Research
Oxford University is world-famous for research excellence. Our core commitment is to maintain originality, significance and rigour in research within a framework of the highest standards of infrastructure, training, and integrity.
Search below for a range of research stories by department or topic. These stories include impact case studies, videos, news and the research in conversation series. For more information please see individual department websites.
Oxford leads Nature Positive Universities Alliance to reverse biodiversity decline
The Nature Positive Universities Alliance brings higher education institutions together to use their unique power and influence as drivers of positive change.
Work with nature to unlock economic prosperity, says major Oxford study
The authors also highlight how NbS can create 'win-win' scenarios, such as raising income and creating jobs while enhancing biodiversity and supporting climate adaptation.
New study reveals a global consensus on what democracy means
Most people in most countries state that they wish to have a democratic
New legal research on Gaza war urges immediate action
In a paper on international law in Gaza, Professor Janina Dill of the Blavatnik School of Government
Pioneering digital technology to examine musical themes of England’s most celebrated composer
Elgar is famous for works such as the ‘Enigma’ Variations and The Dream of Gerontius, which display the thematic richness his compositions are known for.
Oxford researchers record wettest month in 250 years
Charlie Knight, current doctoral researcher and Radcliffe Meteorological Observer, remarked, 'this exceptional amount of rainfall is particularly unusual given that September is typically not a very wet month, averaging 52 mm of rain.
Oxford Vaccine Group marks 30 years battling ‘deadly six’ diseases with major art installation
The installation was commissioned to mark the 30th anniversary of the Oxford Vaccine Group which was established in 1994, and set out to provide scientific research into the development and implementation of vacc
New study reveals positive mood changes during video game play
Over 40% of major companies, cities and regions lack emission reduction targets, shows new report
As the climate crisis accelerates, the Net Zero Stocktake 2024 identifies a commitment gap across cities, states and regions, which is holding back the necessary economy-wide transition.
University of Oxford and United Nations Human Rights to host landmark global climate summit
The Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit will be held in Oxford from 4-7 June 2025, in conjunction with participating universities around the world being convened by the International Universities Climate Alliance.
Governments can learn from Silicon Valley as they tackle AI and data science
A new study from the Oxford Internet Institute (part of the University of Oxford) and the London School of Economics examines how governments have gradually adopted Silicon Valley’s way of working.
New research finds outsourcing care homes in England disproportionately disadvantages poorer areas
The impact of the outsourcing of vital care services to the private sector on the growth and survival of care homes was previously unclear.
Large Language Models pose a risk to society and need tighter regulation, say Oxford researchers
In their new paper 'Do large language models have a legal duty to tell the truth?', published by the Royal Society Open Science, the Oxford researchers set
Oxford academics elected 2024 British Academy Fellows
The British Academy has elected leading researchers from across the University’s Humanities and Social Science Divisions, including researchers in English, Middle Eastern Studies, Linguistics, Philosophy, and as well as Archaeology, Anthropology, Law, and Cognitive Science.
University spin-out Oxford Semantic Technologies acquired by Samsung Electronics
Established in 2017 by three University of Oxford professors — Ian Horrocks, Boris Motik and Bernardo Cuenca Grau — Oxford Semantic Technologies (OST) holds cutting-edge technological capabilities in the areas of knowledge representation and semantic reasoning.
New Regius Professors appointed in the Faculty of Theology and Religion
Professor Luke Bretherton has been appointed as the new Canon and Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at Christ Church, Oxford, in succession to The Reverend Canon Professor Nigel Biggar C.B.E.
New report states 7–9 billion tonnes of CO2 must be sustainably removed per year to hit climate targets
The authors incorporated sustainability criteria including multiple Sustainable Development Goals into their analysis, and their final figure for a “Paris-consistent” range of CDR was assessed based on these.
Oxford project discovers over 25,000 World War II artefacts and makes them accessible online
A top-secret D-Day map, a souvenir from Hitler's private yacht, and a piece of the first German plane brought down on British soil.
From research to action: How the Young Lives project is helping to protect girls from child marriage
Our early experiences can have a staggering impact on the rest of our lives – for better or worse.
Spectacular new fossil arthropod discovered preserved in fool’s gold
New study confirms beehive fences are highly effective in reducing human-elephant conflict
New guidance on conservation and human rights launched today at United Nations biodiversity conference COP16
Discovery of key mechanism in Huntington’s Disease could pave the way for early detection and treatment
Pioneering digital technology to examine musical themes of England’s most celebrated composer
Four Oxford researchers win prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prizes