World-leading research at Aston

Our mission is to deliver research that changes lives for the better. As a public research university, we foster collaboration between students, academics and industry leaders, bringing together people from all backgrounds and disciplines in the pursuit of knowledge, academic excellence, and a better world. For over 70 years, we’ve pushed boundaries at the heart of the UK’s second city. We’ve embraced diversity, led change, and championed learning. We empower our researchers with access to cutting-edge facilities and investment opportunities. And we aim to magnify the impact of our research beyond academia, to the benefit of all.

University Research Institutes

Our research institutes are dynamic, multidisciplinary teams dedicated to advancing key areas of research. With a focus on overarching themes, they conduct groundbreaking studies spanning diverse topics within their respective fields. Their mission is to address local, national, and global challenges, driving innovation and fostering transformative change.

Research by College

Supporting our Researchers

West Midlands Innovation Accelerator 

We are proud recipients of funding for three ground-breaking projects to be delivered as part of the West Midlands Innovation Accelerator. It aims to bolster the region’s innovation and R&D capability and capacity to spark commercial growth and investment.

First announced in the Government’s 2022 Levelling up White Paper, the West Midlands Innovation Accelerator commenced in May 2023, funded through a share of a £100m fund from Innovate UK. We are leading the Biochar Clean Tech Accelerator, which will build on our existing research facilities to unlock growth opportunities and target export contracts worth over £200 million of low carbon products produced by a regional industrial cluster. We also play a key role in two other projects; West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator, led by University of Birmingham and DIATOMIC, led by Connected Places Catapult. Together, we're driving innovation and propelling the West Midlands forward.