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Stockholm Environment Institute - York

Bridging science, policy and practice

Stockholm Environment Institute is an international non-profit research institute that tackles climate, environment and sustainable development challenges. 

Since SEI was established in 1989 there has been a centre hosted at the University of York. With over 30 years of established research, SEI York has built a reputation for bridging science and policy at all levels, from work with local partners to global multilateral organisations.

In 2024, SEI York became a Research Centre, sitting at the same level as a university department within the Faculty of Sciences. We now have nearly 60 core members of staff. SEI York staff also participate in teaching, as well as PhD and MRes supervision.

The Environment and Geography department at the University of York

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Research areas

The SEI York research centre contains five core areas. Our researchers – including our cohort of PhD students - work at international, national and local scales, with a presence both within the local and regional community and around the University of York, and in many high, middle and low-income countries.

News and events

25 June 2025

We are looking for a part-time team member who will support an exciting new citizen science project: Action for Quality Aquatic environments, in which members of the public will carry out water quality monitoring. Apply by 20th July.

24 June 2025

SEI’s Kevin Hicks and Katy Brooke reflect on the recent African Clean Air Programme (ACAP) Roadmap meeting in Accra, sharing key insights, outcomes and what comes next in the drive to improve air quality and support sustainable development across Africa.

6 May 2025

SEI's project transformed a transit hub in Indonesia through community design, offering a replicable model for inclusive urban renewal.

25 April 2025

SEI York's Bobby Farnan and Jon Ensor reflect on the relationship between clinicians and patients in the development of healthcare technology.

Postgraduate study with SEI

Doing a PhD with SEI at our York office gives you the opportunity to study in a beautiful medieval city in northern England, surrounded by world-class researchers who are working on environment and development issues at a local, national, regional and global level. 

Our staff and PhD students sit together in a large, bright office in a new building on the Heslington West campus at the University of York. We are an international and diverse group of people, welcoming of everyone. We offer full and part-time options for study.

Explore our postgraduate programmes

World leading
Consistently ranked as one of the top environment research institutes.
International
We have offices in Stockholm (HQ), Bangkok, Bogota, Nairobi, Oxford, Tallinn and across the US.
Established
Celebrating over 30 years of excellence

SEI undergraduate teaching

SEI York experts deliver the module Sustainability and Policy: Research, Engage, Change  as part of the award-winning York Interdisciplinary Modules initiative. YIMs are open to final year undergraduates from all disciplines.

The module presents critical aspects of a series of environmental and social challenges with a focus on policy engagement in its different forms. It provides students with the skills to critically engage with these challenges and gives them the opportunity to explore how change can be achieved. Over the course of the module, students engage with real-life SEI research and practice through case studies.

Discover more about the module