School of Interdisciplinary Studies

Research

Dumfries Campus is a vigorous part of a research-led institution where research findings inform teaching at both undergraduate and graduate level. 

We constantly seek avenues through which to extend and apply our research. The Dumfries Campus is a key source of innovation across southern Scotland and beyond, particularly through our knowledge transfer partnership activities. Collaboration between academic researchers, business, the public sector and the third sector forms an important part of our orientation to research and to putting knowledge into practice.

Research themes

Like the teaching curriculum, the research agenda within the School of Interdisciplinary Studies covers a significant and stimulating range of interconnected areas, with an emphasis on key social, cultural, economic, educational and political questions.

Research within the School falls within broad themes identified by the College of Social Sciences:

  • Globalisation, competitiveness and sustainability
  • Governance, policy, accountability and risk management
  • Inequalities, inclusion, identities and social change
  • People, places, engagement and change

Environment and culture

This is an exciting time to engage with the environmental research agenda at the Dumfries Campus. We place a strong emphasis on the importance of tackling environmental issues in a cultural context. Our subject areas identify important themes in the local region, which also resonate with other rural regions, worldwide. By creating a shared environment for multidisciplinary research, we are particularly interested in the interconnections between:

  • Landscape, place and memory
  • Sustainable rural tourism
  • Rural landscape management

Health and wellbeing

In addition, the campus has a significant history of research in the areas of health, wellbeing and social studies, including ageing, palliative and end of life care. There are also plans to consolidate and expand activity in these areas to capitalise on existing partnerships and generate further leading research initiatives.

The campus research culture is further supported by the Cultural Currents Research Seminar Series during Semester 2.

All research is guided by an explicit ethical policy.

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