Research
We believe in putting our knowledge to work and fully supporting our researchers to fulfill their potential in an atmosphere of friendly collaboration.
Why not join us and see what we can achieve together?
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REF 2021 Results
Salford rises 22 places in the Times Higher Education league table based on the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 results.
In the REF 2021 exercise Salford’s research was rated overall as 78% world-leading and internationally excellent (24% 4* and 54% 3*). This performance placed us at 65th in the UK in terms of research quality in the Times Higher Education league table; an impressive jump of 22 places, up from 87th in REF 2014.
Professor Karl Dayson, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise, has congratulated colleagues on this achievement, saying “The results are testament to the hard work and diligence of those involved in our research and we are pleased to see areas of our expertise being recognised as world-leading in all of our submissions”.
Autonomous Systems and Advanced Robotics (ASAR)
ASAR is at the forefront of strategic research initiatives funded by the UK Government, EU and industry. Our research provides applications for many sectors including automotive and aerospace manufacturing, space exploration, food production, and healthcare.
In 2020, ASAR begins work on a new, £13m Robotics Innovation Centre, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund. This will be a UK hub for businesses seeking innovative solutions for infrastructure, supply chains and health technology in a post-COVID world.
Prosthetics and Orthotics
Salford’s Health Sciences Research Centre is currently home to an £11m EPSRC-funded centre in prosthetics and orthotics. This brings together 27 industry, healthcare and academic partners to address challenges in healthcare technology and improve the experiences of those who rely on prosthetic and orthotic services.
Working with our collaborators we are providing training to doctoral level for a cohort of UK and international students to address a global shortage of expertise.
Energy House
Our unique Energy House Laboratory helps businesses understand how effective their products and services are in lowering consumers’ carbon footprint and reducing energy bills. A £16m investment, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the Office for Students, will see this transformed into Energy House 2.0. This research and testing facility will enable us to continue to investigate energy efficiency and design innovations for smart and sustainable living in the future.
Health, Welfare and Policy
Our Centre for Social and Health Research (CSHR) is currently leading an ESRC-funded project to investigate access to welfare support during and after the COVID-19 crisis.
COVID-19 is placing an unprecedented amount of pressure on the UK benefits system and our researchers are conducting a large-scale investigation into the individuals applying for credit for the first time and the experiences of claimants navigating a new system and associated support virtually.
Decolonising English Curriculums
Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), researchers in our Arts, Media & Communication (AMC) research centre are challenging conventional narratives around the involvement of African writers and artists in modernism. This research aims to provide a comprehensive account of how South African writers helped shape the evolution of literary modernism, traditionally considered a Euro-American artistic movement.
Findings from the research will provide materials to aid educators in reframing how modernism is taught in secondary, FE and HE levels, enhancing cultural understanding of African contributions to a major literary movement.
Industry Collaboration
Our industry collaboration strategy ensures our research is informed by and addresses the challenges and changes within society. We prioritise this collaborative, interdisciplinary approach because we believe this is essential to solving the complex problems the world is facing today.
Our research success is dependent upon the success of our academics and postgraduate students working in productive partnerships with industry, public organisations and the third sector to apply our expertise to real-world issues.
Work with us to develop the technologies of the future within the areas of:
- Industry 4.0
- Ageing and bio-health
- Energy, housing and infrastructure
- Sustainability and environmental quality
- Resilience and leadership
Research news
Research Impact
We believe that our research should directly benefit the world around us. This demonstrable contribution and improvement to society, the economy, the environment, technology, and community wellbeing is known as ‘impact’.
Our commitment to demonstrating real-world impact from our research has been recognised in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework exercise, where 88% of our research impact submission was rated as outstanding (4*) or very considerable (3*) in terms of its reach and significance.
In five of our unit submissions our impact case studies achieved 100% outstanding or very considerable impact, namely:
- Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences (50% 4*; 50% 3*)
- Engineering (33% 4*; 67% 3*)
- Social Work and Social Policy (75% 4*; 25% 3*)
- Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, Film and Screen Studies (50% 4*; 50% 3*)
- Communication, Cultural and Media Studies, Library and Information Management (50% 4*; 50% 3*)
Browse our Research with Impact Blog for more detailed information on our REF2021 impact results and to view our impact library of videos and podcasts:
Public Engagement
Overview
Overview
The University has a long history of public and community engagement, working with local, regional and national partners to engage, involve, and work with organizations to create extraordinary experiences. Coming up in 2022, we are exhibiting at New Scientist Live, the Royal Society Summer of Science, and Cheltenham Science Festival. For more about our work, visit The SciComm Space.
Festival of Research
Our annual Festival of Research showcases our latest research to the local community, providing a variety of engaging events on campus, in Peel Park and across venues in Manchester and Salford. Working closely with Salford City Council we have co-created previous festivals with more than 70 of our industry and community partners. Our festival makes our research accessible to all and includes a programme of activity designed specifically for local schools. The festival will return, bigger and better in 2022, so watch this space and follow our updates on Twitter @Festivalofrese1. To get in touch with us about the festival please email festivalofresearch@salford.ac.uk.
Manchester Science Festival
For over a decade, we have been the lead educational partner for Manchester Science Festival, an event organized by the Science and Industry Museum to create innovative, inspiring and educational experiences around Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). In 2018, we launched GameLab, a unique immersive programme of science inspired gaming experiences, bringing together colleagues from across our university to introduce visitors to new ideas and discoveries through digital technologies. From stepping inside a virtual reality Chernobyl to going underwater with our AquAIRium and getting inside the human body with Gut Feelings, the experience is always unique! To re-visit some of these experiences on our website see The SciComm Space.
ESRC Festival of Social Science
ESRC Festival of Social Science is a national festival that brings together all social scientists around the UK. Salford partners with the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University to produce a local programme of events to present recent developments in social science research. Past events have covered contemporary themes, such as, ageing and health, education, virtual reality and AI, and climate change.
The festival aims to engage the wider community through a range of mechanisms including interactive workshops, exhibitions, participatory research, and debates. We use this venue both for showcasing our research and for seeking feedback from our local community to contribute to our current research projects and help us shape future research agendas. In 2021, a bit part of our programme was inspired by COP26. Catch up with one of our events here.
Salford Institute for Dementia
Salford Institute for Dementia (SID) brings together an interdisciplinary team of academics drawn from the sciences, technology, arts and humanities and social science to undertake research into dementia in the areas of creativity, technology and the environment. The institute seeks to improve the lives of people living with dementia and their supporters ensuring they can live as well as possible.
Academics work in close partnership with a panel of Dementia Associates, who have direct experience of living with, or supporting someone who is living with, dementia. Through co-production, Dementia Associates contribute to setting the Institute’s research agenda, from the bidding stages to the management of funded projects and contribute to the organisation of conferences and engagement events.
Contacts
- Explore our staff directory to find academic expertise.
- For general enquiries on public engagement and research impact please email research-impact@salford.ac.uk or visit the Research with Impact blog and guidance website.
- For media enquiries please contact our Press Office.
Research Governance
The University of Salford’s Research Code of Practice outlines our commitment to conducting all research and impact activities to the highest levels of integrity. Our research governance policies and procedures ensure we act responsibly, ethically and in accordance with professional standards.