Academic Structure

The matrices described below form platforms through which expertise is developed and applied, and through which collaborations are formed. 

Formal Academic Units

UCL’s research is organised within and beyond a formal network of faculties and academic departments.

In order to facilitate greater interdisciplinary interaction in research and teaching, we have also recently introduced a model of strategic faculty groupings, with three new schools covering:

UCL Faculty Research

UCL Arts & Humanities

Vice-Dean (Research): Dr Claire Warwick

UCL Brain Sciences

UCL Built Environment

Vice-Dean (Research): Professor Jane Rendell

UCL Engineering Sciences

Vice-Dean (Research): Professor Marek Ziebart

UCL Laws

Vice-Dean (Research): Dr Arad Reisberg

UCL Life Sciences

Vice-Dean (Research): Professor Steve Wilson

UCL Medical Sciences

UCL Mathematical & Physical Sciences

Vice-Dean (Research): Professor Ofer Lahav

UCL Population Health Sciences

Vice-Dean (Research): Professor Peter Brocklehurst

UCL Social & Historical Sciences

Vice-Dean (Research): Dr James Steele

Established Interdisciplinary Departments

Six world-renowned specialist centres became part of UCL during the last 25 years:

  • UCL Institute of Archaeology, unique in the scale and diversity of its research and the global scope of its expertise and collaborative links
  • UCL Institute of Child Health, which pursues an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to enhance understanding, diagnosis, therapy and prevention of childhood disease
  • UCL Eastman Dental Institute, which undertakes cutting-edge fundamental, clinical and translational research on biomaterials, tissue engineering and microbial diseases
  • UCL Institute of Neurology, ranked second in the world for neurology and both clinical and basic neuroscience
  • UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, which aims to further the understanding of the processes of vision, and to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for the benefit of patients worldwide
  • UCL School of Slavonic & East European Studies, one of the world’s leading specialist institutions – and the largest national centre in the UK – for the study of central, eastern and southeast Europe and Russia.

New Interdisciplinary Departments

Five of UCL’s recently constituted academic departments are similarly interdisciplinary:

  • UCL Cancer Institute, fostering interaction and collaboration between cancer researchers and scientists in nanotechnology, bioinformatics, developmental biology, stem-cell research, immunity, engineering and medicinal chemistry
  • UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science, pioneering novel, integrative strategies in preventative and therapeutic cardiovascular medicine through uniting more than 400 cardiovascular scientists and cardiologists with scientists from disciplines such as chemistry, physics and mathematics
  • UCL Security & Crime Science, devoted to reducing crime and other risks to personal and national security
  • UCL Ear Institute, aiming to lead the world in understanding hearing and fighting deafness through an interdisciplinary approach
  • UCL School of European Languages, Culture & Society, bringing together expertise within and beyond the disciplines of Dutch, French, German, Italian, Scandinavian Studies and Spanish to promote interest in, and an understanding of, the diverse languages, cultures and societies of Europe
  • UCL Institute for Women’s Health, bringing together individuals with expertise across the whole spectrum of women’s health – from laboratory science to clinical skills to social and behavioural sciences.

New Thematically Focused Centres

Central investment in new initiatives, through the UCL Provost’s Strategic Development Fund, has recently enabled the formation of the thematically focused centres.

The following provide a focus for both internal planning and research initiation, facilitate the training of postgraduate students in fields of contemporary significance, attract new funding, disseminate UCL research and work with industrial and other partners to realise the economic and social potential of our activities:

UCL Research Themes

Selected institutes and centres (both physical and virtual) exemplify our interdisciplinary collaboration within UCL Research Themes.

Page last modified on 18 aug 11 16:17

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