Research-focussed environment

With a reputation for innovative education, enterprise and cutting-edge applied research, Heriot-Watt is one of the leading UK universities for business and industry.

High calibre research

Heriot-Watt is recognised internationally as a centre for high calibre research in science, engineering, business management, languages and textile design. Its research portfolio has a broad span, encompassing highly rated investigations in science and engineering, funded by the Research Councils, as well as applied and technological research and industry-oriented collaborative activities. In recent years, Heriot-Watt University has been in the top 20 universities for Research Grant Awards from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. The University continues to perform at the highest level in terms of the scale of industrial funding and the quality of external collaboration.

A high level of performance in research has a direct bearing on the quality of the University's taught courses, ensuring that they continue to be relevant and up to date. In the last Research Assessment Exercise almost all research activities on campus were assessed at Grades 4, 5 or 5*, i.e. competitive by national-international standards. 83% of staff were returned as research active.

Research Park

The importance the University attaches to the science-engineering/industry interface is also evident in its commercial Research Park, the first of its kind in Europe. The International Study Centre is located on the campus Research Park, which has created 2,000 jobs, 80% of which are graduates. The current turnover of tenant companies is in excess of £70 million.

Partnerships have been crucial to developments in research at Heriot-Watt. Currently, the University, in partnership with Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian, is expanding the Park in three phases increasing its importance as a key economic driver in Edinburgh and the Lothians. There are also facilities for new business start-up companies at the Scottish Borders Campus. Widely regarded as a model of long-term university/industry partnership, the Research Park continues to grow through new collaborations and company spin-offs.

Future Plans

An ambitious and decisive strategy to sets the University's direction to 2015 and places Heriot-Watt at the forefront of research and research-led education in the UK and internationally. The strategy sets the agenda to reshapes the University, growing its academic base by 50% in ten years. Heriot-Watt is investing in cutting-edge research in scientific and industry priorities such as Energy, Risk & Modelling, Environment & Climate Change, Infrastructure & Transport and the interface between Physical and Life Sciences.