Research & Innovation Strategy 2026-31
Discover
Collaborate
Transform
Foreword
Professor Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova,
Vice-President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Impact)
and Stuart Brocklehurst,
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Business Engagement and Innovation.
By 2031, Exeter will be recognised globally for delivering world-leading research that changes lives and shapes a sustainable future. Our Research & Innovation Strategy will empower our community to deliver excellence, deepen collaboration, and translate ideas into impact, realising the bold vision of Strategy 2030.
Foreword
From Professor Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova, Vice-President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Impact) and Stuart Brocklehurst, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Business Engagement and Innovation.
By 2031, Exeter will be recognised globally for delivering world-leading research that changes lives and shapes a sustainable future. Our Research & Innovation Strategy will empower our community to deliver excellence, deepen collaboration, and translate ideas into impact, realising the bold vision of Strategy 2030 and a greener, healthier and fairer world.
We are building from a position of real strength, with clear momentum towards our Strategy 2030 ambitions. Our cross-disciplinary research is winning major awards, our partnerships are expanding in scale and impact, and our supportive research culture is enabling talented researchers at every stage to thrive. Through our Sustainable Research Model, we are embedding excellence that is both financially and environmentally responsible, reinforcing Exeter’s position as a global leader in research with purpose and impact.
Our strong foundation is evidenced by outstanding results:
- Our 2020-2025 Research & Impact Strategy catalysed step-change initiatives, such as the Exeter Research Networks and the Complex Initiatives Fund, which delivered an exceptional return on investment of £149 for every £1.
- Consistent growth in excellence demonstrated through e.g. REF performance, with a rise in our research power ranking from 21st (REF2014) to 18th (REF2021), a growth in research active staff of 71% since REF2014; and a 48% increase in quality-related funding following our REF2021 performance.
- Growth in research income of 47% over the past 5 years (ranked 17th against Russell Group for 23/24), whilst improving cost recovery compared to our TRAC peer group benchmark, over the same period, to now be on a par with this group (mainly Russell Group).
- Our performance in Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) 2024 demonstrates our profound commitment to innovation, partnership and economic growth. The University of Exeter is one of only two Russell Group universities engaging at a ‘very high’ level and was placed in the top quintile for research collaboration with regional SMEs and public and third-sector organisations.
In an external landscape that is more uncertain than ever, complacency is not an option. Economic and geopolitical instability continues to challenge an already fragile research funding and investment ecosystem, with real-term declines in resources, a narrowing of government priorities, and commercial partners under increasing pressure.
Yet, within this uncertainty lies opportunity. We will navigate this environment with purpose, ambition, and confidence. We aim to direct our efforts and investment toward areas where we can lead with distinction, where our research is internationally outstanding, ambitious in scale, and positioned to make the greatest contribution to society. Supporting excellence means making deliberate choices: concentrating our resources to enable the very best research to thrive, while ensuring that our activity remains sustainable and aligned with our long-term ambitions.
Our 2026–2031 Research & Innovation Strategy will strengthen the conditions for research quality and impact. We will nurture a culture that values creativity, collaboration, and integrity, empowering exceptional researchers and teams to deliver work that meets the highest global standards. By focusing on quality, and by building capacity where we can truly excel, we will sustain Exeter’s momentum and deliver research that inspires confidence, shapes understanding, and transforms lives and livelihoods, and the world around us.
This institutional R&I strategy does not duplicate or replace the strategies of our departments and faculties, which are underpinned by deep disciplinary knowledge and community needs. Instead, it adds value by aligning and supporting faculty-led priorities, enabling collaboration and shared investment to deliver greater impact together. This document provides the blueprint to enable, connect, and amplify collective excellence, alongside detailed implementation plans, and progress measures defined by the Strategy 2030 institutional performance framework.
Our strong foundation is evidenced by outstanding results:
Our 2020-25 Research & Impact Strategy catalysed step-change initiatives, such as the Exeter Research Networks and the Complex Initiatives Fund, which delivered an exceptional return on investment of £214 for every £1.
Consistent growth in excellence demonstrated through e.g. REF performance, with a rise in our research power ranking from 21st (REF2014) to 18th (REF2021), a growth in research active staff of 71% since REF2014; and a 48% increase in quality-related funding following our REF2021 performance.
Growth in research income of 47% over the past 5 years (ranked 17th against Russell Group for 23/24), whilst improving cost recovery compared to our TRAC peer group benchmark, over the same period, to now be on a par with this group (mainly Russell Group).
Our performance in Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) 2024 demonstrates our profound commitment to innovation, partnership and economic growth. The University of Exeter is one of only two Russell Group universities engaging at a ‘very high’ level and was placed in the top quintile for research collaboration with regional SMEs and public and third-sector organisations.
In an external landscape that is more uncertain than ever, complacency is not an option. Economic and geopolitical instability continues to challenge an already fragile research funding and investment ecosystem, with real-term declines in resources, a narrowing of government priorities, and commercial partners under increasing pressure. Yet, within this uncertainty lies opportunity.
We will navigate this environment with purpose, ambition, and confidence. We will direct our efforts and investment toward areas where we can lead with distinction, where our research is internationally outstanding, ambitious in scale, and positioned to make the greatest contribution to society. Supporting excellence means making deliberate choices: concentrating our resources to enable the very best research to thrive, while ensuring that our activity remains sustainable and aligned with our long-term ambitions.
Our 2026–2031 Research & Innovation Strategy will strengthen the conditions for quality and impact. We will nurture a culture that values creativity, collaboration, and integrity, empowering exceptional researchers and teams to deliver work that meets the highest global standards. By focusing on quality above quantity, and by building capacity where we can truly excel, we will sustain Exeter’s momentum and deliver research that inspires confidence, shapes understanding, and transforms the world around us.