A look at the School’s thriving research environment
Imperial College Business School’s excellence in research impacts industry and society, as well as policymakers, business leaders and fellow academics.
The School’s goal is to develop research that has international reach and significance across both the public and private sectors. Examples of high quality and varied research, demonstrating for example how the work of Business School academics is taking the risk out of farming, helping to plan for a low-emissions future, and improving population health, can be found here.
A strong research culture is made possible across four academic departments (Finance, Economics & Public Policy, Management & Entrepreneurship and Marketing) through the recruitment and development of outstanding talent.
The Business School is further strengthened by its growing list of research centres, as well as its relationship with the other faculties that make up Imperial College London. Its leading research centres, including the Centre for Climate Finance & Investment, Centre for Digital Transformation and Centre for Health Economics & Policy Innovation play an integral role in the cross-College, interdisciplinary research network.
A world-leading business school with a diverse, engaged and supportive research and learning environment
This interdisciplinarity and the School’s impact agenda is also supported through the School’s key themes
The School promotes networking with potential beneficiaries, hosting a wide range of policy and corporate events, including an annual flagship industry-focused conference, showcasing the School’s research. These activities are supported by the Institutional Communications & Marketing team, which strategically promotes research efforts. The School also encourages staff secondments to national and international policy agencies, and major external advisory bodies, and promotes the acceptance of public-sector-funded projects.
Research during a pandemic
The international recognition of the School’s research, its importance in the wider College context, and its commitment to addressing problems of pressing global significance is captured by its response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Business School academics have produced academic papers, policy briefings and articles, covering crucial issues, such as contact tracing, hospital capacity, educational challenges, and the adverse impacts on the economy and financial markets. This has involved collaborations with colleagues from national and international institutions.
Professor Dame Carol Propper, whose research was cited in an October 2020 report by the Scottish Government on mental health aspects of recovery from COVID-19, has also given evidence to the UK Parliament’s Science and Technology Committee on the Economics of the Virus. Meanwhile Professor Jonathan Haskel’s work on COVID-19 has informed his contributions as a member of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee.
Professor Tarun Ramadorai discussed the Indian economy’s recovery from the pandemic on BBC World News, while Dr Marisa Miraldo co-authored four reports by the Imperial College London COVID-19 Response Team for SAGE on subjects including elective care, criteria to keep schools and universities open and the development of a hospital capacity planning tool.
The future of research at Imperial College Business School
The Business School’s 10-year strategy for the period 2018–28 includes a plan for the continued support and development of research. The goal of this strategic vision is to be “a world-leading business school with a diverse, engaged and supportive research and learning environment that leverages technology and entrepreneurship to benefit business and improve society.”
As part of this strategy, the School has hired new assistant professors, as well as senior researchers who bring experience, visibility and leadership to important areas. The strategy is also responsible for the launch of the School’s research centres, starting with Imperial Business Analytics in 2014 with the support of KPMG.
Looking to the future, the School plans to increase its world-class faculty, something which is key to becoming a leading business school with sufficient depth and impact in key disciplines. It aims to strengthen its PhD programme and academic research areas, ensuring academic excellence, while further developing interdisciplinary engagement themes focused on real-world problems.
The School is also working to provide an inclusive, collaborative and rewarding culture, increasing accountability through transparency, evidence, assessment and training, as well as committing to increasing gender diversity to at least a third and BAME representation to at least a quarter of faculty.