The United Kingdom has a diverse and internationally recognised research environment. Research is conducted across universities, independent research organisations, government laboratories and industry, creating a collaborative ecosystem that supports innovation and scientific discovery.
The UK research system operates across four nations – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. While many research programmes operate at a UK-wide level, responsibility for higher education and elements of research funding is devolved to national governments. This creates a research landscape that is both nationally connected and regionally distinctive.
Researchers working in the UK benefit from strong international partnerships, competitive funding opportunities and access to world-class research infrastructure.
To learn more about how research operates across the UK, explore the sections below.
Research across the UK
The United Kingdom is home to some of the world’s leading scientific research, carried out across universities, research institutions and innovative companies.
Research and Development
Industry plays a large role in Research and Development in the UK. Find out more about this sector and about the top companies performing R&D in the UK
Discover research archive resources
Use various digital archives, libraries and institutions to learn more about the activity the UK has undertaken in scientific research.