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Social science research at Ulster University has a distinguished history of producing research impact that enhance policy, justice and service delivery both locally and globally.

Our impact is underpinned by a number of core strategic aims:

  • Pioneering discoveries - Maintaining a daring and supportive research environment, which foster creativity, novelty, and rigour, from which new data-sets, analytical frameworks and concepts can emerge that change the way we think about social processes.
  • Collaborative inquiry - Support research methodologies that engage stakeholders from inception to delivery, so the knowledge and experiences circulating within civil society, policy making circles, the third sector, business and communities, are incorporated into the research process.
  • Relationship building - Invest in relationship building with different stakeholder groups, over the long-term, through a partnership approach that becomes an everyday component of our professional practice.
  • A global outlook - Create multiple pathways for impact, by collaborating, and building relationships, with stakeholders at a local, national and international level.

Examples of this approach can be observed in a number of thematic areas in which our research is having world leading impact:

In this section

Human Rights & Corruption

Holding to account: Confronting mass human rights violations and grand corruption in the Pacific and central Asia.

Historical Institutional Child Abuse: Victims, Rights and Redress image

Historical Institutional Child Abuse: Victims, Rights and Redress

This impact case study focuses on historical institutional child abuse; an issue of major public concern internationally.

Reproductive Justice - Case Study image

Reproductive Justice - Case Study

Dr Bloomer’s research has focused on three specific areas of reproductive health: abortion policy; abortion as a workplace issue and female genital mutilation (FGM)

Administrative Reform in Central Asia and the Caucuses image

Administrative Reform in Central Asia and the Caucuses

The expected impact of this project will be seen in the changed administrative practices and behaviours of civil servants in the participating countries.

Peace Walls Research image

Peace Walls Research

Over a 12-month period we developed a knowledge exchange partnership to support and develop policy and practice enabling the removal of peace walls in Northern Ireland (2015).

Transforming Contested Societies After War and Conflict: Peacebuilding through Education, Empowerment and Reflection image

Transforming Contested Societies After War and Conflict: Peacebuilding through Education, Empowerment and Reflection

Through her partnerships at an institutional, public sector and applied level, Dr Braniff has examined the problems faced in decision-making by individuals, communities, public sector managers and policy-makers in contested and deeply divided societies.