social and policy research institute - University of Ulster

2. Foreword by the Research Institute Director
The SPRI is somewhat unusual in the university in having three distinct areas of
research – Social Policy and Social Work, Education and Politics. Each of these
areas was submitted to the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. The Social
Sciences at Ulster have a strong track record in both basic and, more especially,
applied research. Many of the researchers in SPRI not only secure grants and
awards from prestigious peer reviewed sources but also regard their activity
in advising policy makers and practitioners as an essential part of their role.
With devolved government in the UK and now once again in Northern Ireland,
the potential for this applied role is even stronger than before. Not that our
research is confined to the UK or Northern Ireland in particular. We have a new
initiative in Canadian Studies which is bearing fruit in terms of publications and
seminar work as well as collaboration with colleagues in Canada. We also have
a significant research stream concerned with Development Studies. This report
reflects the strengths that the Social Sciences represented in SPRI have in terms
of outputs and esteem which bodes well for the future.
Bob Osborne
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