Development Assistance countries in order to improve their welfare and drive economic development. (ODA is the organisation for economics co-operation and the development term for funds spent on the welfare and economic development of developing countries.)

Further info

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