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Research

Close up shot of green plants with plastic around them
Close up shot of green plants with plastic around them
Installation with flowers by Weiye Wang, 2019 MA Fine Art, Chelsea College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: David Poultney

Our academics play a prominent role in the UK's creative culture, with research that enhances public understanding of major issues and benefits the creative and cultural industries.

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Research with us

  • Visitor during the Summer Show
    Image taken by Alys Tomlinson

    PhD and MPhil degrees

    Discover an MPhil or PhD awarded in any subject area at UAL with qualified and inspiring supervision.

  • 2 people adjusting fabric on a mannequin
    3D Draping on the Stand Summer School, image courtesy of UAL

    UAL staff researchers

    Find out more about UAL's staff researchers.

  • Still from a fashion movie
    Incunabula (2014) Film by Marie Schuller in collaboration with Kaat Debo

    Research centres

    Research Centres operate across the University, providing a focus for excellent research in identified areas of strength.

Our research

  • Mina Jahić from the Rescuers Project PCRC, Credit - Dr Paul Lowe

    Research and projects

    Find current and completed research by our researchers and research students, spanning art, design and communication.

  • Photograph of a man wearing a giant fly mask in front of a flower mural
    Lucy Orta and Jorge Orta, Fabulae Naturae (2015)

    UAL repository  

    We hold, manage, share and preserve the research material produced by the University's researchers, and ensure that it reaches the widest possible audience.

  • Stanley Kubrick during filming of 2001: A Space Odyssey
    Stanley Kubrick during filming of 2001: A Space Odyssey (US/UK 1968) © Warner Bros. Inc., Stanley Kubrick during filming of 2001: A Space Odyssey (US/UK 1968) © Warner Bros. Inc.

    Archives and collections

    Learn about UAL's Archives and Special Collections Centre based at London College of Communication, which holds the Stanley Kubrick Archive.

Featured research stories

  • headshots of our twelve honorary's for 2023
    UAL's honoraries, 2023

    Announcing UAL's 2023 honoraries

    University of the Arts London (UAL) is delighted to announce twelve exceptional changemakers and creatives who will be awarded honorary degrees at the 2023 graduation ceremonies, starting on 11 July.

  • A photo of garments being displayed on digital screens as part of the Made in Code: Reimagining the Experience of Fashion installation
    Made in Code: Reimagining the Experience of Fashion, Instillation at V&A, BFTT/ Photography | Adam Razvi, 2023

    Made in Code: Reimagining the Experience of Fashion

    The University of the Arts London (UAL), Business of Fashion, Textiles and Technology (BFTT), Creative Research & Development Partnership recently launched a prototype installation at the V&A to showcase the significant potential of digital fashion experiences across performance, film, games, archives, and other wide ranging cultural contexts.

  •  Kate Goldsworthy, 2017, Man-made Re-made
    Kate Goldsworthy, 2017, Man-made Re-made

    UAL partners with The Welding Institute to create Innovation Lab

    A new agreement between UAL and TWI will see the two parties establish a unique centre for creative textile and materials engineering technologies called the University of the Arts London Innovation Lab (UALIL).

  • Joanna Domagalska, 2022 BA Graphic and Media Design, London College of Communication, UAL
    Joanna Domagalska, 2022 BA Graphic and Media Design, London College of Communication, UAL

    UAL Research Strategy 2023-2028: Changing the world through our creative endeavour

    Launching our research strategy, focused on the vision of "changing the world through our creative endeavour."

Our themes

  • Iris
    Iris, Rob Kesseler

    Living with Environmental Change  

    Through creative practice increasing understanding of environmental change, communicating the issues and designing for new business models, social innovations and sustainable living. Using design to reduce waste and to change producer and consumer behaviours.

  • Delamore, Glove

    Lifelong Health and Wellbeing  

    Designing for people’s life long economic, social and health impact, in order to maximise societal gains and minimise issues of dependency, isolation, and inequality.

  • Girl using virtual reality google
    Digital Anthropology Lab launch at London College of Fashion October 2015 photography by Hannah Puskarz BA Fashion Photography

    Digital Futures  

    Exploring through practice how technology affects lives, changes the way society interacts and impacts on communities, cultural production, future society, and economic growth.

  • ‘Scoliosis’ by Annelie Gross, MA Fashion Artefact, London College of Fashion, UAL Photograph by Jon Emmony for SHOWstudio.
    ‘Scoliosis’ by Annelie Gross, MA Fashion Artefact, London College of Fashion, UAL Photograph by Jon Emmony for SHOWstudio.

    Community Resilience  

    Using art and design to support communities in understanding how to develop innovative and sustainable solutions to the issues they face, through co-design, co-creation, socially responsive practices and social entrepreneurship.

Standards and ethics

At UAL ensure that our research is conducted according to appropriate ethical standards. Find out more about our Research standards and ethics.