Research
Research is a major focus of the Social Research Institute with an annual research income of over £15 million. Our research work is organised within seven themes.
We address social and economic problems and evaluate potential policy solutions. We are multidisciplinary, housing sociologists, economists, psychologists, demographers and statisticians working together in cross-disciplinary teams. We use quantitative and qualitative methods, often in combination. Students benefit from being taught by staff who are intensely engaged in rigorous social science research which promotes evidence-informed policy and practice.
Childhood and families
The SRI carries out groundbreaking studies of children’s lives and the life circumstances of families, whether local, national or global.
(Image: Peter Marlow / Magnum Photos.)
Work
Paid work is fundamental to most people’s lives and to society. We spend a large part of our lives working or preparing to enter the labour force.
(Image: Lewis W Hine / Getty.)
Health
Social dimensions of health profoundly shape life trajectories and outcomes. We research the relationship between health and society across SRI.
(Image: MacLellan / Mirrorpix.)
Inequalities
Inequality, in all its dimensions, is a major concern across the world. Income equality has increased within countries and risen globally since the pandemic.
(Image: Jimmy Sime / Getty Images.)
Methods and evidence use
Over its seven research centres, SRI carries out research which is used regularly to inform decisions in policy and practice.
(Image: Joseph C Towler Jr / Becker Medical Library.)
Education
Across the Social Research Institute we undertake a range of education-related research using various methodological approaches.
(Image: Thomas J O’Halloran / Library of Congress.)
Migration
SRI is home to a critical mass of scholars working on migration and related issues, representing different disciplinary perspectives.
(Image: Keystone / Stringer / Getty Images.)
Research group
- Climate, Learning & Environment Academic Network (CLEAN)
An interdisciplinary, collaborative community conducting innovative research meeting the challenges of the climate crisis.
Featured research
UCL-led unit providing evidence to shape policy to improve child and family health
The Children and Families Policy Research Unit provides high-quality evidence to guide wide-ranging policy decisions that have implications for the health and wellbeing of children and their families.
17 Jun 2024
Journeys of walking and cycling improve physical and mental health across the life course
Policy priorities and recommendations to increase active travel, drawn from research using longitudinal population study data.
24 Jul 2023
‘Stuck’ schools: the detrimental consequences of failing Ofsted inspections
Why do some schools continuously fail to improve after Ofsted inspections, and what will unstick them from their under-performance predicament?
29 Jun 2023
