Our research excellence – Bath Spa University

Our research excellence – Bath Spa University
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Our research excellence
Explore our range of projects by area of research priority and excellence
At Bath Spa University our research strategy is centred around the following aims:
Support internationally significant and world-leading research
Deepen international research links and externally-funded international projects
Continue to grow and develop strategic funding in enterprise and innovation
Remain a university of choice for early stage researchers
Conduct research in an ethical manner paying attention to environmental issues and issues of diversity.
We will do this by building a rich, impactful and responsible research environment which develops our researchers, puts in place strong UK and global research partnerships and by diversifying and increasing our research and enterprise income streams.
Areas of research excellence
Associated projects:
Artist Boss
The Glove Network
Read more at the
Art and Design research area
.
Read more at the
Business and Management research area
.
Associated projects:
Love Letters
Read more at the
Cultural, Communication Studies and Media Research Area
.
Associated projects:
Attachment Awareness
Exploring Forests and Outdoor Experiences
Thinking Doing Talking Science
Read more at the
Education Research Area
.
Associated projects:
Ambient Literature
Landscaping Change
Living with the Poets Podcast
.
Read more at the
English Language and Literature Research Area
.
Associated projects:
Bath Spa Observer
Cork Flood Defences Dispute
Disrupted Histories, Recovered Pasts
Dynamic Risk at Fuego Volcano
Enduring Connections
Etosha-Kunene Histories
Future Pasts
HiFlo-DAT Hazard Database
Himalayan Flood Reconstruction
Historical perspectives on wildfires in Ireland
Pathways to Resilience
RESPiRES
The Art of Healing in Kashmir
The Last Hurrah
Towards Hydrocitizenship
Troubled Waters
.
Read more at the
Geography and Environment Research Area.
Read more at the
History Research Area.
Associated projects:
Beyond East and West
Mbira Hut
Series as multipart pieces with regulated changes
The Last Hurrah
Word Events: Perspectives on Verbal Notation
Read more at the
Music and Performing Arts Research Area.
Opportunities for Postdoctoral Fellowships
Bath Spa University welcomes Postdoctoral Fellows to its vibrant research community.
The BSU deadline for expressions of interest to the 2025/26 scheme has now passed. We anticipate inviting applications to the 2026/27 scheme, subject to confirmation from the British Academy.
Interested applicants should carefully check the
scheme guidance, eligibility criteria and FAQs
before starting to develop an application. As the British Academy do not allow unsuccessful applicants to reapply to this scheme, you should consider whether this is the best time for you to apply.
Those interested in applying are required to submit an Expression of Interest comprising a short outline proposal and summary CV to
researchsupportoffice@bathspa.ac.uk
. The anticipated deadline is August 2026. Late submissions will not be considered.
Your proposal should include a one page outline of your proposed research, including fit with research activities within the School and your proposed mentor. Your CV (one page maximum) should include your publications to date along with your academic history, including the date your PhD was awarded. If successful, the Research Support Office will work with you to develop your outline stage application to the funder.
You should make contact with your proposed mentor before you submit your outline and it would be beneficial if they commented on your proposal before submission. If you do not have a mentor in mind, please have a look at our staff research profiles on the
Areas of Research Excellence
and our
staff webpages
. You’ll then be able to find staff working in your area of research and make contact with them.
If you have any queries about the Fellowship scheme or the process of selection, please contact the Research Support Office, on
researchsupportoffice@bathspa.ac.uk
.
The
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships
enhance the creative and innovative potential of researchers holding a PhD and who wish to acquire new skills through advanced training, international, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility.
There are two types of Postdoctoral Fellowships:
European Postdoctoral Fellowships
– open to researchers moving within Europe or coming to Europe from another part of the world to pursue their research career. These fellowships take place in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country and can last between one and two years. Researchers of any nationality can apply.
Global Postdoctoral Fellowships
– fund the mobility of researchers outside Europe. The fellowship lasts between two to three years, of which the first one to two years will be spent in a non-associated Third Country, followed by a mandatory return phase of one year to an organisation based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. Only nationals or long-term residents of the EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries can apply.
The 2025 MSCA call is currently open and closes on 10 September 2025.
Please carefully check the scheme guidance, eligibility criteria and FAQs before starting to develop an application. As the MSCA have resubmission restrictions in place from 2022, you should consider whether this is the best time for you to apply.
Individual researchers submit proposals for funding in liaison with their planned host organisation. BSU identifies a number of predefined research areas each year. Proposals are judged on their research quality, the researcher's future career prospects and the support offered by the host organisation. Applications are submitted jointly by the researcher and the UK academic supervisor. It is essential that you make contact with your supervisor well in advance of the deadline. If you do not have a supervisor in mind, please have a look at our staff research profiles on the
Areas of Research Excellence
and our
staff webpages
. You’ll then be able to find staff working in your area of research and make contact with them.
If you are interested in applying for the MSCA PF with Bath Spa University as your host institute, please contact the Research Support Office, on
researchsupportoffice@bathspa.ac.uk
, by 31 July 2025.
The International Fellowship Programme, delivered by
the British Academy
and
the Royal Society
, enables researchers to work for two years at a UK institution with the aim of fostering long-term international collaborations.
This scheme aims to attract the most promising early career postdoctoral researchers from overseas in the fields of natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities.
The next round of funding opens on 15 January 2026,
deadline 11 March 2026
, 17:00 GMT.
In accordance with the 2026 guidance only
one application
will be submitted from BSU; a selection process will, therefore, take place in February 2026.
The BSU Expression of Interest (EoI) deadline for the 2026 call closes on
4 February 2026
.
Interested applicants will be asked to submit an outline proposal and short summary CV to the BSU Research Support Office. Your proposal should include a one-page outline of your proposed research, including fit with research activities within the School and your proposed UK academic co-applicant. Your CV (one page maximum) should include your publications to date along with your academic history, including the date your PhD was awarded.  We will then request that an additional form is completed prior to the review of your EoI.
Please carefully check the
scheme guidance and eligibility criteria
before starting to develop an application. You should make contact with your proposed UK co-applicant before you submit your outline to the BSU Research Support Office, and it would be beneficial if they commented on your proposal before submission.
If you do not have a co-applicant in mind, please have a look at our staff research profiles on the
Areas of Research Excellence
and our
staff webpages
. You’ll then be able to find staff working in your area of research and make contact with them prior to submitting an outline proposal.
If you have any queries about the Fellowship scheme or the process of selection, please contact the Research Support Office, at
researchsupportoffice@bathspa.ac.uk
.
UKRI has published their pre-announcement for
Round 11 of the Future Leaders Fellowship scheme
. The scheme will open on 2 February 2026, with an external deadline of 16 June 2026.
Due to application restrictions in place, Bath Spa University can submit a limited number of applications to this call, and the Research Support Office will run a two-stage internal selection process.
If you are interested in applying with Bath Spa University as your host, please email
researchsupportoffice@bathspa.ac.uk
for further information.
If you are currently a staff member at Bath Spa University, please refer to the information on
SharePoint
.
The internal deadline for outline applications is
16 January 2026
; outlines received after this date will not be considered.
Note that only applicants with the backing of a host School will be eligible for our internal selection process.
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