Focus
Our universities are committed to supporting research excellence through sustained investment and maximising its impact globally, nationally and locally.
Through coordination of our efforts and resources we have shown how we can leverage our collective expertise to deliver cutting-edge research findings that are helping society respond to its most pressing concerns.
By working together on mutual priorities such as high-performance computing, equipment and infrastructure, we seek to enable researchers to achieve things that would otherwise be impossible.
All of our universities invest in high quality science that is essential for the sustained development of world-leading research. Our discoveries through this research make a positive impact on the UK economy, our wellbeing and to the world around us.
Here are our main areas of focus:
Impact and place
![credit: Andrew Bailey/University of Oxford'](https://www.ses.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/summer-celebration-header-1000px-660x380.jpg)
Celebrating communities’ role in science
Universities are regional anchors and integral to their ‘place’ with many examples of collaborating on scientific research with communities. Here are some recent community-led research activities by our members.
![King's College London, Strand Campus](https://www.ses.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/KCL-Vic-Hi-Res-05-e1715080585961-660x380.jpg)
The economic impact of King’s College London
More than a third of the impact generated by King’s College London’s knowledge exchange and research activities occurred outside the capital, a report by London Economics reveals.
![](https://www.ses.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/1709138043773-bc95fb76-722a-4c8a-9755-3652770a9673_1-660x380.jpg)
The economic and social impact of Queen Mary University of London
More than a third of the identifiable regional-based impact generated by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) occurred outside of the capital, a report by independent consultants reveals
Computing
![](https://www.ses.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Whole_conf_photo-660x380.jpg)
Crafting culture change
This year is the tenth anniversary of the Research Software Engineers’ community. It’s a milestone for the group – but also a huge milestone for the UK research environment.
![(Credit: Advanced Research Computing UCL)](https://www.ses.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cluster-challenge-660x380.jpg)
Research technology professionals – adding value to research teams
When research technology professionals work with your team it makes for ‘happy researchers’ delegates at a SES event heard last month.
![A network server specialist programmes a computer server in the Data Center at University College London. credit: Alejandro Walter Salinas Lopez](https://www.ses.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC00616-1-e1645704586789-660x380.jpg)
Research technology professionals: the hidden roles behind research success
Research Technology Professionals play a crucial role in achieving high-quality research outputs. Supporting their career progression benefits the whole research community.
Research Data
![(Credit: Advanced Research Computing UCL)](https://www.ses.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cluster-challenge-660x380.jpg)
Research technology professionals – adding value to research teams
When research technology professionals work with your team it makes for ‘happy researchers’ delegates at a SES event heard last month.
![A network server specialist programmes a computer server in the Data Center at University College London. credit: Alejandro Walter Salinas Lopez](https://www.ses.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC00616-1-e1645704586789-660x380.jpg)
Research technology professionals: the hidden roles behind research success
Research Technology Professionals play a crucial role in achieving high-quality research outputs. Supporting their career progression benefits the whole research community.
![©Diamond Light Source, 2021](https://www.ses.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Diamond-Light-Source-Aerial-View-Copyright-of-Diamond-Light-Source-Ltd-2020-660x380.jpg)
Research Data Transfer Zone
SES worked with Jisc and Diamond Light Source (Diamond) to establish a coherent framework that will significantly increase the end-to-end data speeds between SES partners and Diamond.
Equipment
![(Credit: Advanced Research Computing UCL)](https://www.ses.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cluster-challenge-660x380.jpg)
Research technology professionals – adding value to research teams
When research technology professionals work with your team it makes for ‘happy researchers’ delegates at a SES event heard last month.
![A network server specialist programmes a computer server in the Data Center at University College London. credit: Alejandro Walter Salinas Lopez](https://www.ses.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/DSC00616-1-e1645704586789-660x380.jpg)
Research technology professionals: the hidden roles behind research success
Research Technology Professionals play a crucial role in achieving high-quality research outputs. Supporting their career progression benefits the whole research community.
![A researcher snaps a photograph of the recently assembled LUX-ZEPLIN xenon detector in the Surface Assembly Lab cleanroom at Sanford Underground Research Facility on July 26, 2019. Photo by Nick Hubbard.](https://www.ses.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Imperial-particles-660x380.jpg)
SES members to receive £24m for particle physics research
Six SES members to receive a share of a £60m investment, which supports the next generation of particle physicists.