Research diversity matters more than ever – here’s why

Across the UK, universities are facing increasing pressure — rising costs, constrained public finances and a renewed debate about whether research funding should be concentrated within a smaller group of already research-intensive institutions.

At first glance, this approach may appear efficient. In reality, it risks causing serious and lasting damage to the UK’s research ecosystem.

The reason is simple: high-quality, high-impact research is happening across the whole sector, not just in a handful of universities. Modern universities, vital hubs of skills, teaching, investment and growth in their regions, are producing research that is deeply embedded in communities, highly responsive to societal need and often impossible to replicate elsewhere. This research informs their teaching, strengthening students’ critical thinking and employability by connecting theory with practice.

If funding becomes narrowly concentrated, much of this work could be lost.

Health, wellbeing and medical innovation across the sector

Health research clearly demonstrates why a broad research base matters.

At Southampton Solent University, researchers are contributing to the global fight against antibiotic resistance, one of the most serious threats to modern medicine. Meanwhile, the University of Greater Manchester is advancing biomedical science by accelerating innovation from laboratory to clinic, ensuring discoveries translate into improved patient care.

The University of Lancashire has worked with the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) to reveal that over a quarter of firefighters who responded to the Grenfell Tower fire now live with long term health disorders, including respiratory, digestive and neurological conditions, linked to toxic smoke exposure during the incident. This contributed to an ongoing FBU campaign to minimise firefighters' exposure to toxic fire effluents.

In Scotland, Queen Margaret University, working with Heriot-Watt, is advancing patient outcomes through a new research collaboration focused on healthcare improvement. At the University of Suffolk, research has demonstrated measurable improvements in diabetes outcomes through service redesign, directly influencing clinical practice.

These are not marginal contributions. They are vital — and they depend on sustained research capacity across many and varied institutions.

Mental health, social care and vulnerable communities

Much of the UK’s most impactful research addresses complex social challenges that are deeply local and highly contextual.

At the University of Bedfordshire, researchers have highlighted serious gaps in support for neurodivergent young women and girls affected by sexual exploitation, producing evidence with direct implications for safeguarding and social care. Another Bedfordshire project is exploring Eastern European migrants’ experiences of end-of-life care, ensuring marginalised voices inform healthcare policy.

At Canterbury Christ Church University, researchers are using artificial intelligence to detect early signs of mental health conditions and dementia, combining technological innovation with compassionate care.

The University of Cumbria has secured major investment for ground-breaking regional mental health research, strengthening support across underserved communities.

This kind of research is often among the most vulnerable when funding is narrowed — despite its clear societal value.

Culture, identity and policy-relevant research

Research also plays a crucial role in shaping understanding of culture, identity and public policy across the country — including vital insights into the lived experiences of marginalised communities.

At the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), researchers are exploring whether Gaelic language skills influence career outcomes, connecting cultural heritage with economic opportunity.

Meanwhile, Edinburgh Napier University plays a central role in the Scottish Policing Academic Centre of Excellence, ensuring policing practice is informed by evidence, ethics and public trust, building on its success in hosting the Scottish Institute for Policing Research.

At Staffordshire University, researchers have produced evidence calling for a rethink of alcohol policy, directly shaping public health debates.

In the capital, the University of East London has revealed how the cost-of-living crisis disproportionately impacts Muslim women, uncovering deep inequalities in income, employment, safety and access to support — findings that are already informing policy and advocacy work with community partners through its research on the crisis facing Muslim women.

Alongside this, London Metropolitan University is leading a nationwide study into cyber-harassment, inviting people to share their experiences to help shape understanding, support mechanisms and future policy responses to online abuse. This research demonstrates how universities contribute evidence to urgent social challenges affecting everyday life — work that is highly relevant, socially grounded and unlikely to thrive in a narrowly concentrated funding model.

This research exemplifies how universities can generate policy-relevant insight that drives social change — research that would be put at risk if funding were only available to a narrow group of so-called elite institutions.

AI, tech and research integrity

Universities across the sector are also leading innovation in emerging technologies and research integrity.

At Abertay University, investment in the CoSTAR Realtime Lab, Scotland’s new £9 million virtual production studios, is driving cutting-edge research and innovation across the screen, gaming and performance industries. The studios provide a world-class environment for interdisciplinary research spanning digital technologies, immersive storytelling, performance and creative production, supporting collaboration between researchers, students and industry partners and strengthening Scotland’s creative and digital economy.

At the UWS, researchers have developed the first detection system for academic AI misuse, addressing a challenge affecting the entire higher education sector.

The Global Centre for Maritime Innovation at Liverpool John Moores University is an interdisciplinary research and industry hub focused on driving sustainable, technological and policy-led innovation across the maritime sector (worth £116bn to the UK economy), strengthening industry links and equipping students for future careers.

At the University of Wolverhampton, a surge in research partnerships has earned national recognition, demonstrating how collaboration drives innovation well beyond traditional elite networks.

Environmental, global and community-focused research

Environmental and global challenges further highlight the importance of distributed research capacity.

At Staffordshire University, students and citizen scientists are contributing to research tackling microplastic pollution. The University of Cumbria is working internationally to build resilience and reduce disaster risk in the Indian Himalayas.

At the University of Sunderland, new investment is strengthening regional healthcare research capacity, ensuring evidence-led practice benefits local populations.

Bath Spa University has also secured Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) to support knowledge exchange, specialist facilities and skills development. This funding underpins research-informed collaboration with businesses, cultural organisations and communities, illustrating how applied research delivers tangible regional, cultural and economic impact beyond traditional laboratory settings.

Supporting the next generation of researchers

A healthy research ecosystem depends on early-career researchers — many of whom begin their careers outside the most research-intensive institutions.

Leeds Trinity University has joined the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network, expanding opportunities in the humanities and social sciences. Abertay’s Generation Science Showcase provides a platform for students to present emerging research to academic and industry audiences.

The University of Lancashire, which also joined the British Academy Early Career Researcher Network in 2025, encourages a healthy interest in research from the start of the student journey. Its Undergraduate Research Internship Programme supports early career researchers as they progress through the University’s own Early and Mid-Career Research programmes. Initiatives such as the annual Research and Knowledge Exchange Showcase further encourage networking and collaboration with industry, alongside academia.

Cosmologist Dr Alexia Lopez made headlines around the world when she discovered two ultra-large structures in the distant universe during her PhD studies at Lancashire.

Without broad-based funding, these early-career pathways narrow — and with them, the future of UK research.

What we stand to lose

If research funding becomes concentrated in only a small group of universities, the UK risks losing far more than individual projects. Local research that responds to real community needs, applied science that improves health outcomes, cultural and policy insight, regional expertise and opportunities for early-career researchers could disappear from large parts of the country.

The UK’s research strength lies in its breadth — across institutions, regions, disciplines and missions. Narrowing that base would reduce innovation, weaken global impact and limit the country’s ability to respond to complex challenges. Protecting broad-based research is not just about protecting institutions that make such an indelible contribution, locally and nationally; it is about protecting the future they help to build.