Our research expertise

We are leaders in cutting-edge science, engineering, mathematics, and medicine research, as well as having a world-class reputation in the humanities and social sciences.

Our research centres

Our research centre's expertise is diverse, extensive, and cutting-edge. It ranges from materials and manufacturing laboratories and workshops, to environmental building services, financial and business consultancy.

Find out more about accessing the knowledge in our research centres.

Getting involved

We are committed to listening to, talking with and understanding communities from outside the university. We believe this makes our research more accessible and relevant for society.

If you would like to collaborate with a researcher, invite a researcher to contribute to an event or further discuss our engaged research please contact Helen Featherstone.

The Science Strategy

Our Science Strategy has been established to invest strategically and further build capacity and reputation in science, engineering, and medicine. Our ongoing £230m investment in science, spread across staff, infrastructure, and strategic and capital projects, is resulting in significant output, with all our science contributing world leading research approved by the last RAE.

The Science Strategy particularly identified five key research themes, tackling global issues, where we have focused on building a critical mass of expertise. These are:

• Climate change and sustainable futures
• Extrasolar planets
• Functional materials
• Systems biology
• Translational medicine, personalised healthcare and public health

The Humanities and Social Science Strategy

Our Humanities and Social Science (HASS) strategy builds on our research excellence to combine six interdisciplinary themes that are academic challenging and innovative. They are all priority research areas where Exeter can demonstrate world-leading excellence. The themes also address major global challenges and map well into the priorities of major UK and international funding bodies.

In the humanites and social sciences our primary areas of focus are:

• Environment and sustainability
• Global uncertainties
• Identities and beliefs
• Medical humanities
• Science, technology and culture
• Societal and lifestyle shifts
  
  

You can find out more about the breadth and depth of our research expertise in all areas by looking through our directory of research activity.

Academic Colleges and subject disciplines

Our research and teaching is divided between six distinct academic Colleges, each containing a range of related subject disciplines designed to enable interdisciplinary working. These are:

• The Business School
• College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences
• College of Humanities
• College of Life and Environmental Sciences
• College of Social Sciences and International Studies
• Medical School

See our research

These videos show some of the potential ways our research can be of benefit to business.