Research is a vital component for underpinning a high-quality curriculum and for maximizing the contribution to regional, national and international economies.

BU is the fourth most improved University in the country for the quality of its research, according to the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2008. As a result, the university has tripled its core research funding. The RAE confirmed that BU is producing research of a quality comparable with the very best in the world. A remarkable 80% of the areas assessed through the exercise at BU feature research rated as being of world-leading quality in terms of its originality, significance and rigour. These include:

• Art and Design (incorporating Computer Animation)
• Communication, Culture and Media
• Geography and Environmental Sciences 
• Nursing and Midwifery 
• General Engineering 
• Archaeology 
• Computer Sciences
• Business Management
  

The University has appointed nearly 100 fully-funded PhD students to strengthen the research environment and now have more University-funded research studentships than any other English university.

Research centres
BU has several Centres of Research focused on specific areas of interest, already gaining national and international recognition. These centres are multi-disciplinary, professionally-related areas embodying the BU spirit of cross-school collaboration and support.

Research Information

• Undertaking a research degree at BU
• Research degree programmes
• How to apply
• Funding for postgraduate researchers
• Research in the Academic Schools