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Delivering collaborative and impactful research

Two researchers in lab coats and gloves working by a lab bench in the Mycobacteria lab.
Researchers working in the Mycobacteria Lab where projects are developing ways to combat drug resistant tuberculosis - see news story below.

Birkbeck fosters innovation, enabling students from a wide range of socio-economic and educational backgrounds to benefit from world-class research and research-informed teaching.

Research excellence is at our core and we sustain an open and inclusive research and innovation culture grounded in academic freedom and the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion.

Birkbeck brings together scholars, industry partners, cultural organisations, policymakers and diverse communities through research that spans the arts and humanities and the social, natural and physical sciences. Whether theoretical or applied, our research addresses some of the most urgent contemporary challenges facing individuals, organisations and communities in the UK and worldwide.

What have we done?

  • Brought together a wide range of disciplines to address complex contemporary challenges and tackle real-world issues through groundbreaking interdisciplinary research.
  • Published world-leading and internationally excellent research and sustained research excellence in the arts, humanities and social sciences, natural sciences and business and law.
  • Delivered outstanding research-led teaching and access-driven innovation.
  • Driven public engagement and policy influence through collaborations with government, cultural institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and industry, and by translating research into practical and policy-relevant insights.
  • Developed a values-led research culture with an emphasis on academic freedom, equality, diversity and inclusion and ethical and responsible research.

What will we do over the next five years?

  • Deliver world-leading research that addresses societal and global challenges and research and innovation excellence that supports national economic and industrial priorities.
  • Strengthen and diversify our research ecosystem by increasing and broadening external research income and infrastructure; deepening interdisciplinary collaboration; reinforcing equality, diversity and inclusion in our research culture; and fostering a supportive and connected research environment.
  • Amplify the reach and impact of our research by expanding knowledge exchange and public engagement and improving our international research profile, delivering meaningful benefits for individuals, communities and society.
  • Ensure environmental sustainability is embedded in our research and innovation culture, and our research is undertaken ethically and with integrity.

Our success measures

By 2031:

  • We will have continued to grow our overall research portfolio so it is greater than £50 million (Birkbeck Annual Accounts 2024/25).
  • We will have worked to have maintained or improved our institutional position in world university rankings.
  • We will seek to ensure at least 83% of Birkbeck’s research has been rated as world leading or internationally excellent in the 2029 REF and research excellence will have been achieved in all our disciplinary areas.

News highlights

Birkbeck to play key role in ground-breaking fertility control research funded by the Wellcome Trust: Birkbeck has been awarded £3.85 million from the Wellcome Trust to lead a major new research project exploring innovative approaches to fertility control. Read the full news story.

Birkbeck led research secures grant to combat drug-resistant tuberculosis and respiratory diseases: Tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of mortality from a single infectious pathogen, with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) posing a significant global challenge that affects health, economies, societies, and the environment. Read the full news story.