Advanced Research Centre

Bringing researchers, partners & ideas together

The University of Glasgow is creating an ambitious and exciting research environment, an environment in which we can collaborate, develop, be creative and do great things. The ARC will directly support two of the three priorities of the University’s Research Strategy 2020-2025 - Collaboration and Creativity. 

To achieve the ambitions of the Research Strategy the ARC will catalyse and advance collaboration, teamwork and innovation, drawing from all sectors and disciplines inside and outside the University.

The ARC will focus on the following mission areas and through its initiatives and activities will stimulate collaboration, encourage creativity and support careers for all researchers:

• Bring together researchers and ideas from across disciplines and sectors (academic/industrial/public and civic) enabling transformational programs that unlock previously out-of-reach research with societal and global impact.
• Provide support and space through which research opportunities can be identified and catalysed across the University.
• Transform the culture of research at the University by nurturing a free thinking, ambitious, fear-free scholarly community that is centred on open research, collaboration and co-operation.
• Design and implement inclusive public and community engagement with research which breaks down barriers and cultivates equitable partnerships.

PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION

The ARC is an asset for all research and scholarly communities across the University. The ARC will not own research ideas, networks or research outcomes nor focus on any specific discipline or sector.   

Through dedicated support and innovative use of space, the ARC will enable researchers and their partners to deliver their collaborative ambitions. Enhancing the research environment, ambition and culture across the University.

At the core of all ARC activities is an ambition to encourage creativity, innovation and experimentation. Leading to new ways of thinking and new approaches to the way research and scholarship is designed, conducted and shared.

For example:

• Collaboration – the ARC will bring people together – internal and external. A structured programme of networking and sandpit events, developed with extensive knowledge of the research base and external horizon scanning, will create new collaborations. These events will be complemented by access to support to enable them to thrive and develop.

• Creativity – the ARC will be a welcoming gateway into University research for communities and partners, supporting the co-creation and generation of new ideas. There will be an exciting and ever-changing programme of public events.

• Careers – the ARC will be home to the Researcher Development Hub, there will be training and networking events specifically targeting postgraduate and early career researchers. These will be coupled to follow-through engagement activities with clear career development and leadership outcomes.

The implementation principles reflect the University's Research Strategy 2020-25:

• Transparency of plans and priority actions; clearly showing how they support strategic aims.
• Coordination across Colleges, Schools and RIs ensuring that the ambitions and activities of the ARC are aligned with local priorities and fulfilled consistently.
• Involvement of more people in decision-making, for example in scoping priority projects.