Science in England

England is the largest and most populated country in the United Kingdom and most issues, including those relating to science and technology policy, are ruled directly from the UK Government in London.

The best known scientific centres in England are Oxford, Cambridge and the capital, London, and between them these three cities host some of the best research institutes in the world. However, excellent science is not confined to these regions, and to foster other hubs of science and technology, in 2005 the UK Government designated six cities around England as ‘Science Cities’. These are Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and York, and each has its own strategy and areas of expertise.

Universities & Research Council Institutes

There are around 90 universities in England and you can find out about them on the Education UK website.

The UK research councils support research institutes in their own particular fields and these can be found on their websites, via www.rcuk.ac.uk

Government Institutes

The Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) 

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science 

Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA)    

National Physical Laboratory

Defence Science and Technology Laboratory

Meteorological Office

Independent Research Organisations

There are many independent research organisations in England and you can find a list of these on the RCUK website. Below are a few examples:

Cancer Research UK 

European Bioinformatics Institute

Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute