The Research and Innovation Office supports Glasgow Caledonian University’s strategic research goals in a myriad of ways. From forging relationships with funders to drafting contracts to measure impact, RIO is the support for all things research.
Excellence
In 2014, GCU emerged as the top Modern University in Scotland by research power, a measure based on quality and volume of submissions. The University was ranked in the top 10 in the UK for impact in social work and social policy, and in the top 20 for allied health and research in the built environment. Research is an integral part of the 2030 Strategy for the University. supports the overall strategy by connecting researchers to potential funding opportunities and overseeing the application process.
REF
In addition to supporting the ongoing research at the University, we also assist with measuring the University’s impact. This includes the preparations for REF. We provide strategic planning support, undertake mock REF exercises and help capture research outputs across our academic community. If you have a query relating to Research please feel free to contact us:
Research and REF Inquiries
E: riogeneral@gcu.com
Research Costings Administrator
E: Ryan Lindsay
RIO Office Coordinator
E: Alan McKinnon
Collaborate with us - business opportunities
Improve your competitiveness and achieve your goals with the help of the knowledge, innovation and skills that reside within Glasgow Caledonian University. We collaborate with organisations using our global research excellence to build long-term strategic relationships that increase organisational knowledge and deliver innovative technological solutions.
We offer world-class consultancy and access to world-leading experts to help your organisation to grow through enduring relationships that assist businesses in reaching their potential. By working with staff in Research and Innovation and our academic staff across our schools, we can find solutions that work for you and your organisation.
Funding opportunities
GCU can assist in navigating the complex research and development ecosystem to find the appropriate funding that you need to grow your organisation. We work with multiple regional, national and internal stakeholders to provide access to funding solutions such as UKRI Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs), SFC Innovation Vouchers and the UKRI Industrial Strategy.
Glasgow Caledonian University's KTP portfolio built over 40 years encompasses a broad range of sectors including manufacturing, engineering, business, digital, electronics, product design, psychology, environment, and civil engineering.
Access to knowhow, specialised instrumentation and facilities from across our schools - the School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment; Glasgow School for Business and Society; School of Health and Life Sciences and GCU London - provides stimulating award-winning innovation with collaborative partnerships between UK businesses and the knowledge base.
If you would like more information on any of the above, please contact:
Consultancy opportunities
Glasgow Caledonian helps organisations to enhance their businesses through the provision of consultancy services and commissioned research projects. Our academics will use their knowledge and expertise to assist your business in tailored research or short-term consultancy projects specifically targeted to your business needs.
If you are interested in exploring the potential to engage GCU in one of these projects, please contact:
Contracts and IP Advisor
E: Susan Armstrong LLB
Stakeholder links
For more information on our Funding Partners and access to their funding applications please consider the following:
UKRI
Interface
Knowledge Transfer Network
Energy Technology Partnership
The Scottish Innovation Centres
As a signatory to the Sustainable Development Goals Accord, Glasgow Caledonian was the first higher-education institution to use the goals - 17 global objectives to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all - to shape its research strategy.
At RIO, we support and promote the activities of staff and students at Glasgow Caledonian working with partners in low and middle-income countries to address three major societal challenges: enabling communities to build inclusive societies, live healthy lives, and create sustainable environments.
The following open research opportunities are part of the government’s spending commitment to ODA:
Wellcome Trust works with academia, philanthropy, businesses, governments and civil society around the world to take on health challenges.
DFID provides funding opportunities that support high quality research to end extreme poverty
Research focused on international development and addressing SDGs is eligible for other funding opportunities including Leverhulme Trust and the Royal Geographical Society
If you are looking for support in developing a project or are an international organisation looking to collaborate on interdisciplinary research projects, get in touch today.
We want to ensure that the University continues to internationalise its research and innovation activities as a way of promoting the University's mission and vision overseas and to generate new partnerships.
We do this by:
- Identifying and researching external funding opportunities relevant to the University for existing and future projects such as Horizon Europe, British Council. UKRI, etc.
- Guiding academics on the preparation of research grants where compliance and policy-related issues may be complex (such as the EU).
- Monitoring policy and funders’ strategic directions to identify appropriate opportunities.
- Liaising with the International Office ensuring that international activities in the office are optimised to increase GCU’s reputational reach.
- Leveraging the skills and knowledge of the University to contribute to international project outputs whilst also ensuring that the benefits and results of projects cascade throughout the University community.
We are not only reactive, but proactive in our approach. As well as working closely with university researchers on their own projects, we have been successful in gaining funding on a large portfolio of successful projects funded by the European Commission, both as lead and partner. Within the last four years, GCU has been active in more than projects funded by the European Commission, including Erasmus+ capacity building projects, Joint Masters, Interreg, and H2020.
Since the UK's association to Horizon Europe in 2024, the University and its academics have shown great initiative and have submitted more than 10 applications in the past year.
More about our projects:
LABDA
D-RAD
OPPATTUNE
THREE LANKA
ISEDA
DIALECT
GUIDEPREP
SEVERE
Social Innovation Connect UK
SILKEN Vietnam
As an office, we endeavour to keep abreast of changes in the external environment in relation to research and innovation. We are enthusiastic to explore and promote international funding opportunities, be that EU or non-EU.
If you would like more information, please contact:
EU and International Projects Manager
E: Zarina San Jose
EU and International Projects Officer
E: Rachel Dohain
Social Innovation is an area that is becoming increasingly recognised by universities. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have raised the profile of social innovation along with a growing trend for business, industry, government, universities and funding bodies to recognise these goals and include social impact in their activities.
Universities are in a unique position to support social innovation as they have a great deal of influence, resource and intellectual power that is largely unencumbered by political motivations. Universities can gain greatly from being more engaged with the social dimensions of their teaching, research, collaborations and business activities. Funders are increasingly calling for applications that consider the SDGs and the social impact research might have. Business is starting to trend towards showing a great social conscience and corporate social responsibility.
Social innovation has many definitions, but in terms of the activities at Glasgow Caledonian this could be any activity that showcases, researches, supports or creates an innovation that addresses a social need or area within the SDGs.
Currently, the Research and Innovation Office promotes and supports knowledge exchange around social innovation in a number of ways:
- Promotion of the research in social innovation and addressing SDGs to external local and international networks and partners
- Brokerage of relationships at a local and international relationships that could support activities in social innovation at GCU, or where GCU could offer expertise externally
- Promotion of curricular activities in social innovation at Glasgow Caledonian
- Promotion of the activities that support social innovation in enterprise, teaching, community engagement, and student activities around Glasgow Caledonian
- Creation of collaboration projects such as Social Innovation through Knowledge Exchange (SIKE); South East Asian Social Innovation Network (SEASIN); Latin American Social Innovation Network (LASIN); that support and showcase universities across the world that are interested in growing and supporting social innovation through their own activities.
If you just want to explore and learn a bit more about social innovation and enterprise, then Social Shifters is a good source of information and how you can become involved in social innovation.
