Research and Impact Strategy
The UEBS Research and Impact Strategy sets out our approach to delivering world‑leading, interdisciplinary research that addresses global challenges.
In this section
Introduction
The University of Exeter Business School (UEBS) is a research-intensive Russell Group school, internationally recognised for high-quality, interdisciplinary research that addresses key global economic, environmental, and organisational challenges.
Ranked among the UK’s leading business schools in REF 2021 and fourth nationally for research income (£10.6 m, 2020/21–2022/23), we demonstrate sustained strength in research quality, scale and impact. This is reflected in growing international recognition at subject level, including Management’s first entry into the global Top 100 of the Shanghai ARWU subject rankings, alongside strong performances in Economics and Business Administration.
UEBS research is organised around three core research pillars of environmental sustainability, responsible leadership and technological transformation, through which interdisciplinary work integrates business expertise with science and policy to address complex global challenges and deliver real-world impact.
These strengths are expressed through eight research centres, including LEEP, ECCE and INDEX, which provide outward-facing platforms for inquiry, collaboration and engagement. As an ambitious, inclusive and connected research community, UEBS produces work that informs policy and practice and develops leaders capable of driving positive change.
As part of the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy (FESE), we benefit from extensive opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary research. This integrated structure enables our staff to work across disciplinary boundaries into STEM disciplines, draw on shared capabilities and contribute to innovative solutions to global challenges.
With public research funding under pressure and expectations around interdisciplinarity, open research and demonstrable impact continuing to rise, a clear research strategy is essential to help us focus on our strengths, navigate a rapidly changing funding landscape and ensure UEBS continues to deliver high-quality, real-world impact, aligned with Faculty and University priorities for financially sustainable and impactful research.
£10.6m
Research income
2020/21–2022/23
Top 100 in the world for Management
76-100 in the Shanghai Rankings Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2025
8 Research centres
Supporting inquiry, collaboration and engagement, including LEEP, ECCE and INDEX.
3 Core research pillars
Environmental Sustainability, Responsible Leadership and Technological Transformation.
Our Vision
UEBS will continue to deliver world-leading interdisciplinary research that integrates business, science and policy to drive environmental sustainability, responsible leadership and technological transformation, creating meaningful and lasting impact for organisations, communities and society.
Our Mission
- Advance Knowledge: by delivering world-leading interdisciplinary research in sustainability, responsible leadership and technological transformation, integrating business, economics, science and policy to address complex global challenges.
- Drive Impact: by co-creating research with policymakers, businesses, charities and communities to inform decision-making, influence practice and generate meaningful social, environmental and economic outcomes.
- Build Culture and Capacity: by fostering an ambitious, inclusive and collaborative research culture that develops talent at every career stage, embeds open and responsible research practices and strengthens our international connectivity.
The UEBS guiding values of Ambitious, Inclusive and Connected are aligned with the University of Exeter’s Strategy 2030 values and the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy’s Research and Impact Strategy.
Shaped through discussion with colleagues across the School, our guiding values express how research is practiced within UEBS and how our research community seeks to work together.
1. Ambitious
Research is driven by intellectual curiosity and a commitment to excellence. Work is undertaken with confidence, responsibility and purpose, seeking quality, scale and significance in addressing complex societal, environmental and organisational challenges.
2. Inclusive
Research culture is open, respectful and supportive. Diversity of people, perspectives, methods and career stages is valued as essential to strong scholarship and meaningful impact.
3. Connected
Research is collaborative and outward-facing. Work spans disciplines, sectors and boundaries, integrating business, knowledge and policy to create research that matters.
To realise the vision and express the guiding values, UEBS draws on a set of core capabilities that underpin the quality, reach and impact of its research.
These capabilities form the foundations of the Business 2030 Research and Development plan. Building on them will require deeper interdisciplinarity, a more diversified income base and stronger pathways to impact, enabling the step change required for REF2029 and relevant rankings in the decade ahead.
1. Interdisciplinary Strength
Capacity to connect scholars across departments, Centres and the wider Faculty, enabling research that addresses challenges beyond the scope of any single discipline.
2. Engagement and Innovation
Capability to work with policymakers, businesses, charities and communities to co-create knowledge and translate research into practical and societal value.
3. Global Reach
Strength in building international collaborations, co-authorships and partnerships that extend the visibility, influence and relevance of research worldwide.
4. Talent Development
Ability to nurture research talent across career stages through mentoring, training, seed funding and leadership development, sustaining a strong and diverse research pipeline.
5. Responsible Research
Embedded practices that support openness, equality, inclusion and sustainability, ensuring research is ethical, transparent and trusted.
Strategic Priorities
To realise the vision and mission and deliver a step change in research scale, ambition and impact, the strategy is organised around four strategic priorities that set out the conditions, capabilities and delivery mechanisms required to strengthen research excellence, culture and impact across the UEBS research pillars over the period of the strategy.
Develop Research Staff and PGRs
Strengthen research talent through development, mentoring and support across all career stages, enabling a sustained increase in world-leading research outputs.
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Enhance Income Growth, Diversification and Sustainability
Build a more diverse and sustainable research funding portfolio that supports long-term research excellence and impact.
Expand Engagement and Impact
Increase the influence of research through deeper collaboration with industry, policymakers, charities and communities.
Embed a Positive and Inclusive Research Culture
Foster a research environment that supports collaboration, progression, openness and responsible research practice.
Specialist Growth Areas
Alongside these priorities, UEBS will pursue targeted research growth over the next five years through a small number of specialist growth areas. These areas provide sharper focus and scale to activity within the research pillars, aligning UEBS research with the UK Industrial Strategy, particularly its emphasis on productivity, place and growth, as well as national R&D missions and wider global challenges.
Sustainability Transitions and Climate-Aligned Transformation
Supporting organisations, policymakers and communities to accelerate the transition to more sustainable and resilient economic systems.
Research in action: Environmental Economics, Circular Economy and sustainable food systems research are helping shape policy, business practice and approaches to environmental stewardship.
Responsible Digital Transformation and the Future of Organisations
Exploring how organisations can harness digital innovation, data and emerging technologies in ways that are ethical, inclusive and socially responsible.
Research in action: Partnerships such as Zoetis and the Business School's work in digital innovation demonstrate how data and technology can support sustainability, organisational change and better decision-making.
Just and Evidence-Informed Economic, Social and Environmental Policy
Generating robust evidence to inform policy decisions and support fairer, more sustainable economic and social outcomes.
Research in action: Research from LEEP and related centres informs environmental, agricultural and land-use policy, helping decision-makers balance economic prosperity with environmental sustainability.