About Research at Oxford

For the intensity, breadth, quality and impact of its research, the University of Oxford has few peers anywhere in the world.

Our over-arching research objectives are to lead the international agenda across the University’s disciplinary spectrum and through interdisciplinary initiatives, and make significant contributions to society – regionally, nationally and internationally – through the fruits of our research.

The scale of research activity at Oxford is substantial, involving the four Academic Divisions, Continuing Education, Academic Services and University Collections (ASUC), more than 70 departments, the Colleges, 1632 academic staff (teaching and research), 3507 research and research support staff, and 4,637 postgraduate research students, supported by Oxford’s research administrators.

For the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, Oxford submitted the largest number of researchers in a total of 48 fields. We were judged to have the largest volume of world-leading research (4* rated) of any UK university. Oxford subsequently received the highest amount of quality research funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) – nearly £119 million – of any UK university.

Oxford’s research income from grants and external contracts for 2007/8 reached £285.3 million, a rise of nearly 15 per cent on the previous year and the highest of any UK university. This funding from government agencies, charities, UK business, and international sources currently supports more than 5,000 research projects. Oxford also received £104.2 million in HEFCE research funding.

There is extensive collaboration with leading university networks, among researchers and with public agencies and business, in the UK and internationally. The largest cluster of overseas research activity is the Africa and Asia Tropical Medicine network, involving more than 1,200 people, the Wellcome Trust, NGOs, national governments and local institutions, and focussed on improving health and on capacity building. There are many other examples in every academic department of Oxford research overseas and work with international collaborators.

Oxford staff and student researchers address many of the major challenges that face our society, from language conservation to climate change, ageing to obesity, new energy sources to biodiversity. They use innovative research techniques and modern technology, both to examine problems of the modern world and to understand better the ancient world.