Research and Innovation Strategy 2030

We'll focus our research on four areas: Creative Innovation; Crime, Security and Justice; Health and Wellbeing; and Sustainable Environment.

Our work will align with the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act (2015) and involve industry and communities in co-designing and producing research embedded in our curriculum. This ensures students directly contribute to solving key challenges identified by employers and stakeholders.

Professor Martin Steggall,

The core purpose of the Strategy is to create a strong and thriving research culture which enables the production of excellent, world-leading and impactful research.

Our Strategy

At USW, research and innovation is everyone’s business. Our vision is clear and confident – we want to maintain and develop our internationally excellent research capabilities and focus on solutions to problems impacting society and the economy.

Download the Strategy

Our Ambitions

Over the next decade, our ambitions are to:

Be known for research-informed, research-led teaching and learning
Have 75% of our research impact rated as world-leading
Have inter/multidisciplinary research and innovation activity by design
Create and maintain sustainable research and innovation groups (RIGs) that are aligned with the University accelerator areas
Be grouped around the United Nations / UK, Welsh, and EU Governments’ strategic intent, policy, and areas for investment and future funding, and actively contribute to The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015
Increase HE Business and Community Interaction (HE-BCI) income
Ensure that everyone in USW, whether research active or not, reflect the value that research and innovation brings to our students, staff, and stakeholders
Demonstrably contribute to challenge-based learning and teaching and knowledge transfer activities
Develop our staff through participation in development and leadership schemes
Provide a nurturing and sustainable environment for research students