Conflict, Crime and Security Research Centres in the United Kingdom

Conflict, Crime and Security Research Centres in the United Kingdom

Within the United Kingdom, there is a wealth of high quality and cutting edge research being conducted at research centres across the areas of conflict, crime and security.

This research has the potential to improve our understanding of current and future security challenges and how we can respond to these challenges. 

The Partnership has sought to list and map these research centres to provide a picture of research currently being undertaken. The list and map are focused on where there are clusters of research and has been grouped into six themes:

  • CBRNE
  • Conflict
  • Cybersecurity
  • Terrorism
  • Threats to Infrastructure
  • Transnational Organised Crime

2021 Research Centres List:

In the spring of 2021, we worked to create a comprehensive picture of the research being undertaken in our key research theme areas. This snapshot of the UK research landscape is available below as both a table, and a thematic map.  

 

Research CentreHost UniversityResearch Theme
Centre for Intelligence Studies (Aberystwyth)AberystwythTerrorism
Institute of Photonic Tech (Aston)AstonTerrorism
Theory Research Group (Birmingham)BirminghamTerrorism
Centre for Sensors & Instrumentation (Brunel)BrunelTerrorism
Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies (Brunel)BrunelTerrorism
Defence and Security (Cranfield)CranfieldTerrorism
Centre for Research & Evidence on Security Threats (CREST)Terrorism
Institute of Hazard Risk and Resilience (Durham) DurhamTerrorism
Global Security Institute for Defence (Durham)EdinburghTerrorism
Centre for Security Research (Edinburgh)EdinburghTerrorism
Centre for Research into Information, Surveillance & Privacy (Edinburgh)EdinburghTerrorism
Research Group on Inter’l Law, Conflict & Security (Glasgow)GlasgowTerrorism
Global Security (Glasgow School of Humanities)GlasgowTerrorism
Conflict, Security & Dev’t Group (KCL)King's College LondonTerrorism
Security Lancaster Research CentreLancasterTerrorism
Institute for Risk and Uncertainty (Liverpool)LiverpoolTerrorism
Centre for Conflict, Security & Terrorism (Nottingham)NottinghamTerrorism
Institute for Global Peace, Security & Justice (Queen's University Belfast)Queen's University BelfastTerrorism
Millimetre Wave & EPR Group (St Andrew's)St Andrew'sTerrorism
Centre for Study of Terrorism & Pol Violence (St Andrew's)St Andrew'sTerrorism
Centre for Study of Terrorism & Political Violence (St Andrew's)St Andrew'sTerrorism
Institute for Security Science and Technology (Imperial)ImperialTerrorism
Centre for Conflict and Security Research (Sussex)SussexTerrorism
European Union Security Research (Sussex)SussexTerrorism
International Relations and Security (Warwick)WarwickTerrorism
Jill Dando Institute of Security and Crime Science (UCL)UCLTerrorism
Centre for Forensic Speech Science (York)YorkTerrorism
Imaging for Terror Threats (St Andrew's)St Andrew'sTerrorism
Forensic and Investitative Sciences Research Group (Anglia Ruskin)Anglia RuskinTransnational Organised Crime
Conflict, Security and International Order Group (Bath)BathTransnational Organised Crime
Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research (Birkbeck)BirkbeckTransnational Organised Crime
Accountability and Governance in Policing Cluster (Birimingham)BirminghamTransnational Organised Crime
Centre for Forensic and Criminological Psychology (Birmingham)BirminghamTransnational Organised Crime
Crime and Society Research Centre (Birmingham City)Birmingham CityTransnational Organised Crime
Transnational Crime at Sea (Bristol)BristolTransnational Organised Crime
TNOC Narratives in West Africa (Bristol)BristolTransnational Organised Crime
Institute of Criminology (Cambridge)CambridgeTransnational Organised Crime
Cybercrime Centre (Cambridge)CambridgeTransnational Organised Crime
Centre for Crime, Law and Justice (Cardiff)CardiffTransnational Organised Crime
Crime, Security and Justice (Cardiff)CardiffTransnational Organised Crime
Crime and Security Research Institute (Cardiff)CardiffTransnational Organised Crime
Centre for Crime and Justice Research (City)CityTransnational Organised Crime
Cranfield Forensic Institute CranfieldTransnational Organised Crime
Institute for Security Science and Technology (Imperial)ImperialTransnational Organised Crime
Centre for Crime, Law and Justice (Lancaster)LancasterTransnational Organised Crime
Social and Criminological Research (Middlesex)MiddlesexTransnational Organised Crime
N8 Policing Research Partnership (Durham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, and York)Durham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, and YorkTransnational Organised Crime
Nottingham Rights LabNottinghamTransnational Organised Crime
Crime, Violence and Governance (Oxford)OxfordTransnational Organised Crime
Risk, Counter Fraud, and Cyber Resilience Research Group (Portsmouth)PortsmouthTransnational Organised Crime
Centre for Criminology and Sociology (Royal Holloway)Royal HollowayTransnational Organised Crime
Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (Universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, and Strathclyde)Universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, and StrathclydeTransnational Organised Crime
Centre for Criminological Research (Sheffield)SheffieldTransnational Organised Crime
Crime Research Centre (Sussex)SussexTransnational Organised Crime
Jill Dando Institute of Security and Crime Science (UCL)UCLTransnational Organised Crime
Forensic Speech Science (York)YorkTransnational Organised Crime
Centre for Cyber Security & Privacy (Birmingham)BirminghamCybersecurity
Research Centre of Excellence in Protecting Citizens Online (Bristol)BristolCybersecurity
Bristol Cyber Security GroupBristolCybersecurity
Computer Lab Security Group (Cambridge)CambridgeCybersecurity
Cambridge Cybercrime Centre CambridgeCybersecurity
CTSRD (Cambridge)Cybersecurity
Centre for Cybersecurity Research (Cardiff)CardiffCybersecurity
Centre for Electronic Warfare (Cranfield)CranfieldCybersecurity
Information and Cyber (Cranfield)CranfieldCybersecurity
Cyber Technology Institute (De Montfort)De MontfortCybersecurity
Security, Privacy & Trust Research Group (Edinburgh)EdinburghCybersecurity
Cyber Security, Privacy and Trust Institute (Edinburgh)EdinburghCybersecurity
Cyber Defence Group (Glasgow)GlasgowCybersecurity
Research Institute in Trustworthy Inter-connected Cyber-physical Systems (Imperial)ImperialCybersecurity
Research Institute for Sociotechnical Cybersecurity (Imperial)ImperialCybersecurity
Institute for Security Science and Technology (Imperial)ImperialCybersecurity
Research Centre for Critical Infrastructure Computer Technology and Protection (Liverpool John Moores)Liverpool John MooresCybersecurity
Cyber Security Research Group (Kent)KentCybersecurity
Cybersecurity Centre (KCL)King's College LondonCybersecurity
Cyber Security Research Centre (Lancaster)LancasterCybersecurity
Information Systems and Innovation Faculty Research Group (LSE)LSECybersecurity
Secure & Resilient Systems Group (Newcastle)NewcastleCybersecurity
Horizon digital economy Research Hub (Nottingham)NottinghamCybersecurity
Northumbria Cyber Security Research GroupNorthumbriaCybersecurity
Cyber Security Centre (Oxford)OxfordCybersecurity
Systems Security Group (Oxford)OxfordCybersecurity
Human Centred Computing Group (Oxford)OxfordCybersecurity
Trusted Computing & Trusted Infrastructure Group (Oxford)OxfordCybersecurity
Models & Technologies for Secure Data Sharing (Oxford)OxfordCybersecurity
Global Cyber Security Capacity CentreOxfordCybersecurity
Centre for Cyber Security, Communications and Network Research (Plymouth)PlymouthCybersecurity
Centre for Secure Information Technologies (Queen's University Belfast)Queen's University BelfastCybersecurity
Information Security Group (Royal Holloway)Royal HollowayCybersecurity
Cyber Security Research Group (Southampton)SouthhamptonCybersecurity
Cyber Security Research Group (South Wales)South WalesCybersecurity
Surrey Centre for Cyber Security SurreyCybersecurity
Research Institute for Sociotechnical Cybersecurity (UCL)UCLCybersecurity
Information Security Group (UCL)UCLCybersecurity
Academic Centre of Excellence in Cybersecurity Research (UCL)UCLCybersecurity
Cybercrime Research Group (UCL)UCLCybersecurity
PETRAS National Centre of Excellence for IoT Systems Cybersecurity (UCL)UCLCybersecurity
Institute for Strategy, Resilience and SecurityUCLCybersecurity
Cyber Security Centre (Warwick Manufacturing Group)WarwickCybersecurity
Cyber Security Research (Warwick)WarwickCybersecurity
York Interdisciplinary Centre for Cyber SecurityYorkCybersecurity
Institute for Strategy, Resilience and Security (UCL)UCLConflict
Institute for Conflict, Cooperation and Security (Birmingham)BirminghamConflict
Institute of Research into Superdiversity (Birmingham)BirminghamConflict
The Centre for the Study of Global Ethics (Birmingham)BirminghamConflict
Global Insecurities Centre (University of Bristol)BristolConflict
Public Spirit (Bristol)BristolConflict
PolicyBristolBristolConflict
Cambridge Centre of Governance & Human Rights CambridgeConflict
Forum on Geopolitics (Cambridge)CambridgeConflict
European Centre @ POLIS (Cambridge)CambridgeConflict
Cambridge Inter-faith Programme CambridgeConflict
Counterterrorism, Intelligence, Risk and Resilience GroupCranfieldTerrorism
Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience (Durham)DurhamConflict
Durham Global Security InstituteDurhamConflict
Institute for Risk and Uncertainty (Liverpool)LiverpoolConflict
Hydra Immersive Simulation System (Liverpool)LiverpoolTerrorism
Migrations and Nations (Loughborough)LoughboroughConflict
Anarchism Research Group (Loughborough)LoughboroughConflict
Centre for Analysis of Risk and Regulation (London School of Economics)LSEConflict
Conflict Research Programme (London School of Economics)LSEConflict
Centre for Conflict, Security and Terrorism (Nottingham)NottinghamConflict
International Law and Security Centre (Nottingham)NottinghamConflict
Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict (Oxford)OxfordConflict
Political Change, Conflict and the Environment (Oxford)OxfordConflict
The Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence (St Andrew's)St Andrew'sTerrorism
Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (St Andrews)St Andrew'sConflict
Centre for the Study of Religion and Politics (St Andrews)St Andrew'sConflict
Evolution and Resilience of Industrial Ecosystems (ERIE) Programme (Surrey)SurreyConflict
Sussex Centre for Conflict and Security ResearchSussexConflict
Centre for Migration Research (Sussex)SussexConflict
European Union Security Research at the SEI (Sussex)SussexConflict
SpaceTimeLab (UCL)UCLConflict
Centre for Criminal Law (UCL)UCLTransnational Organised Crime
Centre for European Politics, Security and Integration (UCL)UCLConflict
Institute for Strategy, Resilience & Security (UCL)UCLConflict
Post-war Reconstruction and Development Unit (York)YorkConflict
Adapting to environmental and energy uncertainties (Birmingham)BirminghamThreats to Infrastructure
Resilient cities (Birmingham)BirminghamThreats to Infrastructure
Centre for Computational Biology (Birmingham)BirminghamThreats to Infrastructure
Global Insecurities Centre (University of Bristol)BristolThreats to Infrastructure
Cabot Institute for the Environment (Bristol)BristolThreats to Infrastructure
Southwest Nuclear Hub (Bristol, Southampton, Plymouth, Oxford)Bristol, Southampton, Plymouth, OxfordThreats to Infrastructure
Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (Cambridge)CambridgeThreats to Infrastructure
Centre for Risk Studies (Cambridge)CambridgeThreats to Infrastructure
Centre for Defence Engineering (Cambridge)CambridgeThreats to Infrastructure
Centre for Electronic Warfare Information and Cyber (Cranfield)CranfieldThreats to Infrastructure
Institute for Advanced Research Computing (Durham)DurhamThreats to Infrastructure
Institute for the Study of Science, Technology and Innovation (Edinburgh)EdinburghThreats to Infrastructure
Glasgow Global Security NetworkGlasgowThreats to Infrastructure
Algorithms, Complexity Theory and Optimisation Group (Liverpool)LiverpoolThreats to Infrastructure
Plasma and Pulsed Power (Loughborough)LoughboroughThreats to Infrastructure
Centre for Analysis of Risk and Regulation (LSE)LSEThreats to Infrastructure
Nottingham International Law and Security CentreNottinghamThreats to Infrastructure
Nottingham Geospatial Institute Research GroupNottinghamThreats to Infrastructure
Climate Systems and Policy Research Group (Oxford)OxfordThreats to Infrastructure
Biodiversity, Ecosystems and Conservation OxfordThreats to Infrastructure
Oxford Institute for Energy StudiesOxfordThreats to Infrastructure
Oxford Institute for New Economic ThinkingOxfordThreats to Infrastructure
The Millimetre Wave & EPR Group (St Andrews)St Andrew'sThreats to Infrastructure
Centre for Infrastructure Systems EngineeringSurreyThreats to Infrastructure
Surrey: Centre for Environmental and Health Engineering SurreyThreats to Infrastructure
Centre for Global Health PolicySussexThreats to Infrastructure
Industrial Informatics and Signal Processing Research GroupSussexThreats to Infrastructure
The Centre for Advanced Spatial AnalysisUCLThreats to Infrastructure
Centre for Urban Sustainability and ResilienceUCLThreats to Infrastructure
Institute for risk and disaster reduction (UCL)UCLThreats to Infrastructure
Manufacturing Group (Warwick)WarwickThreats to Infrastructure
MSc Nuclear Decommissioning and Waste Management (Birmingham)BirminghamCBRNE
Centre for Pathogen Evolution (Cambridge)CambridgeCBRNE
Cambridge: Infectious Diseases CambridgeCBRNE
Cambridge Nuclear Energy CentreCambridgeCBRNE
Cranfield Forensic Institute (Cranfield)CranfieldCBRNE
Centre for Defence Chemistry (Cranfield)CranfieldCBRNE
Centre for Analytical Science (Loughborough)LoughboroughCBRNE
Institute for Emerging Infections (Oxford)OxfordCBRNE
Science Policy Research Unit (Sussex)SussexCBRNE
Evolutionary and adaptive systems group (Sussex)SussexCBRNE
Graphics and Visualisation (Aberystwyth)AberystwythTerrorism
Centre of Excellence in Terrorism, resilience, Intelligence and Organised Crime ResearchSheffield HallamTerrorism

The Partnership recognises that this is not comprehensive list and that there is likely to be many other eminent research programmes being undertaken elsewhere which are not yet included. We encourage you to make contact with the Partnership if you would like details to be added, removed or amended. Please email PaCCS Communications Officer Kate McNeil at k.mcneil@jbs.cam.ac.uk. 

Archived 2016 Research Map: 

Research into transnational organised crime, CBRNE, conflict, cybersecurity, terrorism and threats to infrastructure is always evolving, as are researchers’ and institutions’ areas of programmatic focus. The below map is a snapshot of the institutional research landscape in the UK in 2016, and has preserved for interested parties and as a matter of public record: