UNIVERSITY OF YORK

RESEARCH STRATEGY

2023-2030

OUR PURPOSE

At the University of York, the advancement of knowledge through the development of ideas, theories and concepts, and through collaboration with others, is done for public good.

We are tackling important environmental, social and economic challenges.

Through our curiosity-driven research and engagement with partners we lay the foundation for addressing issues not yet known.

OUR OUTSTANDING REPUTATION SETS THE STAGE FOR EVEN MORE INSPIRATIONAL RESEARCH

OUR OUTSTANDING REPUTATION SETS THE STAGE FOR EVEN MORE INSPIRATIONAL RESEARCH

OUR STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

PEOPLE AND CULTURE

A Thriving Research Community

IDEAS AND CREATIVITY

A Centre of Research Excellence

IMPACT

Delivery of Public Good through our Research

PARTNERSHIP AND PLACE

A Trusted and Effective Partner

SUPPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE

An Environment that Ensures We Realise Our Ambitions

OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

These Strategic Priorities describe the areas of focus which will be reviewed and updated periodically as we make progress on our aims and as we respond to external opportunities and challenges.

OBJECTIVE 1

PEOPLE AND CULTURE
A Thriving Research Community

Creating the conditions and culture within which diverse people, ideas and approaches can flourish - enabling our community to work with integrity, build equitable and respectful collaborations, and seek and tackle new intellectual challenges.

We will:

  • Nurture a sustainable and progressive research culture.
  • Create career paths, incentives and reward mechanisms that develop and encourage all members of the research community.
  • Provide time and reward for staff to deliver on the institution's research and impact ambitions.
  • Meet the needs of our postgraduate research student community from recruitment to graduation and beyond.
  • Embed the principles and culture of open research and responsible research and innovation.

OBJECTIVE 2

IDEAS AND CREATIVITY
A Centre of Research Excellence

Nurturing high quality and ambitious research across our broad discipline base - leading the generation and exchange of knowledge and understanding, inspired by working within and across disciplines and through co-creation of research with a wide range of partners.

We will:

  • Undertake and enjoy excellence in research.
  • Advance curiosity-driven research.
  • Advance interdisciplinary research practice.
  • Develop research participation and involvement.

OBJECTIVE 3

IMPACT

Delivering Public Good through our Research

Addressing environmental, social, cultural and economic problems with compassion and rigour, locally, nationally and globally.

Ensuring our research is open and shared to enable effective pathways to impact, and influencing teaching and research practice in the global academic community and beyond.

We will:

  • Promote and value the sharing of ideas and knowledge to generate impact.
  • Expand the impact of our business engagement.
  • Engage to inform and shape policy and public discourse.
  • Foster entrepreneurial activity arising from our research.

OBJECTIVE 4

PARTNERSHIP AND PLACE
A Trusted and Effective Partner

Developing equitable and sustainable partnerships in our City, region, nationally and globally to increase our reach and influence. Working together in synergy to inspire new ideas, addressing common challenges.

We will:

  • Promote and manage partnership opportunities that deliver positive change.
  • Establish an effective role in our local community to use our research to deliver public good.
  • Forge new international partnerships where research drives engagement and knowledge creation.
  • Increase our influence by effective use of our national and international networks.

OBJECTIVE 5

SUPPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE
An Environment that Ensures We Realise Our Ambitions

Building and maintaining the professional expertise, estate, equipment, digital infrastructure and income streams required to foster creativity, deliver world-class research, innovation and knowledge exchange, and to increase the financial autonomy and environmental sustainability of the University.

We will:

  • Deliver effective, efficient and resilient processes and systems to support research.
  • Build our capability to grow our partnerships.
  • Deliver an environmentally sustainable, high quality physical and digital estate to support world-leading research.
  • Raise our ambition and capacity for growing and diversifying externally-funded research.
  • Ensure the York Graduate Research School provides an institutional focal point.