World-leading research that interrogates, inspires, and improves
In many key areas, our research is leading the world. It’s agile, impactful, and highly responsive. It reflects our commitment to interrogating thinking and practice across the social sciences. In our School, “we’ve always done it like that” isn’t an option or an answer. From the workplace to our seminar rooms, we believe in transforming practice through an intellectually curious and data-driven enquiry of what works, and what doesn’t. Sometimes, that can take some hard calls — but in the name of change, progress and improvement, we’ll never shy away from them.
Constant evaluation. Challenging questions. Paid research apprenticeship opportunities for our students, and a peerless commitment to our early-career researchers. These are the things that epitomise our culture, in a School where knowledge is enthusiastically shared, and where Monday’s research paper can shape Friday’s lecture. We’re defined by our collegiality, our dedication to inviting new voices into our research conversations, and the richness and vibrancy of our community.
Our research centres
Centre for Crime, Offending, Prevention and Engagement (COPE)
COPE contributes to the understanding of victimisation risk and crime harm, the transformation agenda for change in the Criminal Justice System, and community engagement with crime prevention.
Centre for Public and Psychosocial Health
This Research Centre brings together a wide range of research excellence in Social Science, including in Public and Population Health, Health and Wellbeing and Employment and Wellbeing.
Centre for Research in Language, Education and Developmental Inequalities
The Centre for Research in Language, Education and Developmental Inequalities (CLEDI) is an interdisciplinary research centre which aims to understand different perspectives of language and education (at child, family, school, and community levels).
Centre for Policy, Citizenship and Society
The Centre for Policy, Citizenship and Society (CPCS) conducts research that seeks to understand the ways in which society operates, especially in relation to policy, theory and practice in social contexts.
Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Social Interaction
The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Social Interaction (CROS) is an interdisciplinary grouping of researchers from across NTU interested in the phenomenon of social interaction.
Centre for Research in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience
Researchers from the Centre for Research in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience (CRACN) use behavioural and neuroimaging techniques to further fundamental theoretical knowledge of cognitive and neural processes and apply this to understanding performance in everyday tasks.
Our featured researchers
Standing up for equality: decolonialising our society
Discover Associate Professor of Critical Psychology and Decolonial Studies Deanne Bell's research into collective trauma, social suffering, structural violence, indifference, and the psychological effects of coloniality and decoloniality.
A step change: helping to eradicate HIV transmissions
Doctoral Researcher Anthony Gifford, from NTU's School of Social Sciences, is researching the psychosocial influences on the decision to take PrEP in the MSM community. Anthony's research will help unpack the fears and barriers that stop people from taking this medicine, which prevents the transmission of HIV, to educate people to make safer, informed choices.
Breaking the cycle: preventing human rights violations
Explore how Associate Professor Blerina Kellezi's research is investigating how people collectively deal with, and are affected by, extreme life events: from illness and accidents to war, torture and immigration detention.
Tackling substance abuse: strengthening support for those in need
Doctoral Researcher Emma Smith, from NTU's School of Social Sciences, is researching how to improve substance use services for people suffering from addiction.
Our research stories
Re:inforce
In partnership with Makerere University School of Public Health in Uganda, over a ten-year period, Professor Linda Gibson and Dr David Musoke and their teams developed research into the strengthening of the CHW programmes there. Their first project aimed to improve the CHW programme across Ssisa sub-county, a semi-rural community of 64 villages in Wakiso District.
Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, 86% of NTU's research impact was assessed to be either world-leading or internationally excellent. The overall quality of each Unit of Assessment NTU submitted to REF in 2021 also saw an improvement from the previous REF in 2014.