Areas of research interest
Areas of research interest (ARI) are published documents which detail some of the main research questions facing the UK government.
ARI also include information on:
- departmental research systems
- research and data publication policies
- research and development strategies
About UK government ARIs
The 2015 Nurse review of the UK Research Councils recommended that “for effective engagement with the research community, there is a need for a comparable cross-Government statement regarding Government’s overall R&D needs, which spans the full range of Government Departments” (Nurse, 2015). In response to this recommendation, ARI documents have been created by government organisations since 2017.
ARIs aim to improve how UK government departments:
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Align scientific and research evidence from academia with policy development and decision-making
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Access a wide range of suppliers
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Engage with researchers
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Access stronger policy evidence bases at better value for money
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Share research commissions
The Government Office for Science (GOS) supports the creation and use of ARI documents for ministerial departments, non-ministerial departments, devolved administrations, executive agencies, and non-departmental public bodies. Please find more information about the background, aims and purpose of an ARI in the Guidance on Writing and using Areas of Research Interest.
The following resources can help policymakers and experts explore research interests and ways to engage:
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The ARI database is an easy way to find UK government ARIs relevant to particular research fields using topic or keyword search.
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Routes for academic engagement with Government outlines ways the academic community can engage with government to share evidence and expertise.
Feedback
If you are interested in working on a published research question, please use the contact details available on the relevant ARI database or in the relevant ARI document.
If you have general queries related to ARI guidance, please contact the Government Office for Science.
Please see the below collection of ARI publications produced by government organisations.
Guidance
Ministerial and Non-Ministerial Departments' Areas of Research Interest
Most recent ARI publication for ministerial and non-ministerial departments. Also searchable on the ARI database.
Agencies and public bodies
Most recent ARI publication for government executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies, in alphabetical order of department name. Also searchable on the ARI database.
Evaluation of Areas of Interest
Restructured department archive
Archived ARI publication for departments which have undergone a restructure.
Updates to this page
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Changes have been made to the landing page information to keep the information up to date. Withdrawn ARIs or previous versions of ARIs for the different government departments have been removed and a restructured department archive has been added to keep a record of ARIs under restructured departments. The Non ministerial departments' Areas of Research Interest section has been removed and entries from it moved to a new, combined Ministerial and non-ministerial departments section. Public bodies' Areas of Research Interest will now also feature agencies' ARIs.
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A link to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Areas of Research Interest has been added and the link to the National Archives Areas of Research interest has been updated.
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DSIT Areas of Research Interest 2024 have been added.
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Link to HM Revenue and Customs: Areas of Research Interest 2024 added.
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HM Treasury Areas of Research Interest added.
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Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Areas of Research Interest have been added to the list of Departments' Areas of Research Interest.
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Added 'DWP Areas of Research Interest 2023' to collection
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I added a new "Areas of Research Interests" group - called "Public bodies' Areas of Research Interest" and added an already published page (“Trade Remedies Authority areas of research interest”) to this new group.
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Department for Business and Trade's areas of research interest added to the collection.
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Added DLUHC areas of research interest.
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Added ARI guidance.
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Defra group research and innovation interests 2021 added.
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Addition of 2 documents by the Government Office for Science looking into the evidence base and data and evaluation areas of research.
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Addition of DIT areas of research interest for 2020 to 2021.
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Added FCO coronavirus update and BEIS interim update 2020
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Added Home Office: areas of research interest document.
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Added DfT areas of research interest 2019.
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Added 'Cabinet Office Areas of Research Interest 2019'.
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Added 'DWP Areas of Research Interest 2019'.
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National Archives areas of research interest added.
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Added the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's Areas of Research Interest.
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Added the Department for Education's Areas of Research Interest.
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Added Health and Safety Executive (HSE) areas of research interest.
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DIT, DWP and MOD Areas of Research Interest added.
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Cabinet Office ARIs added
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BEIS ARI added.
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FCO areas of research interests added
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Added DH areas of research interest.
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Added DfT ARI
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Added the FSA's ARI
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First published.