Our University for the Common Good ethos reflects the United Nations' global goals. We were the first to adopt this approach. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - issued by the United Nations in 2015, applying to all countries and in place until 2030 - is an ideal statement of the research aspirations for a University with a commitment to the Common Good. These aspirations are realised through our applied research, which addresses three major societal challenges of inclusive societies, healthy lives and sustainable environments.
To address the SDGs, we have approved a number of thematic inter-disciplinary research centres, underpinned by several research groups and an inter-sectoral approach to addressing societal challenges locally and internationally.
Research response to COVID-19
Find out about the multidisciplinary research at GCU addressing the health, social and economic challenges exposed by COVID-19.
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Our commitment to the Common Good
Reflecting our whole-institution approach to the Common Good, these challenge areas align strongly with our postgraduate research, our school structures, initiatives such as Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), GCU’s associated Strategy for Learning and our pursuit of Research Integrity. Our Research Innovation Office supports all our research activities across the university from funding, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) to consultancy and collaborations.
Glasgow Caledonian University is ranked in the top 5% of universities globally, third in Scotland and 14th in the UK in the Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings 2022. The rankings measure the success of higher education institutions against the SDGs.
Research goals
Healthy lives
Find out how GCU is making breakthroughs in modern day health challenges to ensure healthy lives for all.
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Inclusive societies
GCU research into inclusive societies is helping to enrich cities and communities through a number of key themes.
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Sustainable environments
Find out about GCU's climate change and climate inequality research and our efforts to tackle the causes of these problems.
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Research strategy
As the first university to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the framework for its research strategy, research at GCU addressess the Goals via proposed three societal challenges (i) Inclusive Societies (ii) Healthy Lives (iii) Sustainable Environments
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